Rudolf Straeuli Biography

Rudolf Straeuli is a former Rugby World Cup winning Springbok player and Springbok coach. 

Born in Pretoria on 20 August 1963, he completed his schooling at Hoerskool Menlopark and then enrolled as a law student at the University of Pretoria. 

After completing his studies, the big number eight decided to venture overseas for his professional rugby contact and joined Penarth rugby club in Dinas Powys, Wales in the 1985/86 season for around four months until he was called back for National Service.

Thus his provincial career locally kicked off later than usual, only in 1990, for Northern Transvaal but his time with them was short lived as he again moved overseas to join Padova in Italy, where he played during 1991 and 1992.

Upon his return, Rudolf Straeuli joined the Transvaal side in Johannesburg in 1993. He would go on to represent the men in  red and white a total of 61 times between 1993 and 1996.

During 1993 he also toured with the South African Barbarians to the United Kingdom. 

Rudolf Straeuli made his debut for South Africa on 9 July 1994 against the All Blacks at Carisbrook in Dunedin, scoring a try on debut. The Springboks lost that game by 14-22. That would be the last time that Rudolf Straeuli would be on the losing side as a Springbok player, going on to represent his country nine more times and winning every game. That included the 1995 Rugby World Cup. 

His test career came to an end on 18 November 1995 against England at Twickenham. 

In 1997 he joined Bedford rugby club in England as a player, but would soon take over as coach, in 1998. By the end of 1999, Rudolf Straeuli was a fully fledged coach and headed back to South Africa where he joined Border in the Eastern Cape as a coach.

In 2000 he was appointed as the Sharks coach and he took  them to the Currie Cup final where they lose to Western Province.

This was followed up by another final in 2001, where they again lose to Western Province, and to the Super 12 (Super Rugby) final, the first South African side to contest the prize, where they lose to the ACT Brumbies.

On 1 March 2002 Rudolf Straeuli was appointed as coach of the Springboks on a three-year contract, replacing Harry Viljoen who quit in January.

He won his first four games, with two victories over Wales and Argentina and a convincing defeat at the hands of Samoa by 60-18. However, the team subsequently suffered several defeats against the bigger nations, losing 30–10 to France, 21-6 to scotland, 53-3 to England and 52-16 to New Zealand during his reign.

Rudolf Straeuli coached the Springboks during the 2003 Rugby World Cup, a campaign that saw South Africa failing to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup for the first time. Straeuli was forced to resign shortly after the tournament when details of his infamous Kamp Staaldraad training camp came to light.

Overall he coached 23 tests and won only 52% of them, one of the worst records for a South African coach. He also won only two out of the 17 games played against the top six teams in the world.

But despite this record, the Sharks apointed him in 2005 as Rugby Commercial Manager. And in 2013 Rudolf Straeuli joined the Lions as general manager of professional rugby and commercial. 

In 2014 he was promoted to the position of Chief Executive Officer.