Bok legend HO de Villiers dies at 76
The fullback, who was forced to retire early from the game due to injury, played 14 Tests for SA
Former Springbok and Western Province legend HO de Villiers died last Sunday at the age of 76.
De Villiers played 14 Tests and another 15 non-Tests for SA between 1967 and 1970. He made his Springbok debut against France in Durban in 1967 and scored four conversions and one penalty goal as the hosts beat the Le Bleus 26-3, the sarugbymag website recalled this week.
Due to injury, De Villiers was forced to retire from the game early in his career. His last international was in 1970 in the drawn Test against Wales in Cardiff. He also represented UCT and Villagers at club level, and played in the blue-and-white hoops of Western Province from 1965 to 1975.
De Villiers, who was born in Johannesburg and settled in Cape Town after national service in the SA Navy, underwent surgery to remove a tumour from his brain in 2021.
His parents named him Henry Oswald, but he was known as HO all his life.
“HO de Villiers revolutionised fullback play with his counterattacks and was widely regarded as one of the best to represent SA,” said SA Rugby president Mark Alexander.
“Unfortunately, injuries robbed him of the opportunity to play in many more Tests for the Springboks but, if he had the opportunity, he would surely have added many more internationals to his record.
“HO will always go down as one of the legends of Springbok rugby and even today his name is well known among the rugby fraternity. Sportsmanship and honour were character traits closely associated with him, and that counts more than results in the end.
“To lose any member of the rugby family is a tragedy, but even more so when he was a real gentleman and someone who loved the game, gave back and always maintained a high moral standard,” Alexander said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Sandra, their children, family, friends and other loved ones during this time of grief. We hope you will find solace in the memories of a wonderful man who represented SA at the highest stage and contributed so much to the game he loved dearly.”