Ruben Kruger


Ruben Jacobus Kruger was a South African rugby union player. He played as a flanker. He had two daughters Zoë and Isabella. Isabella played quarter final on the junior tournament at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships.

Playing career

Provincial

A product of Grey College in Bloemfontein, Kruger played for the schools team at the annual Craven Week tournament in 1987 and 1988 and gained selection for the South Africa national under-18 [rugby union team|South African Schools team] in both years. After representing the Free State under-20 team in 1989 and 1990, he made his senior provincial debut for the Free State in 1991. During 1993, Kruger moved to and played for the union until 2000. In 1995 Ruben Kruger was named South African Rugby Football Union's player of the year.

International

Kruger played for the South Africa national rugby union team between 1993 and 1999. He played his first test match for the Springboks on 6 November 1993 against Argentina at the Ferro Carril Oeste Stadium in Buenos Aires.
In 1995, he played in the Rugby World Cup. During this tournament, he made 5 starts, and scored 1 try, in the controversial semi-final against the France national rugby union team. Kruger also played in the 1999 World Cup and in addition to his 36 test matches, he also played in 20 tour matches and scored 14 tries.

Test history

No.OppositionResult PositionTriesDateVenue
1.29–26Flank6 Nov 1993Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
2.52–23Flank13 Nov 1993Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
3.34–10Flank19 Nov 1994Murrayfield, Edinburgh
4.20–12Flank26 Nov 1994Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
5.60–8Flank13 Apr 1995Ellis Park, Johannesburg
6.27–18Flank25 May 1995Newlands, Cape Town
7.21–8Flank30 May 1995Newlands, Cape Town
8.42–14Flank10 Jun 1995Ellis Park, Johannesburg
9.19–15Flank117 Jun 1995Kings Park, Durban
10.15–12FlankRugby World Cup final|24 Jun 1995]Ellis Park, Johannesburg
11.40–11Flank2 Sep 1995Ellis Park, Johannesburg
12.40–21Flank12 Nov 1995Stadio Olimpico, Rome
13.24–14Flank18 Nov 1995Twickenham, London
14.43–18Flank2 Jul 1996Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
15.16–21Flank13 Jul 1996Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
16.11–15Flank20 Jul 1996AMI Stadium, Christchurch
17.25–19Flank3 Aug 1996Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
18.18–29Flank10 Aug 1996Newlands, Cape Town
19.19–23Flank17 Aug 1996Kings Park, Durban
20.26–33Flank124 Aug 1996Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
21.32–22Flank31 Aug 1996Ellis Park, Johannesburg
22.46–15Flank9 Nov 1996Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
23.44–21Flank216 Nov 1996Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires
24.22–12Flank30 Nov 1996Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux
25.13–12Flank7 Dec 1996Parc des Princes, Paris
26.37–20Flank15 Dec 1996Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
27.74–10Flank210 Jun 1997Newlands, Cape Town
28.British and Irish Lions|name=British Lions

World Cups

Later career

At the end of his rugby career, he became a camera salesman. He owned a Minolta franchise in Pretoria. He was portrayed in Invictus, a film about Nelson Mandela and the 1995 Springboks, by Grant Roberts.

Death

Kruger died in Pretoria on 27 January 2010 after battling brain cancer for 10 years. He was two months short of his 40th birthday.