Richard Bands
Encyclopedia
Richard Edward "Richie" Bands (born 25 March 1974 in Mafikeng
) is a former South Africa
n rugby union
test player. He was part of the Springboks
squad for the 2003 Rugby World Cup
and is fondly remembered in the South African rugby community for his memorable try for South Africa against the All Blacks
in the 2003 Tri Nations Series
.
Although he started his professional career as a hooker, he usually played as prop. During his career he was part of the Blue Bulls
provincial team in the Currie Cup
(South Africa
's premier domestic rugby union competition) and the Bulls franchise in the Super 14
competition.
. He was part of Currie Cup
winning teams from 2002 to 2004. After that numerous injuries prevented him from playing on the highest level. He retired from 1st class rugby by the end of the Super 14 season in 2008.
. He continued playing for the Bulls until 2005. During his Super Rugby career he scored several tries, an unusual feature for a prop.
against Scotland
. During the 2003 Tri Nations Series match in Dunedin
against the All Blacks
he scored his famous try when he started his charge from the half-way line and effortlessly brushed away Carlos Spencer on his way to the try line. Grant Nesbitt's commentary of the try is one of the most popular phrases used when describing a try: "He's gonna have a go at Spencer! Get outta the road! That's one of the best tries you'll ever see from a prop forward, superb!" Later this season he played in four matches for the Springboks in the 2003 Rugby World Cup
held in Australia. He scored a try in the win over Uruguay
in South Africa's opening pool match. Altogether he played for the Springboks eleven times.
Mafikeng
Mahikeng – formerly legally, but still commonly known as Mafikeng – is the capital city of the North-West Province of South Africa. It is best known internationally for the Siege of Mafeking, the most famous engagement of the Second Boer War.Located on South Africa's border with Botswana, it is ...
) is a former 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...
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...
test player. He was part of the Springboks
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
squad for the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
and is fondly remembered in the South African rugby community for his memorable try for South Africa against the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
in the 2003 Tri Nations Series
Rugby Union Tri Nations
The Rugby Championship is an international rugby union competition contested annually by Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The competition is organized by SANZAR, a consortium formed by the governing bodies of the Australian Rugby Union, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the South...
.
Although he started his professional career as a hooker, he usually played as prop. During his career he was part of the Blue Bulls
Blue Bulls
The Blue Bulls, for sponsorship reasons known as the Vodacom Blue Bulls, or more popularly by their Afrikaans name die Blou Bulle, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament...
provincial team in 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...
(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...
's premier domestic rugby union competition) and the Bulls franchise in the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
competition.
Provincial
Bands made his provincial debut in 1994. After a break of several years he resumed his career 2001 when he joined Blue BullsBlue Bulls
The Blue Bulls, for sponsorship reasons known as the Vodacom Blue Bulls, or more popularly by their Afrikaans name die Blou Bulle, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament...
. He was part of 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...
winning teams from 2002 to 2004. After that numerous injuries prevented him from playing on the highest level. He retired from 1st class rugby by the end of the Super 14 season in 2008.
Super Rugby
It was in 2002 that Bands made his Super rugby debut, in a match for the Bulls against New Zealand team, the ChiefsChiefs (Super rugby franchise)
The Chiefs are a professional Rugby union team based in Hamilton, New Zealand. Their home ground is Waikato Stadium. The Chiefs play in black, red and yellow coloured jerseys...
. He continued playing for the Bulls until 2005. During his Super Rugby career he scored several tries, an unusual feature for a prop.
International
In 2003 he made his test debut for the SpringboksSouth Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
against Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
. During the 2003 Tri Nations Series match in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
against the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
he scored his famous try when he started his charge from the half-way line and effortlessly brushed away Carlos Spencer on his way to the try line. Grant Nesbitt's commentary of the try is one of the most popular phrases used when describing a try: "He's gonna have a go at Spencer! Get outta the road! That's one of the best tries you'll ever see from a prop forward, superb!" Later this season he played in four matches for the Springboks in the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
held in Australia. He scored a try in the win over Uruguay
Uruguay national rugby union team
The Uruguay national rugby union team is the representative side of Uruguay, governed by the Unión de Rugby del Uruguay. They have been playing international rugby since 1948. Their jersey is blue and black and they are known as Los Teros. They qualified twice for the Rugby World Cup, in 1999 and...
in South Africa's opening pool match. Altogether he played for the Springboks eleven times.
Legal dispute with SA Rugby
In 2008 the Johannesburg Labour Court ended the protracted legal conflict between SA Rugby and players Victor Matfield, Richard Bands and Christo Bezuidenhout, which started in 2004, when the CCMA awarded the three players compensation for loss of earnings, when their fixed-term contracts were not renewed despite their strong performances in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Former Springbok coach Rudolf Straeuli promised the three Springboks contracts before he was sacked. The Labour Court ruled that Straeuli's promise that the players were part of his future plans was not enough to create a reasonable expectation.Accomplishments
- Currie Cup Winner in 2003, 2003, 2004
- SA Rugby Player of the Year nominee, 2003
- SuperSport Try of the Year, 2003
- 11 Springbok caps (Win ratio: 6-5-0)
External links
- Profile on Bluebulls.co.za
- Profile on Sarugby.com
- RWC profile
- That famous try against the All Blacks, On Rugbydump.com