'Resilience, courage and love ...' Late Springbok Cornal Hendricks' emotional farewell

There were tears, sadness and even a few moments of laughter as former teammates, coaches, friends and family reflected on the life of Cornal Hendricks during an emotional funeral service in his hometown of Wellington.

Former Springboks wing Hendricks was laid to rest in Paarl’s Heroes Acre on Sunday after his shock passing on May 14 following a fatal heart attack at the age of 37.

Former teammates who came to pay their final respects included current Paarl-born Boks Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie, while Bulls coach Jake White and chief executive Edgar Rathbone also made the trip down from Pretoria to say their goodbyes.

It was White and Rathbone who gave Hendricks a rugby lifeline in 2019 after four years in the wilderness after he was diagnosed with a heart condition that prevented him from taking the field.

A couple of years later, he won the Covid-19 influenced Super Rugby Unlocked title and the Currie Cup with the Bulls, winning the player of the tournament for the latter competition in the 2021-22 season.

In 2022, Hendricks was close to Springbok selection after playing a starring role for White’s team at inside centre. However, he was left out of the squad after then-Bok coach Jacques Nienaber confirmed that the SA Rugby medical team had not given him the “green light” for selection.

Hendricks left the Bulls in 2024 after earning 115 caps and scoring 34 tries across all competitions. His rugby journey then came full circle after he joined Boland, where his professional rugby journey started in 2008.

That journey also included stints at the Free State Cheetahs and Blitzboks, before he became a Springboks in 2014, playing 12 Tests and scoring five tries.

Handricks played his last competitive match for Boland in March during Boland’s run to the SA Cup semi-finals after complaining of fatigue and shortness of breath. He was set to retire after the SA Cup before his untimely death.

On Sunday, during funeral at the NG Kerk Modergemeente in Wellington, many reminisced about Hendricks’ career and unbelievable rugby ability. But they also spoke about his courage and perseverance in the face of adversity, like being told he would never be able to play rugby again.

Many of Hendricks’ Tests on the right wing were next to Bryan Habana on the left wing. In an emotional video message, the great Bok speedster managed to put into words what a giant of a man Hendricks was off the field.

“Cornal wasn’t just a great rugby player, he was a man of faith and courage. A man of integrity and a steadfast character. A person who loved his fellow man and a man whose positivity always shone through, no matter how life treated him,” Habana said.

“He was humble even with all his successes and brave in his fights. He had that determination to succeed. To speak of Cornal, is to speak of courage and determination, of someone that defied the odds and never stopped believing in his story, even though some of the chapters had some unexpected setbacks.”

Hendricks didn’t attend a big rugby school and didn’t even play Craven Week for Boland. In fact, he came through the club ranks in the province and worked in a factory while making his way through the ranks at the union.

But it was his will to succeed that got him his first contract with the union, before bigger doors opened and his rugby career took off.

“From the humble streets of Wellington where his passion for the game was born to the proud moment of 2014 when he pulled on that Springbok jersey for the very first time, he played with an unwavering heart and inspired everyone around him,” Habana added.

“Even in the face of unimaginable setbacks when the whole world was telling him no, Cornal chose to rise up and not let life get the better of him. He fought with dignity, passion and prayer.

He is a true testament to his faith, perseverance, resilience and his unwavering human spirit.

“I had the honour of sharing the Springboks jersey with Cornal on a number of occasions. Let me tell you, when he wore that jersey, he just didn’t wear the green and gold, he honoured every fabric of it - every run, every tackle and every try. He always gave everything.”

Hendricks left an indelible mark on many rugby fans and the people he came in contact with. Habana says his memory will last forever.

“But Cornal was also a hero off the field. When he spoke you listened and when he smiled, he always lit up the room. There was a kindness and a desire to be a good teammate and an even better person,” the Bok record try-scorer said.

“He showed that rugby and life is more than just winning, it was resilience, courage and a love for something greater than ourselves. We must never forget his legacy.”

@JohnGoliath82