Former Springbok centre Joggie Jansen dies at the age of 78. Multiple outlets report that he passes away on Sunday morning, shortly after watching South Africa beat the All Blacks in Cape Town.
Tributes highlight his role as a tough, uncompromising defender during his playing career. One outlet notes he is remembered for disrupting the All Blacks, including a tackle that helped topple New Zealand in 1970. Another reports he dies in church after the match, describing a final routine closely connected to the day’s result.
South African rugby officials and figures publicly pay tribute. SA Rugby president Mark Alexander leads acknowledgements of Jansen’s contribution to the Springboks. While the reports vary on specific circumstances around his death—such as whether he dies in church and how directly the All Blacks win is linked—sources broadly agree on the timing, his age, his Springbok legacy, and the official recognition of his impact.
