Joel Stransky
Encyclopedia
Joel Theodore Stransky is a former South Africa
n rugby union
rugby player, most notable for scoring all of South Africa's points, including the famous dramatic winning drop goal, against New Zealand in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final. He played as a fly-half.
, South Africa
. He is of English and Czech descent and Jewish on his father's side. He was educated at Maritzburg College
where he was coached under Skonk Nicholson
, a well-known figure in schoolboy rugby. After his military conscription in Pretoria, he returned to Natal to study at the University of Natal
.
team that beat Northern Transvaal to win the Currie Cup
for the first time, before he moved to Italy
where he played for L'Aquila
during the season 1991-92 and for San Donà in the 1992-93. Between 1993 and 1996, he gained 22 caps for his country.
In 1995 he was part of the first South African rugby union team to play in a Rugby World Cup. South Africa had been banned from the previous World Cups because of the Apartheid regime. He played an integral part in the South African team and scored all the points for his team in the World Cup final against New Zealand, including a drop goal in the second period of extra time. This was the first Rugby World Cup final that went into extra time.
In 1997, he moved to Leicester Tigers
, where he would play for a couple of seasons, winning the 1998–99 Allied Dunbar Premiership, and then become backs coach.
In the build up to the 1999 Rugby World Cup, it was suggested that Stransky could play for England
. However, he discovered that he was not qualified to do so. He had also sustained a knee injury which made him an unsuitable candidate at the time.
In 2002, he was engaged by Bristol Rugby
as a coach, but the offer was subsequently withdrawn. Stransky took legal action and was compensated.
He later returned to South Africa, and is a part-time rugby union television commentator.
In January 2007, Joel Stransky joined Altech Netstar (Pty) Ltd. as the Sales & Marketing director. In January 2008, he was appointed Managing Director, but has subsequently resigned. He is currently employed by the Steinhoff Group in a marketing and promotional capacity.
, he is portrayed by Scott Eastwood
.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
rugby player, most notable for scoring all of South Africa's points, including the famous dramatic winning drop goal, against New Zealand in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final. He played as a fly-half.
Early life
Stransky was born in PietermaritzburgPietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He is of English and Czech descent and Jewish on his father's side. He was educated at Maritzburg College
Maritzburg College
Maritzburg College, known locally as College, is a public school for boys situated in the city of Pietermaritzburg, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa....
where he was coached under Skonk Nicholson
Skonk Nicholson
James Mervyn Nicholson, better known as Skonk Nicholson, was a retired rugby coach and school master at Maritzburg College...
, a well-known figure in schoolboy rugby. After his military conscription in Pretoria, he returned to Natal to study at the University of Natal
University of Natal
The University of Natal was a university in Natal, and later KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, that is now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It was founded in 1910 as the Natal University College in Pietermaritzburg, and expanded to include a campus in Durban in 1931. In 1947, the university...
.
Career
In 1990 he was part of the NatalNatal Sharks
The Natal Sharks are a South African rugby union team that participate in the annual Currie Cup and Super Rugby tournaments. The Sharks home stadium is Kings Park. They draw most of their players from the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The Sharks are the current representative team of the Natal rugby...
team that beat Northern Transvaal to win the Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
for the first time, before he moved to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
where he played for L'Aquila
L'Aquila Rugby
L'Aquila Rugby 1936 are an Italian rugby union club currently competing in Super 10.The club is based in L'Aquila which is the capital of Abruzzo.The official colours of the club are black and green, the colours of the city of L'Aquila.-History:...
during the season 1991-92 and for San Donà in the 1992-93. Between 1993 and 1996, he gained 22 caps for his country.
In 1995 he was part of the first South African rugby union team to play in a Rugby World Cup. South Africa had been banned from the previous World Cups because of the Apartheid regime. He played an integral part in the South African team and scored all the points for his team in the World Cup final against New Zealand, including a drop goal in the second period of extra time. This was the first Rugby World Cup final that went into extra time.
In 1997, he moved to Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
, where he would play for a couple of seasons, winning the 1998–99 Allied Dunbar Premiership, and then become backs coach.
In the build up to the 1999 Rugby World Cup, it was suggested that Stransky could play for England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
. However, he discovered that he was not qualified to do so. He had also sustained a knee injury which made him an unsuitable candidate at the time.
In 2002, he was engaged by Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'...
as a coach, but the offer was subsequently withdrawn. Stransky took legal action and was compensated.
He later returned to South Africa, and is a part-time rugby union television commentator.
In January 2007, Joel Stransky joined Altech Netstar (Pty) Ltd. as the Sales & Marketing director. In January 2008, he was appointed Managing Director, but has subsequently resigned. He is currently employed by the Steinhoff Group in a marketing and promotional capacity.
In film
In the 2009 movie InvictusInvictus (film)
Invictus is a 2009 biographical sports drama film directed by Clint Eastwood starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon.The story is based on the John Carlin book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed a Nation about the events in South Africa before and during the 1995 Rugby World...
, he is portrayed by Scott Eastwood
Scott Eastwood
-Life and career:Reeves was born in Carmel, California but grew up in Hawaii. He is the son of actor-director Clint Eastwood and flight attendant Jacelyn Reeves, elder brother of Kathryn Reeves -Life and career:Reeves was born in Carmel, California but grew up in Hawaii. He is the son of...
.
External links
- Sporting heroes
- Altech Netstar homepage
- Joel Stranksy bio at Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
- Joel Stransky bio at Jewsinsports.com
- Book review: The Glory of the Game, about the Ten Jewish Springboks.