{{Short description|South African rugby union player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox rugby biography | image = | caption = | birth_name = Ruben Jacobus Kruger | relatives = [[Henco Venter]] (nephew) | birth_date = {{birth date|1970|3|30|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Vrede]], [[Free State (province)|Free State]], South Africa | death_date = {{death date and age|2010|1|27|1970|3|30|df=y}} | death_place = [[Pretoria]], [[Gauteng]], South Africa | height = 1.88 m | weight = 101 kg | school = [[Grey College, Bloemfontein|Grey College]], Bloemfontein | position = [[Flanker (rugby union)|Flanker]] | province1 = {{rut|Free State}} | province2 = {{rut|Northern Transvaal}} | provinceyears1 = 1991–1993 | provinceyears2 = 1993–2000 | provinceapps1 = 36 | provinceapps2 = 96 | provincepoints1 = 20 | provincepoints2 = 135 | ru_provinceupdate1 = | ru_provinceupdate2 = | super1 = {{rut|Bulls}} | superyears1 = 1996–2000 | superapps1 = 10 | superpoints1 = 5 | repteam1 = [[South Africa national rugby union team|South Africa]] | repyears1 = 1993–1999 | repcaps1 = 36 | reppoints1 = 35 | repupdate = | repsevensyears1 = 1993 | repsevensteam1 = {{nrut7|South Africa}} | repsevenscomp1 = 3 }}
'''Ruben Jacobus Kruger''' (30 March 1970 – 27 January 2010<ref>[http://www.supersport.com/rugby/article.aspx?headline=Ruben%20Kruger%20passes%20away&id=331131 Ruben Kruger passes away]</ref>) was a South African [[rugby union]] player. He played as a flanker.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ruben Jacobus Kruger |url=http://www.espnscrum.com/southafrica/rugby/player/11660.html |access-date=2020-07-04 |website=ESPN scrum}}</ref> He had two daughters [[Zoë Kruger|Zoë]] (b. 2002) and [[Isabella Kruger|Isabella]] (b. 2005). Isabella played quarter final on the junior tournament at the [[2022 Wimbledon Championships – Girls' singles|2022 Wimbledon Championships]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=BREAKING: Daughter of Springbok legend BEATEN in Junior Wimbledon quarter-finals |url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/tennis/daughter-isabelle-kruger-of-springbok-legend-ruben-kruger-beaten-in-junior-wimbledon-quarter-finals-exclusive-breaking-trending-viral-tennis-news-result-match-report-live-watch/ |last=Lambley |first=Garrin |publisher=www.thesouthafrican.com |date=7 July 2022 |access-date=19 July 2022}}</ref>
==Playing career==
===Provincial=== A product of [[Grey College, Bloemfontein|Grey College]] in Bloemfontein, Kruger played for the {{rut|Free State}} schools team at the annual [[Craven Week]] tournament in 1987 and 1988 and gained selection for the [[South Africa national under-18 rugby union team|South African Schools team]] in both years. After representing the Free State under-20 team in 1989 and 1990, he made his senior provincial debut for the Free State in 1991.<ref>{{Cite book |title=S.A. Rugby Writers Annual 1993 |last=Van Rooyen |first=Quintus |publisher=SA Rugby Writers' Society |year=199 |isbn=0620172940 |page=87}}</ref> During 1993, Kruger moved to {{rut|Northern Transvaal}} and played for the union until 2000. In 1995 Ruben Kruger was named South African Rugby Football Union's player of the year.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Colquhoun |first=Andy |title=South African Rugby Annual 2001 |publisher=SA Rugby & MWP Media (Pty) Ltd |year=2001 |isbn=0958423180 |location=Cape Town |pages=41, 202, 208}}</ref>
===International=== Kruger played for the [[South Africa national rugby union team]] between 1993 and 1999. He played his first test match for the [[South Africa national rugby union team|Springboks]] on 6 November 1993 against [[Argentina national rugby union team|Argentina]] at the [[Estadio Arquitecto Ricardo Etcheverry|Ferro Carril Oeste Stadium]] in Buenos Aires.
In 1995, he played in the [[1995 Rugby World Cup|Rugby World Cup]]. During this tournament, he made 5 starts, and scored 1 try, in the controversial semi-final against the [[France national rugby union team]]. Kruger also played in the 1999 World Cup and in addition to his 36 test matches, he also played in 20 tour matches and scored 14 tries.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Colquhoun |first=Andy |title=South African Rugby Annual 2001 |publisher=SA Rugby & MWP Media (Pty) Ltd |year=2001 |isbn=0958423180 |location=Cape Town |page=402}}</ref>
=== Test history === {{color box|gold}} [[1995 Rugby World Cup final|World Cup final]] {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! No. !! Opposition !! Result (SA 1st) !! Position !! Tries !! Date !! Venue |- | 1. || {{ru|ARG}} || align="center" |29–26 || [[Flanker (rugby union)|Flank]] || || 6 Nov 1993 || [[Estadio Arquitecto Ricardo Etcheverry|Ferro Carril Oeste]], Buenos Aires |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 2. || {{ru|ARG}} || align="center" | 52–23 || Flank || || 13 Nov 1993 || Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires |- | 3. || {{ru|SCO}} || align="center" | 34–10 || Flank || || 19 Nov 1994 || [[Murrayfield Stadium|Murrayfield]], Edinburgh |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 4. || {{ru|WAL}} || align="center" | 20–12 || Flank || || 26 Nov 1994 || [[Cardiff Arms Park]], Cardiff |- | 5. || {{ru|SAM}} || align="center" | 60–8 || Flank || || 13 Apr 1995 || [[Ellis Park Stadium|Ellis Park]], Johannesburg |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 6. || {{ru|AUS}} || align="center" | 27–18 || Flank || || 25 May 1995 || [[Newlands Stadium|Newlands]], Cape Town |- | 7. || {{ru|ROM}} || align="center" | 21–8 || Flank || || 30 May 1995 || Newlands, Cape Town |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 8. || {{ru|SAM}} || align="center" | 42–14 || Flank || || 10 Jun 1995 || Ellis Park, Johannesburg |- | 9. || {{ru|FRA}} || align="center" | 19–15 || Flank || align="center" | 1 || 17 Jun 1995 || [[Kings Park Stadium|Kings Park]], Durban |- bgcolor=gold | 10. || {{ru|NZL}} || align="center" | 15–12 || Flank || || [[1995 Rugby World Cup final|24 Jun 1995]] || Ellis Park, Johannesburg |- | 11. || {{ru|WAL}} || align="center" | 40–11 || Flank || || 2 Sep 1995 || Ellis Park, Johannesburg |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 12. || {{ru|ITA}} || align="center" | 40–21 || Flank || || 12 Nov 1995 || [[Stadio Olimpico]], Rome |- | 13. || {{ru|ENG}} || align="center" | 24–14 || Flank || || 18 Nov 1995 || [[Twickenham Stadium|Twickenham]], London |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 14. || {{ru|FIJ}} || align="center" | 43–18 || Flank || || 2 Jul 1996 || [[Loftus Versfeld]], Pretoria |- | 15. || {{ru|AUS}} || align="center" | 16–21 || Flank || || 13 Jul 1996 || [[Sydney Football Stadium (1988)|Sydney Football Stadium]] (SFG), Sydney |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 16. || {{ru|NZL}} || align="center" | 11–15 || Flank || || 20 Jul 1996 || [[Lancaster Park|AMI Stadium]], Christchurch |- | 17. || {{ru|AUS}} || align="center" | 25–19 || Flank || || 3 Aug 1996 || [[Free State Stadium]], Bloemfontein |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 18. || {{ru|NZL}} || align="center" | 18–29 || Flank || || 10 Aug 1996 || Newlands, Cape Town |- | 19. || {{ru|NZL}} || align="center" | 19–23 || Flank || || 17 Aug 1996 || Kings Park, Durban |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 20. || {{ru|NZL}} || align="center" | 26–33 || Flank || align="center" | 1 || 24 Aug 1996 || Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria |- | 21. || {{ru|NZL}} || align="center" | 32–22 || Flank || || 31 Aug 1996 || Ellis Park, Johannesburg |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 22. || {{ru|ARG}} || align="center" | 46–15 || Flank || || 9 Nov 1996 || Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires |- | 23. || {{ru|ARG}} || align="center" | 44–21 || Flank || align="center" | 2 || 16 Nov 1996 || Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 24. || {{ru|FRA}} || align="center" | 22–12 || Flank || || 30 Nov 1996 || [[Stade Chaban-Delmas]], Bordeaux |- | 25. || {{ru|FRA}} || align="center" | 13–12 || Flank || || 7 Dec 1996 || [[Parc des Princes]], Paris |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 26. || {{ru|WAL}} || align="center" | 37–20 || Flank || || 15 Dec 1996 || [[Cardiff Arms Park]], Cardiff |- | 27. || {{ru|TON}} || align="center" | 74–10 || Flank || align="center" | 2 || 10 Jun 1997 || Newlands, Cape Town |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 28. || {{flag|British and Irish Lions|name=British Lions}} || align="center" | 16–25 || Flank || || 21 Jun 1997 || Newlands, Cape Town |- | 29. || {{flagicon|British and Irish Lions}} British Lions || align="center" | 15–18 || Flank || || 28 Jun 1997 || [[Kings Park Stadium|Kings Park]], Durban |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 30. || {{ru|NZL}} || align="center" | 32–35 || Flank || || 19 Jul 1997 || Ellis Park, Johannesburg |- | 31. || {{ru|AUS}} || align="center" | 20–32 || Flank || || 2 Aug 1997 || [[Suncorp Stadium]], Brisbane |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 32. || {{ru|NZL}} || align="center" | 35–55 || Flank || align="center" | 1 || 9 Aug 1997 || [[Eden Park]], Auckland |- | 33. || {{ru|NZL}} || align="center" | 18–34 || Flank || || 7 Aug 1999 || Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 34. || {{ru|AUS}} || align="center" | 10–9 || Replacement || || 14 Aug 1999 || Newlands, Cape Town |- | 35. || {{ru|ESP}} || align="center" | 47–3 || Flank || || 10 Oct 1999 || [[Murrayfield Stadium|Murrayfield]], Edinburgh |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 36. || {{ru|NZL}} || align="center" | 22–18 || Replacement || || [[1999 Rugby World Cup#Third-place play-off|4 Nov 1999]] || [[Millennium Stadium]], Cardiff |}
===World Cups=== *1995: world champions, 5 selections ([[Australia national rugby union team|Wallabies]], [[Romania national rugby union team|Romania]], [[Samoa national rugby union team|Samoa]], [[France national rugby union team|France]], [[New Zealand national rugby union team|All Blacks]]). *1999: 2 selections ([[Spain national rugby union team|Spain]], [[New Zealand national rugby union team|All Blacks]]).
==Later career== At the end of his rugby career, he became a camera [[salesman]]. He owned a Minolta franchise in [[Pretoria]]. He was portrayed in ''[[Invictus (film)|Invictus]]'', a film about [[Nelson Mandela]] and the 1995 Springboks, by [[Grant L. Roberts|Grant Roberts]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Invictus (2009) - IMDb |url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1057500/fullcredits |access-date=2020-07-04}}</ref>
==Death== Kruger died in Pretoria on 27 January 2010 after battling [[brain cancer]] for 10 years. He was two months short of his 40th birthday.<ref>[http://www.sport24.co.za/Content/Rugby/264/b344c1e0025e4c9bb0655f7206e524b4/28-01-2010-07-40/Ruben_Kruger_dies ''www.supersport.com''].</ref>
==See also== *[[List of South Africa national rugby union players#List|List of South Africa national rugby union players]] – Springbok no. '''596''' *[[List of South Africa national under-18 rugby union team players]] *[[List of South Africa national rugby sevens players]]
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== *[http://www.genslin.us/bokke/SARugby.html Site springboks 1996] *[http://statistics.scrum.com/rugby_stats_05.asp?ID=ZKR7 scrum.com statistics]
{{Navboxes | title = Squads | list1 = {{1993 South Africa Rugby World Cup Sevens squad}} {{South Africa 1995 Rugby World Cup squad}} {{South Africa 1999 Rugby World Cup squad}} }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kruger, Ruben}} [[Category:1970 births]] [[Category:2010 deaths]] [[Category:Deaths from brain cancer in South Africa]] [[Category:Rugby union flankers]] [[Category:South Africa international rugby union players]] [[Category:South African rugby union players]] [[Category:Bulls (rugby union) players]] [[Category:South Africa international rugby sevens players]] [[Category:Cheetahs (rugby union) players]] [[Category:Alumni of Grey College, Bloemfontein]] [[Category:Rugby union players from the Free State (province)]] [[Category:1995 Rugby World Cup players]] [[Category:1999 Rugby World Cup players]] [[Category:20th-century South African sportsmen]] [[Category:SA Rugby Men's Player of the Year]]