?>
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

The day a 130kg Springboks prop casually slotted a conversion in front of Hurricanes fans

BY Shaywaterworth  ·  Friday Nov 13, 2020

Former Springboks prop Ollie le Roux shocked Hurricanes fans during a Super 12 match in Wellington in 1998 by nailing a difficult conversion and then laughing.

ADVERTISEMENT

The 130kg Sharks front-rower was not supposed to take the kick but his fly half teammate Henry Honiball was down injured, so le Roux stepped up.

Aside from weighing more than 20 stone, the windy conditions in Wellington made the kick even more difficult than it already was for the big man. Then as le Roux made his approach the ball almost fell off the tee, but this didn’t stop it sailing through the posts.

“We’d just scored a try in the howling wind,” said le Roux. “I went to congratulate Pieter Muller and picked up the ball. Lem (Henry Honiball) had hurt his shoulder and all the guys had run back over the halfway line. 

“I screamed out asking who would take the conversion, then the ref said: ‘You’re wasting time, take the kick’. Jouba (André Joubert) ran over and told me that because I’d already placed the ball, I had to kick it. As I did so the wind blew. It looked like a frisbee, going one way and then the other, as it went over.”

Le Roux earned 54 caps for South Africa between 1994 and 2002, winning the Try Nations in 1998 and the Celtic League with Leinster in 2008.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles

  • 13 WEEKS AGO

    WATCH: The worst camera angle in rugby history...

  • 14 WEEKS AGO

    Louis Rees-Zammit's real reason for NFL move...

  • 16 WEEKS AGO

    George Ford falls victim to the kickers curse...



ADVERTISEMENT

Great Tries

  • 6 DAYS AGO

    Portugal shred the Boks for superb try as Esterhuizen is shown a red card

  • 6 DAYS AGO

    WATCH: Georgia score classy end-to-end try vs Wallabies in ten try thriller

  • 2 WEEKS AGO

    Wallabies star Filipo Daugunu commites daylight robbery for superb try against Wales

  • 2 WEEKS AGO

    Wallabies score incredible end-to-end try under immense pressure from Wales

  • 2 WEEKS AGO

    Beauden Barrett sets up EXCEPTIONAL All Blacks try to take the lead against England

View All

Big Hits & Dirty Play

  • 4 DAYS AGO

    WATCH: Viral clip encapsulates why RG Snyman is so impressive

  • 6 DAYS AGO

    Kurt-Lee Arendse shown yellow card for 'Croc Roll' against Portugal

  • 5 WEEKS AGO

    England enforcer's tour could be over following red card vs Japan

  • 5 WEEKS AGO

    Pitch invader melted in thunderous tackle

  • 7 WEEKS AGO

    WATCH: Bath's Beno Obano shown red in the Premiership final

View All

See It To Believe It

  • 12 HOURS AGO

    Exclusive interview: Guy Porter retires aged 27

  • 2 DAYS AGO

    Fijian sevens players show immense strength in Olympic opening day

  • 1 WEEK AGO

    Former USA Eagles backrow makes passionate call to arms to USA Rugby fans

  • 2 WEEKS AGO

    Magnificent Frawley drop goal seals Irish victory in Durban as Kolbe accused of 'diving'

  • 2 WEEKS AGO

    Northampton fans dismayed as 'dismal' new badge revealed

View All

Funnies

  • 4 WEEKS AGO

    Wild changing room scenes as Toulouse begin their Top 14 victory celebrations

  • 4 WEEKS AGO

    Footage emerges of Handre Pollard before his famous RWC semi penalty

  • 4 WEEKS AGO

    'I don't think I've found a front rower that is normal' - Joe Marler

  • 4 WEEKS AGO

    Rassie Erasmus's underrated mental warfare ahead of Ireland series

  • 4 WEEKS AGO

    Rugby brotherhood on full display between three South African Rugby legends

View All

Amateur

  • 80 WEEKS AGO

    You Won’t See Many Better Than This Silky-Smooth Try From Llandovery RFC

  • 81 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible Scenes As Caldy RFC Hand Ealing First Championship Defeat Of The Season

  • 104 WEEKS AGO

    Dubious Score Decides Result Of Rugby's Biggest Schools Fixture

  • 104 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible Scenes At School Boys Rugby Match

  • 104 WEEKS AGO

    The Next Dominant Backrow?

View All

Player Features

  • 12 HOURS AGO

    Exclusive interview: Guy Porter retires aged 27

  • 1 DAY AGO

    Antoine Dupont brilliance secures France sevens semi-final

  • 1 DAY AGO

    Nigel Owens weighs in on Andre Esterhuizen red card decision

  • 2 DAYS AGO

    Ben Youngs opens up on heart surgery following training ground collapse

  • 2 WEEKS AGO

    Ringrose in for Aki as Farrell names Ireland squad to face Springboks

View All