The South African rugby community has been rocked by the passing of John Williams, who served as the first Springbok head coach post-isolation in 1992.
He was 78.
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Williams had been in a coma for the last 10 days, but he never regained consciousness and passed peacefully in hospital on Thursday morning following a battle with leukaemia.
The tragic news of his death was confirmed by SA Rugby.
SPRINGBOK COACHING CAREER
Williams took charge of the Springbok squad in 1992, the first year South Africa was welcomed back into international sport after its isolation and subsequently expulsion from the global stage because of apartheid.
The Springboks played five Tests under Williams’ tutelage that year, but tasted victory in only one of those games.
And as a result, Williams was relieved of his duties, with Ian McIntosh coming in as his replacement.
That prompted Williams to return for a second spell as Bulls coach in the mid-1990s.
His achievements with the Northern Transvaal and the Bulls include four Currie Cup titles in 1987, 1988 and 1991 and 1989 (the last of which was shared with Western Province).
John Williams was one of only six people who played for South Africa and then also coached the Springboks after unity in 1992, along with Carel du Plessis, Nick Mallett, Rudolf Straeuli, Allister Coetzee and Rassie Erasmus.
JOHN WILLIAMS’S SPRINGBOK COACHING RECORD
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Src: TheSouthAfrican.com - https://rugga.co.za/springboks/rip-former-springbok-player-and-coach-dies/
