Cape Town - Rugby legend, former Springbok Captain, Morne Du Plessis and ex- Western Province rugby champion Frikkie Naude have bid farewell as founding members of The Chris Burger Petro Jackson Foundation, also known as the Players Fund which has helped hundreds of injured players for decades to rehabilitate and heal.
For 43 years, the pair paved the way for the non-profit organisation with extraordinary passion.
Du Plessis, the former Springbok rugby captain and who was appointed the team’s manager during the 1995 World Cup said though they had battled to keep funding going, they never gave up in what became known as the Players’ Fund.
“There were times when, financially, we were fighting for survival, and having been part of starting the Fund, I felt it was my obligation to do whatever I could to keep it going.
“I just couldn’t see myself stepping down until the next generation of guys came through and that’s what happened when Jean and Shimmy and the likes of John Smit, Tiaan Strauss and Wayne Fyvie joined.
There was a dramatic uplift in the Fund since they joined, and I could comfortably say it was in safe hands going forward.”
Also known as Rugby’s Caring Hands, The Players Fund assists 88 recipients.
These are players who sustained head, neck and spinal injuries while playing the sport and have aided over 600 so-called fallen heroes over the years.
The Fund was founded by Du Plessis and several of his Western Province and Villagers teammates including Naudé, Tubby Teubes, HO de Villiers, as well as Judge Pat Tebbutt and Neil Strybis on September 9, 1980, after the tragic death of Western Province fullback Chris Burger from an injury he sustained in a Currie Cup match against Free State in Bloemfontein on August 30 of that year.
Burger suffered a broken neck and died in the early hours of the following morning
It was a day Du Plessis would never forget.
“I remember very few things about my rugby career clearly, but that day is imprinted in my mind,” said Du Plessis.
“Chris’ death impacted us deeply and we felt we needed to support his wife. It grew from that initial focus as we realised there are others who are not so well known that are also suffering from catastrophic injuries and that ultimately evolved into raising millions of rands and supporting hundreds of injured players over the last four decades.”
Later in 1987, Kylemore wing Petro Jackson passed away on the field after breaking his neck during a zone club competition match against Excelsior.
A fund was established in his memory.
In 2018, Du Plessis who served as chairman and Naudé as vice-chairman confidently left the fund in the hands of Jean de Villers, former Springbok captain, and ex-Springbok hooker Hanyani Shimange.
They duo remained active members of the Board of Trustees until the end of 2023.
Naudé , who played fullback for Free State and Western Province, said interaction with injured players fuelled their humanitarian work.
“To visit an injured player in hospital and see him smile despite having undergone a tragedy was incredible,” he explained.
“To visit them at home and see them adapting to their new circumstances with such strength was so powerful. “Those smiles stay with you.”
Du Plessis said the fund relied on its own resources and fundraising.
“The heart of the Players’ Fund is that it’s not just about providing financial assistance, which is very important,” he added.
“But more importantly, it’s about being there and offering support so that injured players and their families don’t feel like they’re alone.”
Naude urged the good work to continue: “The challenge financially is that wheelchairs, for example, have quadrupled in cost over the years, so as much as the whole team at the Fund are doing a truly exceptional job, it’s vital for the public to continue to support the cause.”
When asked what was next for Naude he said: “I do not believe that one will ever retire fully and then sit in a corner.
“I am involved in a family farm outside Stellenbosch and love the outdoors amongst the vines and cattle”
Du Plessis has yet to comment on his new venture.
* To support the Players’ Fund, visit www.playersfund.org.za and select your donation option of choice, which includes EFT, Payfast, SnapScan and Zapper.