Latest news with #Cornal
The Star
6 days ago
- General
- The Star
Wilco Louw focused on Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory in honour of Cornal Hendricks
While it will come as a huge feather in his cap to be nominated as Player of the Season, there's no time to celebrate just yet for Bulls prop Wilco Louw ahead of his side's United Rugby Championship semi-final this weekend. The Bulls will host the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday in the second semi-final. Kick-off is at 6.15pm. Should Leinster lose their semi to Glasgow earlier in the day, it will mean the final will be hosted in South Africa for the fourth year in a row. As Louw reflected on his nomination, it was revealing how he avoided personally taking credit for his achievement. "It is a massive honour to be nominated for Player of the Season. But rugby is a team sport, and without the rest of the team, the brilliant players I play with — none of this would have been possible. It's the guys who pack in the scrums, who clean when you carry. It's a team effort,' Louw told The Bulls had to come through a gruelling quarter-final against Edinburgh Rugby at Loftus to book their ticket in the last four. It was an especially significant feat, since the Bulls had lost to the same opposition earlier in their campaign. "They were not an easy opposition; they are a well-coached team. They got good dominance in the scrum the first time we faced them, and we remembered that. We also lost to them in the Challenge Cup playoffs, which was tough. So, we knew exactly what they'd bring on Saturday.' With former Bulls star Cornal Hendricks dying suddenly last month at the age of 37, going all the way in the competition this year would be an especially poignant milestone, Louw revealed. "Cornal was a happy guy, always positive and full of good energy. He was a fantastic rugby player but an even better human being. 'Hopefully, we can finish the season strong for him and his family. It would be a cherry on top if we could do it for Cornal and not just for rugby, but because of the way he lived life with enthusiasm and joy." @Michael_Sherman IOL Sport
South Wales Argus
16-05-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Dragons boss Tiatia: It's in the Bulls' DNA to be brutal
The Rodney Parade club will, barring the biggest upset of the season, end the United Rugby Championship with a 17th straight defeat at Loftus Versfeld (kick-off 2pm) on Saturday. The hosts will secure second seeding with victory on what will be an emotional occasion after the death of former Bulls and Springboks winger Cornal Hendricks at the age of 37. The Bulls are overwhelming favourites and will be expected to run up a big score against the injury-hit Dragons, who are fresh from a 48-12 loss at the Stormers and who must cope with playing at altitude. 'It's one final push and the last game of the season,' said head coach Tiatia. 'Pretoria is a challenging place and they are second in the league. 'They play a dominant style of rugby – that's the Bulls DNA – and we are under no illusions about the size of the challenge, but we want to finish strongly with the young players that are here.' The Dragons shipped eight tries against the Stormers, who stretched away with three in the closing stages. They were resilient for much of the first half and the score was relatively respectable at 29-12 with 73 minutes on the clock, but the Bulls are even more formidable opponents. THREAT: Bulls back rower Ruan Nortje (Image: Mark Lewis/Huw Evans Agency) 'The style of game they play is totally different to the Stormers, they are a physical team and brutal in contact,' said Tiatia, who relished such confrontations in his playing days. 'That's a good challenge for us because we are not too bad when we get our detail right. It will be a heck of a contest and, like it is for most teams [at altitude], it's how you stay in it after 50 minutes.' It was revealed on Thursday morning that Hendricks had died after a heart attack on Wednesday evening. The winger, who made his Test debut against Wales in 2014 and won 12 caps for the Springboks, was diagnosed with a serious heart condition 10 years ago and retired from professional rugby. But he returned to the game after receiving a second medical opinion and spent five seasons with the Bulls. 'Having coached sides against Cornal, I witnessed first-hand his athleticism, footwork, pace, and power with his side-stepping and fend a constant threat," said Tiatia. 'Cornal was a player I greatly admired, and he was an inspirational player to watch play on the field but also away from the action with his work in the wider community. 'I wish to personally send out my sympathies to his friends and family along with the wider Bulls family."
The Citizen
15-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
‘An infectious smile that brightened our world': Tributes pour in for Cornal Hendricks
'Cornal's legacy goes beyond the field; he embodied the spirit of never giving up, perseverance, and excellence, inspiring countless individuals both on and off the pitch.' The Bulls and Roses United Rugby Club have paid tribute to former Springbok winger Cornal Hendricks, who tragically passed away at the age of 37 on Wednesday, reportedly due to a heart attack. The Paarl native played 12 Tests for the national side, scoring five tries for the Springboks, including one on his 2014 debut. He also had a stellar Sevens and club rugby career, first with Boland, then the Cheetahs (27 caps between 2013 and 2015) and then the Bulls (73 caps between 2018 and 2024), before he returned to his homeland, Boland, for his career swansong. His Springbok dream was cut short in 2015 when he had to take a three-year break from the game after being diagnosed with a serious heart condition and was told to quit the game. He never gave up, however, and made a return with the Bulls in 2017, where he won the Currie Cup and Super Rugby Unlocked titles with the team. He was a devastating winger who later on evolved his game and became an equally devastating centre with a zeal for life. 'A loved member of the Loftus family' Bulls chief executive Edgar Rathbone said Hendricks was a special player who will be dearly missed. 'We are deeply saddened and still trying to come to terms with the passing of Cornal, a loved member of the Loftus family who was more than a talented player,' Rathbone said. 'He knew how to deliver just about the right dose of energy to help lift a room. He was an iconic teammate, a friend for many seasons, and an inspirational figure in the locker room.' The Bulls boss described Hendricks as a brother, son and inspiration to both the young and old. 'A man with such an infectious smile that brightened our world, and above all, we knew Cornal as a proud dad to his young kids.' 'We offer our heartfelt condolences to his family, his wife, children and everyone else who is affected by his untimely and tragic death. He was a special player who defied all the odds and became our inspiration for everyone, may he rest in perfect peace.' Rathbone said Hendricks will be remembered for his outlandish dance moves and love for laughter. 'A prolific gentleman on and off the field who will be dearly missed by all.' Hendricks found second chance at the Bulls Bulls director of rugby Jake White said many people were shocked and sad when his career was cut short when he was diagnosed with a serious heart condition in 2015. However, he made a return via a move to the Bulls three years later after cardiologists gave him the go-ahead to play. 'When we had the opportunity to get him back on the park, he took that with open arms and made a remarkable use of his second lease in professional rugby,' White said. 'We all witnessed him leave no stone unturned as he inspired his teammates and the South African community through his story of hope and courage. It was a privilege and honour to have been his coach, a fantastic role model for the next generation and his appetite for life was infectious. Rugby has lost one of the good ones today.' Roses United say Hendricks a 'beacon of inspiration for many' Roses United Rugby Club, where Hendricks began his rugby career, said his passing 'sent shockwaves throughout the Drakenstein Region and beyond, leaving a deep and lasting impact on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him'. They said he was not only a remarkable rugby player but also a 'beacon of inspiration for many'.
