Chester Williams, a Legend Lost

The dawn of the Rugby World Cup is breaking. The sports betting industry is looming with prospects and opportunities for the next couple of weeks. Serious Springbok supporters are immersing themselves in the sweet victory of 1995, hoping for a repeat of history. Then a shock wave is shaking the South African rugby world. In a matter of weeks, they had to say goodbye to two great heroes of a time when SA just immersed back onto the world map of sports.

A Career Creating Hope

During a time when rugby was predominantly a white sport in South Africa, Chester Williams was the man who gave many coloured players hope of a future in the national team. He was the man who stood next to Nelson Mandela when the William Webb Ellis Cup became a signal of more than South Africa’s re-entering the international sports scene but doing so as a united and forceful team. He was part of new founded hope for South Africa. A legend with a great heart, loved by many.

His Early Career

Williams was born on August 1970 in the Boland town of Paarl. When he was 23 years old, he debuted for South African Springboks against Argentina in Buenos Aires. This game was played on November 1993 and was won by the Springboks with a magnificent 52-23 score. Since then he became much loved by the rugby world as the Springbok’s star wing.

He played for the Springboks from 1993 until 2000. During the 1995 World Cup, he managed to score four tries for South Africa, helping the team win the Cup for the tournament, which was hosted on local soil soon after being allowed back into the international arena. Williams also played domestically for the Western Province and appeared on the field for them 63 times between 1991 to 1998. During 1999 he was playing for the Golden Lions and was part of their Currie Cup-winning team.

Invictus and Other Challenges

Williams played a vital role in the production of this film based on the 1995 Rugby World Cup victory for South Africa. Not only was his character one of the roles portrayed in the movie directed by Clint Eastwood, but he was also involved as one of the rugby coaches employed to assist the characters. Here he had the opportunity to work with some great Hollywood names like Matt Damon.

During both the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Williams was honoured to be selected to help carry the Olympic torch. During 2010 he completed the Cape Epic mountain bike race, an epic event which attracts international interest to the rugged mountainous terrain of the South African Winelands.

Williams was so much more than a sports icon. He was a family man and a people’s person. Loved by many and he will be missed by even more. Indeed, a tremendous loss to the country after the star passed away at the age of only 49 due to a heart attack. Chester will be missed.