I met Charlie on the old members' stand at Newlands. He came from a very famous rugby family - one brother also played cricket for South Africa. I am so pleased that Western Province is reviving the memory of the old members' stand. In that corner you could hear a lot of wisdom spoken - although I admit you could hear a lot of nonsense as well.
I was introduced to Charlie and what attracted me most was the humility of the man, his reserved manner - as if to say: "Who am I for people to talk about?"
This is one of the things I have found and admired about men like Charlie van Renen and his contemporaries, those wonderful players who laid the foundation of Springbok rugby.