François Pienaar

Born in Vereeniging on 2 January 1967, François Pienaar came from a working-class Afrikaner family. He studied law at Rand Afrikaans University on a sports scholarship and made 100 appearances for Transvaal between 1989 and 1996.

In 1993 he led the province to the Super 10, the Currie Cup and the Lion Cup. In 1994 Transvaal kept the Currie Cup under his captaincy.

His Springbok debut came against France at Kings Park, Durban, on 26 June 1993. He was captain from that first Test and led South Africa in all 29 of his Tests.

The defining day came at Ellis Park, his home ground, in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final. South Africa had gone into the tournament seeded ninth. They beat New Zealand 15–12, sealed by Joel Stransky's drop goal. Nelson Mandela, wearing a Springbok jersey with Pienaar's number on it, handed him the Webb Ellis Cup.

He later played for and coached Saracens, winning the Pilkington Cup. He was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 2011.