Flanker Ruben Kruger, one of the Springbok stars who won the rugby World Cup in 1995, has died at age 39 after a decade-long battle with cancer.
Kruger was named player of the year in 1995, when a newly democratic South Africa won the World Cup on home soil.
He debuted for the Free State in 1993, the same year he won the first of his 36 Springbok caps against Argentina in Buenos Aires.
He joined Northern Transvaal in 1994, and only retired because of knee injuries after the 1999 Rugby World Cup.
He played 36 Tests and 20 tour matches for the Springboks, and scored seven tries in Tests - most famously against France in the 1995 Rugby World Cup semi-final in Durban.
Kruger is survived by his wife and two young daughters.
