Rudolf Straeuli

Rudolf August Wilkens Straeuli (born 20 August 1963 in Pretoria, South Africa) is a former South African rugby union player and coach and currently the CEO of the Lions Rugby Company. He played in the positions of flanker and Number 8, making ten test appearances for South Africa in 1994 and 1995.[1] He was the coach of the Springboks rugby team in 2002 and 2003. He also played for the Golden Lions provincial team in the Currie Cup and Super 12 competitions.

Rudolf Straeuli

Date of birth	(1963-08-20) August 20, 1963
Place of birth	Pretoria, South Africa
Height	1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight	110 kg (243 lb; 17 st 5 lb)
School	Hoërskool Menlopark
University	University of Pretoria Stellenbosch University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Loose Forward Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 1998–1999 Bedford Blues 6 (0) Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1990 Northern Transvaal () 1993–1996 Transvaal 61 () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1994–1995 South Africa 10 (20) Teams coached Years Team 2002–2003 South Africa

Playing career

Straeuli played his first in provincial rugby in 1990 for Northern Transvaal and from 1993 he played for Transvaal. During 1993 he also toured with the South African Barbarians to the United Kingdom.[2]

Straeuli made his debut for South Africa on 9 July 1994 against the All Blacks, in which he also scored a try. In all he played 10 tests, including representing South Africa in the 1995 Rugby World Cup, before his career ended on 18 November 1995 against England at Twickenham Stadium.

Test history

     World Cup Final

No.	Opposition	Result (SA 1st)	Position	Tries	Date	Venue
1.	New Zealand	14–22	Flank	1	9 Jul 1994	Carisbrook, Dunedin
2.	Argentina	42–22	Flank		8 Oct 1994	Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth
3.	Argentina	46–26	Flank	1	15 Oct 1994	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
4.	Scotland	34–10	Number 8	1	19 Nov 1994	Murrayfield, Edinburgh
5.	Wales	20–12	Number 8	1	26 Nov 1994	Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
6.	Samoa	60–8	Number 8		13 Apr 1995	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
7.	Australia	27–18	Number 8		25 May 1995	Newlands, Cape Town
8.	Samoa	42–14	Number 8		10 Jun 1995	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
9.	New Zealand	15–12	Replacement		24 Jun 1995	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
10.	England	24–14	Replacement		18 Nov 1995	Twickenham, London

Coaching career

In 2002, Straeuli took over as the head coach of the Springboks. He won his first four games, with two victories over Wales, a 20-point victory over Argentina and a convincing 60–18 defeat of Samoa. However, the team subsequently suffered several defeats against the bigger nations, losing 30–10 to France, 21–6 to Scotland, 53–3 to England and 52–16 to New Zealand during his reign.

He coached the Springboks during the 2003 Rugby World Cup, a campaign that saw South Africa failing to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup for the first time. Straeuli was forced to resign shortly after the tournament when details of his infamous Kamp Staaldraad training camp came to light.[3]

Overall Straeuli coached 23 tests and won only 52% of them, one of the worst records for a South African coach. He also won only two out of the 17 games played against the top six teams in the world.

Accolades

In 2006 he was inducted into the University of Pretoria Sport Hall of fame.

See also

• List of South Africa national rugby union players – Springbok no. 616

References

1. "Rudolf Straeuli". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 2020-07-04.
2. Van Rooyen, Quintus (1995). S.A. Rugby Writers Annual 1995. SA Rugby Writers' Society. p. 121. ISBN 0620189223.
3. "Straeuli given one week to explain away Camp Barbed-Wire". Guardian. 28 November 2003. Retrieved 14 April 2016.

External links

• "SA Rugby Player Profile – Rudolf Straeuli". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
• "SA Rugby Player Profile – Rudolf Straeuli (duplicate)". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 14 April 2016.

Sporting positions
Preceded by Harry Viljoen	South Africa National Rugby Union Coach 2002–2003	Succeeded by Jake White