Springbok legend Joggie Jansen dies aged 78 after All Blacks victory

South African rugby is mourning the death of former Springbok centre Joggie Jansen, who died on Sunday morning at the age of 78, just hours after South Africa defeated New Zealand in Cape Town.

According to a report by The South African, Jansen passed away following a career that saw him earn 10 Test caps for the Springboks between 1970 and 1972.

For many South African rugby supporters, Jansen will be remembered for one particular moment that helped define his international career: a perfectly timed tackle against the All Blacks on his Test debut.

A debut that became part of Springbok history

Born Joachim Scholtz Jansen in Griekwastad on 5 February 1948, Jansen attended Hoërskool Griekwastad with his brother Eben.

The two brothers hold a unique place in the school’s rugby history, having both gone on to represent South Africa as Springboks. They remain the only Springboks produced by the Northern Cape school.

Jansen made his international debut on 25 July 1970 against New Zealand at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

The All Blacks arrived in South Africa as the highly regarded ‘Invincible’ side, but Jansen quickly made his presence felt.

With the match finely balanced, New Zealand’s Wayne Cottrell received the ball on the blind side. Jansen responded with a well-timed tackle that stopped the attack and helped shift the momentum in South Africa’s favour.

The Springboks eventually won the match 17-6.

More than the tackle

While that defensive moment became closely associated with Jansen’s name, his career was about more than one famous tackle.

Playing at inside centre, he was regarded as a skilful and dependable player who could contribute in both attack and defence.

He scored his only Test try in his second appearance for South Africa, against New Zealand at Newlands on 8 August 1970.

South Africa lost that match 9-8, but went on to win the third and fourth Tests of the series. The Springboks defeated New Zealand 14-3 in Port Elizabeth before claiming a 20-17 victory at Ellis Park.

A perfect tour of Australia

Jansen was also part of the Springbok squad that toured Australia in 1971.

He started all three Tests against the Wallabies as South Africa completed a clean sweep.

The Springboks won 19-11 in Sydney, 14-6 in Brisbane and 18-6 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

That same year, Jansen also featured in South Africa’s two-Test series against France. The Springboks won 22-9 in Bloemfontein, while the second match in Durban ended in an 8-8 draw.

A short international career with a lasting legacy

Jansen’s final Test came against England at Ellis Park on 3 June 1972. South Africa lost 18-9.

By the time his international career ended, he had represented the Springboks 10 times and scored one Test try.

Despite spending only two years in the national side, Jansen’s contribution remained recognised in South African rugby history. He was later ranked 82nd in the South African Rugby Top 100.

His death came on the same weekend that the Springboks faced the All Blacks in Cape Town, adding a poignant connection between one of South Africa’s historic rugby figures and one of the game’s most enduring rivalries.

Jansen leaves behind a legacy built not only on his statistics, but on a moment that rugby supporters continued to associate with his name decades later.

His famous tackle against the All Blacks became a lasting reminder of the kind of impact a player can make in a single moment on the international stage.

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Source: The South African