Springboks' farewell

The big, airy, beautiful church was packed with a congregation that included family, friends, homeless people and several Springboks. They came to show their solidarity with Gainsford's wife Shona, their children and their grandchildren, and also to remember, talk about and bid farewell to a teammate, one of the most influential men in South African rugby, especially in the Western Province which he loved.

Among those present were Theuns Briers, now 86 and, blind, hard of hearing and living in Blaauwberg, Dave Stewart, Mannetjies Roux, Dawie de Villiers, Ian and Roy McCallum, HO de Villiers, Jean de Villiers and his father André, who is a former Western Province lock, Christian Stewart who played for Canada and South Africa, Tommy Bedford, Schalk Burger Snr, Western Province scrumhalf Aubrey Luck, several Villagers men, Morné du Plessis, Sakkie de Klerk, Cliffie Etzebeth, the powerful Western Province forward whose nephew is Eben, Province flank Piet Geldenhuys, Mannetjies Viljoen, who hooked for Western Province in his day, Piet Olivier and Trevor Millar whose brother Sydney scaled the heights of rugby as a player and an administrator. You could pick a great team from that lot and even have a choice of four Springbok captains –  Dawie de Villiers, Bedford, Du Plessis and Jean de Villiers.

There were five tributes. Dave Stewart spoke first with delightful stories of his centre mate and business partner. Then the four children spoke about their father – Shona-Leigh, Lindsay, Kirk and Murray.

It was a gathering of people who obviously loved and admired John Gainsford.