READ: JOHANNESBURG - Former Springbok Cornal Hendricks Dies at 37

Former South African rugby player Cornal Hendricks died on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at the age of 37 due to a suspected heart attack. Hendricks, born on April 18, 1988, played as a wing and occasionally as a center during his 17-year professional career.

Hendricks earned 12 Test caps for the Springboks between 2014 and 2015, scoring five tries, including one against the All Blacks in a 14-10 loss in 2014. He debuted for the Springboks against Wales in Durban on June 14, 2014, after playing against a World XV in Cape Town earlier that year. He also represented South Africa in rugby sevens from 2011 to 2014, winning a Commonwealth Games gold medal in 2014 and earning the Springbok Sevens Player of the Year award in 2013.

His club career began with the Boland Cavaliers in 2008, where he played 68 matches. He later joined the Cheetahs for the 2014-2015 Super Rugby seasons, making 28 appearances and scoring a try in his debut against the Lions. Hendricks played 115 matches for the Bulls from 2019 to 2024, scoring 34 tries across Super Rugby, United Rugby Championship, and Currie Cup competitions, where he won two titles and was named Currie Cup Player of the Year in 2020/21. He also captained the Bulls during this period. In 2024, he returned to the Boland Cavaliers, captaining the team and helping them qualify for the 2025 Currie Cup. His final match was against Northampton Saints in the 2024 Champions Cup quarter-finals.

Diagnosed with a serious heart condition in 2016, Hendricks was forced to retire at age 27 after failed moves to the Stormers and Toulon due to medical concerns. He made a comeback in 2019 with the Bulls after receiving a second medical opinion. Hendricks is survived by his wife, Stephaney, and their two children.