Wynand Claassen
Full names: Wynand
Date of birth: 16 Jan 1951
Place of birth: Schweizer-Reneke
School: Middelburg (Tvl)
Springbok no: 519
Debut test province: Natal
Physical: 1.88m, 90kg
Current age: 73

Test summary: Tests: 7 Tries: 0
First Test: 30 May 1981 Age:30 Eighthman against Ireland at Newlands, Cape Town
Last Test: 3 Apr 1982 Age:31 Eighthman against South America at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentResultScoreVenueProv
30 May 198130Eighthman (C)IrelandWin: 23-15 Newlands, Cape TownNatal
06 Jun 198130Eighthman (C)IrelandWin: 12-10 Kingspark, DurbanNatal
29 Aug 198130Eighthman (C)New ZealandWin: 24-12 Athletic Park, WellingtonNatal
12 Sep 198130Eighthman (C)New ZealandLose: 22-25 Eden Park, AucklandNatal
25 Sep 198130Eighthman (C)USAWin: 38-7 Owl Creek Polo ground, Glenville, NYNatal
27 Mar 198231Eighthman (C)South AmericaWin: 50-18 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaNatal
03 Apr 198231Eighthman (C)South AmericaLose: 12-21 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinNatal

Wynand Claassen : Doc Craven

Wynand and Tommy Bedford - almost birds of a feather. I've known Wynand for a long time. In fact I've known his father George, a one-time winner of the Comrades Marathon, for even longer. George is a wonderful man, a dedicated schoolmaster.

Wynand wasn't brilliant in the accepted sense of the word - he was a player who went almost unnoticed. You had to watch him carefully to appreciate the work he got through.

He had a difficult task in New Zealand in 1981 and Wynand later wrote a book in which he was very outspoken. Let people say what they like, that book cost him a place on the selection committee. But he has accepted it with a smile.

He's doing a wonderful job building up rugby at the University of Natal and I believe we'll still hear a lot more of Wynand in the future. He still has a big role to play in our rugby.