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In the opening match of the 1995 World Cup, Joel Stransky became the first Springbok in history to score all four possible ways in one test (a try, a conversion, four penalty goals and a drop goal) as South Africa defeated reigning World Champions Australia, 27-18. But the Bok fly-half will forever be remembered for his display in the epic Final against New Zealand, where he scored all South Africa's points, including snatching the Webb Ellis Trophy with a dramatic late drop goal, triggering wild celebrations throughout the Rainbow Nation.
Stransky had been tipped for great things ever since he caught attention as a talented 19 year old playing his debut season of first-class rugby for Northern Transvaal in 1987. He had an explosive, elusive running style and passing which brought the best out of his centres, combined with a masterful ability to control a match with his boot. He transferred to the Natal team in 1988, winning a Currie Cup medal with them in 1990. Joel made his Springbok debut in Sydney on the tour to Australia in 1993, and two weeks later, scored his first international points with a stunning intercept try in the test in Brisbane. 1994 saw him playing for Western Province and scoring 151 points in the Currie Cup, followed by a further 247 in 1995, and then 120 in the inaugural Super 12 Tournament in 1996. In 1997 Stransky went to England to join Leicester Tigers, scoring 100 points for them by his eighth game.
He re-wrote the Heineken European Cup rugby record books with a 35-points haul against Glasgow in 1997, which included a hat-trick of tries and ten conversions. He scored a club record 459 points in 1998 and finishing his Leicester career with 896 career points in 73 matches. In the build-up to the 1999 Rugby World Cup, Stransky expressed a desire to represent England, because he believed he qualified through having an English-born grandfather. However, further checks revealed he had English-born GREAT-grandparents, and was not therefore eligible to represent his adopted country. He retired from playing later that year. Stransky played 22 times for South Africa, scoring a total of 240 points, including 6 tries. It seems difficult to believe that, prior to the first match of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, he had never dropped a goal for the Springboks.
In fact, Joel actually came close to missing the 1995 World Cup altogether. He was originally left out of the Springbok team to play Western Samoa in the World Cup warm-up international, playing only when Brendan Venter withdrew and Hennie le Roux had to be switched to centre. Yet throughout the tournament, Stransky dominated South Africa's matches, from the first against Australia where he contributed a 22-point haul, to the last against New Zealand where he guaranteed himself a place in rugby history. (Malcolm Finch)
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