Johannes Theodorus Viljoen was born on 21 April 1943. Hannes played his first game for Natal in 1965and his last in 1972. He represented Natal on no fewer than 63 occasions. The highlight of Hannes’s career for Natal would have come in Keith Oxlee’s farewell match in 1967. Natal played against the SA Barbarians at Kings Park on 10 October 1967. The Barbarians had no less than ten Springboks in the team and Natal still managed to win 32-22.

Hannes was chosen for the fifth Springbok tour to Australia. This was the first time that South Africa went to Australia and not as part of a New Zealand tour. Hannes played in ten of the thirteen tour matches including all three tests. In total he scored sixteen tries in all the games and this includes two test tries and five tries against Western Australia. This was the first time in history that South Africa had not lost a single tour match. South Africa had a total of 396 points with only 102 scored against them.

Hannes Viljoen’s greatest triumph would have come when he was named sportsman of the year for his performance on the wing for Natal and South Africa in 1971.