Bryan Habana's new life after rugby, 100m time and surprise Man Utd link

Wales Online

8 hours ago

Bryan Habana's new life after rugby, 100m time and surprise Man Utd link
The Springbok icon is swapping the egg-shaped ball for the round one, seven years on from hanging up his rugby boots
Bryan Habana swaps the egg-shaped ball for the round one in Soccer Aid 2025.
(Image: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire )
Rugby legend Bryan Habana is playing in Soccer Aid 2025.
As far as sporting royalty goes, South Africa icon Habana is near the very top, and he'll be joined by a whole host of similar stars this weekend for UNICEF's huge event at Old Trafford in Manchester. The 42-year-old will line up alongside footballing legends Leonardo Bonucci, Nemanja Vidic and Edwin van der Sar for World XI against England on Sunday evening, and will be coached by Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel.
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Habana will be the only rugby player on the pitch during the match, and despite retiring seven years ago, World XI will certainly be thankful to have the former winger's pace at their disposal.
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As a player, Habana was prolific, and became the second top try-scorer in Test rugby history. Only Japan's Daisuke Ohata has more - 69. Rory Underwood, Doug Howlett and David Campese join Habana in the top five highest Test match scorers - good company.
Here's everything you need to know about the Springboks legend.
Life after rugby
Since he hung up his boots, Habana has gone into business, pursuing a career in entrepreneurship, as well as broadcasting roles.
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The former speedster co-founded financial wellness company Paymenow in 2019, a technology that allows earned wage access for South African employees.
Speaking about the business, he said to Enterprise Africa: "We are trying to make people's lives better, and the way our technology does that is great.
"We are grateful to have some phenomenal Paymenow colleagues and we have yet to see someone leave the business – that is exceptional. The way we have organically grown and the way we have built in a start-up environment has been extremely positive."
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He went on to co-found Matchkit, a DIY website builder, something which was launched during the pandemic. The idea behind it is to provide athletes with a quick and easy way to build a website - "We need to give fans, sponsors and potential sponsors a single home to find you," he said to Rugby Centurions. However, this hasn't been active on social media since 2023.
He started The Bryan Habana Foundation 10 years ago while he was still playing, and was active in both the UK and South Africa. The charity had a goal to "direct funds to helping those in need and make a difference where hope is lost."
He was also named Chairman of Laureus Sport for Good South Africa in 2024, with Habana saying: "Together, we will continue to create opportunities for young people, foster inclusivity, and drive impactful initiatives that uplift and empower communities." That organisation uses sport to drive social change in South Africa.
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Habana also works on TV, appearing in punditry roles for international rugby matches on Sky Sports, ITV, TNT Sports and more.
100m time
Wingers are known for their speed, but when it comes to Habana, he is simply in his own league.
In his heyday, he was clocked at 10.4 seconds over 100 metres, which means he is the fastest ever South African international player.
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For context, the fastest ever recorded human is Usain Bolt, who ran that distance in 9.58 seconds.
Modern Springbok wingers Sbu Nkosi and Cheslin Kolbe clock in at similar speeds but remain around 0.2 seconds off the pace of Habana.
This pace is well known by those in the rugby community, with Habana being one of the most deadly wingers in the history of the sport. In the 2007 World Cup alone, he scored eight tries in only seven matches, matching All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu's record.
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Manchester United link
Habana is directly linked to English football heavyweights Manchester United through his name.
The former Toulon flyer was named after two United legends, with his full name being Bryan Gary Habana, honouring Bryan Robson and Gary Bailey - two Red Devils icons from the 1980s.
Habana dreamed of becoming a footballer due to this connection, but realised rugby was his true love following the iconic 1995 World Cup, which South Africa won.
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'I was always fast as a child; the speed was there. My parents, Bernie and Faith, named me after two Manchester stars, captain Bryan Robson and goalkeeper Gary Bailey, so I ended up wanting to be the import from this country to play in the English Premier League," Habana said.
Speaking about the 1995 World Cup, he continued: "I didn't know anything about sport or even politics during that era, I was just caught up in the excitement as an 11-year-old boy. I was enthusiastic about an experience I would say helped me see the raw emotions, the joy and the passion people had that SA had won the cup.
"I got to witness history and unity. It really became a watershed moment in my life because I got to see Mandela walking right there in the pitch and the Springboks creating a moment not only iconic but impactful in a way that it brought to me inspiration to want to emulate what they were doing. If it wasn't for this moment, I don't know if I'd be playing rugby."