Joel Stransky

Joel Theodore Stransky (born July 16, 1967) is a South African former rugby union player. A fly-half, he is known for scoring all of South Africa's points, including the winning drop goal, against New Zealand in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final.

Joel Stransky
Birth nameJoel Theodore Stransky
Date of birth (1967-07-16) July 16, 1967
Place of birthPietermaritzburg, South Africa
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
SchoolMaritzburg College
UniversityUniversity of Natal
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1988–1990 University of Natal ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1991–1992
1992–1993
1997–1999		 L'Aquila
San Donà
Leicester Tigers

73

(896)
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1993
1994–1996		 Natal
Western Province		 ()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1993–1996 South Africa 22 (240)

Early life

Stransky was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.[1] He is of English and Czech descent[2] and Jewish on his father's side.[3] He was educated at Maritzburg College where he was coached by 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.

Career

In 1990 he was part of the Natal team that beat Northern Transvaal to win the Currie Cup for the first time. He then moved to Italy where he played for L'Aquila during the 1991–1992 season, and for San Donà in 1992–93. Between 1993 and 1996, he won 22 caps for his South Africa.

In 1995 he was part of the first South Africa team to play in a Rugby World Cup - the country had been banned from the previous World Cups because of the Apartheid regime. He played an integral part in the tournament and scored all the points for his team in the final against New Zealand, including a winning 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 played for two seasons, winning the 1996–97 Pilkington Cup and the 1998–99 Allied Dunbar Premiership, and then became backs coach.

In the buildup to the 1999 Rugby World Cup, it was suggested that Stransky could play for England, but he discovered that he was not qualified to do so.[4]

In 2002, he was engaged by Bristol Rugby as a coach, but the offer was subsequently withdrawn. Stransky took legal action and was compensated.[5]

He later returned to South Africa, and is a part-time rugby union television commentator.

In January 2007, Stransky joined Altech Netstar (Pty) Ltd. as Sales & Marketing director. In January 2008, he was appointed managing director, but subsequently resigned. He was then employed by the Steinhoff Group in a marketing and promotional capacity. He founded Pivotal Capital in 2012.

In film

In the 2009 movie Invictus, he is portrayed by Scott Eastwood.

See also

References
  1. "Joel Stransky". www.jewishsports.net. Archived from the original on 11 March 2010.
  2. Telegraph, Alex Harris webmaster@jewishtelegraph.com - Jewish. "A JEWISH TELEGRAPH NEWSPAPER". www.jewishtelegraph.com. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012.
  3. "A Boot Against Apartheid". Archived from the original on 15 March 2012.
  4. "BBC News | Rugby Union | Stransky's England dream over". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 February 2004. Retrieved 19 November 2006.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) BBC Report on court case
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