Springbok Wing Cornal Hendricks Dies at 37 After Heart Attack

Former South African rugby star Cornal Hendricks, who famously fought back from a career-threatening heart condition to reclaim his place on the field, has passed away at the age of 37. According to reports, the ex-Springbok wing died on Wednesday 14 May 2025 from a suspected massive heart attack , a decade after first being diagnosed with a rare cardiac ailment. The news has sent shockwaves through the rugby community, with tributes pouring in for the much-loved player known for his speed, power, and resilience.

Hendricks earned 12 Test caps for the Springboks between 2014 and 2015, scoring five tries in the green and gold iol.co.za. A dynamic wing who could also slot in at center, he was part of South Africa’s 2014 Commonwealth Games champion Sevens squad and scored a memorable try against the All Blacks in Wellington in 2014 rnz.co.nz. His on-field achievements were matched by an inspirational off-field story: after a heart condition forced an early “retirement” in 2016, Hendricks defied medical odds with a remarkable comeback in 2019, becoming a mainstay for the Bulls provincial team sarugbymag.co.za and a symbol of perseverance in sport.

Early Life and Rugby Beginnings

Born on April 18, 1988, in Paarl and raised in the nearby township of Wellington in South Africa’s Western Cape, Cornal Hendricks came from humble beginnings. He attended Bergrivier High School in Wellington, not a traditional rugby powerhouse and only gained prominence after school by excelling in club rugby and earning a spot on Boland’s U21 provincial team citizen.co.za. Hendricks grew up as the youngest of five siblings raised by his mother, Rachel, after his parents separated.

Money was often scarce and the temptations of crime and gangs lurked in the community, but his family instilled in him discipline, faith, and big dreams. An older brother, Clinton, played for local club Roses United and became Cornal’s first rugby hero and role model bullsrugby.co.za. “As a youngster all you want to do is follow the footsteps of your brother or your father,” Hendricks once reflected, crediting his single mother for raising him with the self-belief to chase his goals despite not coming from a big school.

Hendricks’ talent blossomed in local club leagues, and by age 20 he had broken into the Boland Cavaliers senior squad. He made his provincial first-class debut in 2008 for Boland in the Currie Cup and went on to play 68 matches for the team through 2012. His performances in the black-and-gold Boland jersey, combining blistering pace with physicality, earned him regional recognition. Hendricks also spent time at the Boland Rugby Academy, where coaches like former Springbok flyhalf Louis Koen stressed the importance of discipline, lessons the young wing took to heart timeslive.co.za.

His big break came via the South Africa Sevens program. After impressing at club level, Hendricks was invited to join the Blitzboks (South Africa’s national Sevens team) setup in 2011. He dedicated most of 2012 and 2013 to the Sevens World Series circuit citizen.co.za, developing his skills and agility. Hendricks appeared in 17 international sevens tournaments and was part of a gold medal run with the Blitzboks at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

That triumph was a career highlight in its own right, an action photograph from the Commonwealth Games captured Hendricks in full flight on the wing, representing his country with pride sarugby.co.za. However, Hendricks still yearned to prove himself in traditional 15-a-side rugby, and at the end of 2013 he seized an opportunity to do so.

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Rise to the Springboks and International Stage

In 2014, Cornal Hendricks signed with the Cheetahs (based in Bloemfontein) to play Super Rugby, and his impact was immediate planetrugby.com. Transitioning back to the fifteen-man code seamlessly, he showcased an eye for the try-line and a high work rate. Hendricks’ blistering form for the Cheetahs that season, including 5 tries in 13 Super Rugby appearances, caught the attention of national selectors sarugbymag.co.za. He was one of a handful of uncapped players called up by Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer for the June 2014 Test squad, and on 14 June 2014, Hendricks made his Test debut against Wales at Kings Park in Durban.

Hendricks quickly became a fixture in the Springbok side during 2014. He earned a total of 12 Test caps, all in 2014-2015, and crossed the try-line five times for South Africa iol.co.za. Among his international exploits, one stands out in the memory of fans: a spectacular try against New Zealand in Wellington during the 2014 Rugby Championship. In that tense encounter (which the Springboks narrowly lost 14-10), Hendricks ran a perfect line off a set-piece move, taking a pass off a lineout and bursting through to score South Africa’s only try of the match. A widely circulated photograph from that game shows Hendricks racing past All Black defenders toward the try zone rnz.co.nz, a moment that cemented his reputation as a finisher on the big stage.

Earlier that year, Hendricks had donned the green-and-gold in a non-cap match against a World XV in Cape Town, and he soon justified the hype in official test matches rnz.co.nz. He formed part of a new generation of Springbok backs and scored his first Test try against Argentina, later adding tries against top-tier teams like Australia and New Zealand. Despite his rapid rise, Hendricks remained humble and grounded. “When I go home I don’t feel like a professional player. I still feel part of the community,” he said in mid-2014, describing how he would play street rugby with local kids back in Wellington whenever he visited home timeslive.co.za. For Hendricks, wearing his province’s or country’s colors was as much about making his hometown proud as it was about personal glory.

By the end of 2014, Hendricks had established himself as one of South Africa’s most promising backs. He was included in the Springboks’ Rugby Championship and End-of-Year tour squads and finished the season as a nominee for SA Rugby’s Young Player of the Year. In addition to his fifteens success, 2014 also saw him reach the pinnacle of Sevens: standing on the podium with a gold medal around his neck in Glasgow citizen.co.za. As a dual-format international, Hendricks had the rare distinction of excelling in both versions of the game.

However, 2015 brought challenges. Hendricks continued with the Cheetahs through that Super Rugby season and added a few more Springbok caps in early 2015 (scoring in a Test against a World XV side). But he was ultimately not selected for the squad that traveled to the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England. Instead, Hendricks shifted focus to another dream: representing South Africa at the 2016 Olympic Games in the inaugural rugby sevens tournament. Little did he know that a far more serious battle awaited him on the road ahead.

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Health Setback and Career Interruption

Just as Hendricks was poised for a long Springbok career and an Olympic opportunity, disaster struck. In early 2016, during a routine medical screening ahead of the Super Rugby season and Olympic preparations, tests revealed a serious heart abnormality rugby365.com. Hendricks, at the peak of his fitness, was stunned. Doctors diagnosed him with a rare heart condition, he later referred to it only as something with a “fancy name” related to cardiac strain from exercise. The prognosis was devastating: at just 26 years old, Cornal Hendricks was advised to quit rugby immediately for his own safety citizen.co.za. A lucrative contract he had just signed to join the Stormers (Western Province) was voided before he could play a single game, and a planned move to French club Toulon was also cancelled on medical grounds sarugbymag.co.za. Practically overnight, Hendricks went from Springbok star to forced retirement.

The sudden end to his dream brought Hendricks to his knees emotionally. “I was in a dark place after the doctors told me my career was over,” he admitted in an interview, describing how he sank into depression once rugby was taken away rnz.co.nz. He endured not only physical setbacks but profound emotional pain: “Sometimes the emotional pain was so bad I would just curl up in bed and refuse to have contact with the outside world, or even speak to my family,” Hendricks said of that period. Unable to bring himself to watch rugby on TV, he would tear up whenever the sport he loved was mentioned rugby365.com. The man who had always been all smiles on the field now faced one of the toughest battles of his life off of it.

Yet, even in these bleak times, Hendricks’ determination did not fully extinguish. He sought second, third, and fourth medical opinions, refusing to accept that his playing days were truly over rugby365.com. He moved back into his mother’s modest home in Wellington, leaning on family and faith. Various cardiologists, including an eminent specialist he consulted in the Cayman Islands, evaluated him. To Hendricks’ relief, several of these experts concluded that his condition could be managed and that he was technically fit to play again. Armed with medical clearances, Hendricks faced a new challenge: convincing the rugby authorities and teams to clear him as well.

For nearly three years, Cornal Hendricks lived in a state of limbo. No professional team was willing to take the risk of signing him despite his clean bills of health, fearing the liability if something went wrong rugby365.com. “Interest arose and invariably waned,” he recalled of the many contract talks that fell through, with franchises like Toulon, the Southern Kings, and even the Bulls initially backing out. From 2016 through 2018, Hendricks stayed in shape training on his own, played the odd club match, and focused on personal growth. During this hiatus, he also turned his energy toward helping others.

Hendricks established the Cornal Hendricks Foundation and became actively involved in community upliftment programs in Wellington, using his platform to inspire youth and support the needy citizen.co.za. “I wanted to be that light in our dark communities,” Hendricks said, explaining that he hoped his story would show kids there’s a path to success beyond the streets rugby365.com. Through charity work and motivational speaking, he remained a role model even while unable to play. Still, the fire to compete at the highest level burned inside him.

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Remarkable Comeback and Later Career

Hendricks’ persistence paid off in late 2018 when the Blue Bulls (based in Pretoria) offered him a lifeline. After extensive medical testing and consultations with SA Rugby’s doctors, the Bulls were convinced that Hendricks was fit to return to professional rugby citizen.co.za. In December 2018, nearly three years since his last pro game, the Bulls announced the signing of Cornal Hendricks for the 2019 season Before inking the contract, Hendricks did not shy away from the situation’s gravity. “I fully understand the risks that go with it... I accept such risks,” he said resolutely at the time, making clear that he and his family were aware of the stakes. With clearance granted, Hendricks embraced his second chance with both hands.

The comeback that followed is now part of South African rugby lore. Hendricks made his Bulls debut in the 2019 Super Rugby campaign, almost four years after his last professional match rugby365.com. Any doubts about his ability to perform at the elite level were quickly dispelled. Though understandably rusty at first, he grew stronger each week. By mid-2019 he was back to his rampaging best, even scoring two tries in a Super Rugby quarter-final for the Bulls (a narrow 35-28 loss to the Hurricanes. Hendricks’ powerful running and hunger for the game were evident, and his successful return became an uplifting storyline for teammates and fans alike. “I started 2019 feeling like a child again, fresh and excited to play the game I fell in love with,” he reflected during that season.

Over the next five years, Hendricks became a stalwart of the Bulls’ backline, seamlessly transitioning from wing to outside center under coach Jake White. He amassed 115 appearances across all competitions for the Bulls from 2019 to 2024, scoring 34 tries in the process sarugbymag.co.za. In domestic competitions, he reached new heights: Hendricks was part of the Bulls squad that won the Super Rugby Unlocked title in late 2020 and then clinched back-to-back Currie Cup championships in 2020-21 and 2021. His performances were so consistently excellent that he was honored as the Currie Cup Player of the Year for the 2020/21 season, a testament to his dominance in South Africa’s premier domestic tournament. A senior figure in the team, he also captained the Bulls’ Currie Cup side on numerous occasions, guiding younger players with the same wisdom and positivity that had defined his journey.

The rugby world began to wonder if Cornal Hendricks might complete the fairy tale by pulling on the Springbok jersey once more. Such was his form in 2020-2021 that many pundits campaigned for his inclusion in the Springbok squad for the British & Irish Lions series in 2021 planetrugby.com. However, national selectors ultimately held off, reportedly due to cautious medical protocols, in 2022, then-Bok coach Jacques Nienaber confirmed that the SA Rugby medical team had not given Hendricks the full green light for Test selection iol.co.za. Despite this disappointment, Hendricks never publicly complained. Even if a second Springbok chapter never materialized, Hendricks had already achieved something nearly unprecedented, returning to top-flight rugby and excelling, after being told he would never play again.

By the end of 2023, Hendricks had given the Bulls five seasons of stellar service. His final match for the Pretoria franchise came in April 2024, fittingly on the big stage of a European Champions Cup quarter-final against Northampton Saintsplanetrugby.com. In October 2024, with his Bulls contract concluded, Hendricks made an emotional decision to return home to Boland for the twilight of his career bullsrugby.co.za. “I’ve come full circle,” he said of his choice to rejoin the Boland Kavaliers, the team where his journey began. Back on home soil in Wellington, he embraced the role of veteran mentor for the young Boland squad and cherished the chance to play in front of his hometown fans once more. In the 2025 season, Hendricks turned out a few times for Boland in the Currie Cup First Division (also known as the SA Cup), helping his province earn promotion back to the top tier. His rugby journey, which had started on the dusty fields of Wellington, truly came full circle with him wearing the Boland jersey again. It was a fitting final chapter of an extraordinary career.

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Tributes and Reactions from the Rugby World

News of Cornal Hendricks’ untimely death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the rugby world. Teammates, coaches, and supporters have all voiced their shock and sadness at the passing of a player who left an indelible mark on South African rugby. The Bulls, the franchise where Hendricks resurrected his career, led the tributes. “Everyone at the Vodacom Bulls is devastated to hear of the passing of Cornal Hendricks, a loved and celebrated former player,” the team said in a statement bullsrugby.co.za.

Legacy and Conclusion

Cornal Hendricks leaves behind a legacy that transcends the try-scoring records and trophies he accumulated. In rugby terms, he will be remembered as a Springbok who made the most of every opportunity, a player who rose from a small-town club scene to the international arena, and who refused to let a medical verdict have the final say on his career.

He demonstrated extraordinary resilience, returning to elite rugby when it seemed impossible, and in doing so gave hope to countless others facing adversity. Hendricks’ story has already taken on a mythic quality, the talented wing who had the rugby world at his feet, lost it all in a cruel twist of fate, yet clawed his way back to the top through sheer determination and faith.

Off the field, Hendricks will be remembered as a humble hero who never forgot where he came from. His former Boland coach Roger Smith once described him as “a true son of Wellington, humble, hardworking and always willing to help others.

In the wake of his passing, there is profound sadness but also gratitude for what Hendricks gave to the game. The South African rugby fraternity is in mourning, but they are also celebrating a life that inspired so many. Videos of Hendricks’ best moments, from that try against the All Blacks to his Currie Cup final heroics – are being shared widely, accompanied by messages like “Thank you, Cornal” and “Rest easy, legend.” The recurring theme in these tributes is how inspirational his journey was: Hendricks showed that even when life deals a seemingly insurmountable challenge, passion and perseverance can still pave the way for a comeback.

At 37, Cornal Hendricks has gone far too soon, his big smile and presence tragically missing from the rugby world. But his legacy endures in the stories told by those who knew him and the countless young players he influenced. As Mark Alexander noted, Hendricks wore the Springbok jersey with distinction in both rugby fifteens and sevens sarugby.co.za, an honor that few achieve. More importantly, he wore the mantle of role model with grace. His legacy will live on in the hearts of fans and in the values of perseverance and generosity he exemplified.

In a final salute, the words of his former coach Jake White perhaps sum it up best: “Rugby has lost one of the good ones today”bullsrugby.co.za, but Cornal Hendricks’ impact will be felt for years to come, every time a young player from a small town picks up a rugby ball and believes that they too can make it to the top.

Rest in peace, Cornal Hendricks. Your story of courage and hope will never be forgotten.