Cape Town - Former Springbok centre Wynand Mans has passed away at the age of 76.
Mans played two Tests for the Springboks in 1965 and later became a top-level referee in the 1980s.
According to the SA Rugby Referees website, Mans is the last Springbok rugby player to become a top referee.
Former Springbok lock Kobus Wiese took to Twitter to pay tribute to Mans:
Wynand Mans, groot Gimmie , oud skeidsregter , gesinsman en “gentleman” is oorlede, mooi loop Oom Wynand, mag die Son van Geregtigheid jou altyd bestraal ??
— Kobus Wiese (@4KobusWiese) December 6, 2018
Former top-level referee Jonathan Kaplan also paid his respects on the social media network:
RIP Wynand Mans.. One of the best of his generation https://t.co/lOSLVE3CCR
— Jonathan Kaplan (@RefJK) December 7, 2018
Another former Bok lock, Schalk Burger snr, also paid his condolences:
Mans is the second former Springbok to die in the last week, with Sport24 earlier reporting on the passing of former centre Gertjie Brynard, who was 80.RIP Wynand (Nassie) Mans, was the previous Paarl Gym Springbok '65 spanning an absence period of 19 years where our school did not have a representative until I was lucky enough to become the next Springbok '84, in the period of sports isolation @gimnasiumpaarl
— Schalk Burger (@skalabrak) December 6, 2018
Following the conclusion of the various end of year tours to Europe, who is your favourite for the 2019 Rugby World Cup title?
