Hannes Marais
Full names: Johannes Frederick Klopper
Date of birth: 21 Sep 1941
Place of birth: Somerset East
School: Gill College
Springbok no: 390
Springbok debut province: Western Province
Physical: 1.82m, 99.8kg
Current age: 83
Test summary: Tests: 35 Tries: 1
First Test: 24 Aug 1963 Age 21 - Tight-head Prop against Australia at Ellispark, Johannesburg
Last Test: 30 Nov 1974 Age 33 - Tight-head Prop against France at Parc des Princes, Paris
Tours Ireland & Scotland 1965 Australia & New Zealand 1965 France 1968 British Isles & Ireland 1969-70 Australia 1971 France 1974
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentVenueResultScoreProvince
24 Aug 1963 21Tight-head Prop Australia Ellispark, Johannesburg Lose: 9-11  WP
23 May 1964 22Tight-head Prop Wales Kingspark, Durban Win: 24-31 try EP
25 Jul 1964 22Tight-head Prop France P.A.M. Brink Stadium, Springs Lose: 6-8  EP
10 Apr 1965 23Tight-head Prop Ireland Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), Dublin Lose: 6-9  EP
17 Apr 1965 23Tight-head Prop Scotland Murrayfield, Edinburgh Lose: 5-8  EP
26 Jun 1965 23Tight-head Prop Australia Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), Brisbane Lose: 8-12  EP
08 Jun 1968 26Tight-head Prop Britain Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Win: 25-20  NE Cape
22 Jun 1968 26Tight-head Prop Britain Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth Draw: 6-6  NE Cape
13 Jul 1968 26Tight-head Prop Britain Newlands, Cape Town Win: 11-6  NE Cape
27 Jul 1968 26Tight-head Prop Britain Ellispark, Johannesburg Win: 19-6  NE Cape
09 Nov 1968 27Tight-head Prop France Parc Lescure, Bordeaux Win: 12-9  NE Cape
16 Nov 1968 27Tight-head Prop France Stade Olympique, Colombes, Paris Win: 16-11  NE Cape
02 Aug 1969 27Tight-head Prop Australia Ellispark, Johannesburg Win: 30-11  NE Cape
16 Aug 1969 27Tight-head Prop Australia Kingspark, Durban Win: 16-9  NE Cape
06 Sep 1969 27Tight-head Prop Australia Newlands, Cape Town Win: 11-3  NE Cape
20 Sep 1969 27Tight-head Prop Australia Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein Win: 19-8  NE Cape
06 Dec 1969 28Tight-head Prop Scotland Murrayfield, Edinburgh Lose: 3-6  NE Cape
20 Dec 1969 28Tight-head Prop England Twickenham, London Lose: 8-11  NE Cape
10 Jan 1970 28Tight-head Prop Ireland Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), Dublin Draw: 8-8  NE Cape
24 Jan 1970 28Tight-head Prop Wales Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff Draw: 6-6  NE Cape
25 Jul 1970 28Tight-head Prop New Zealand Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Win: 17-6  EP
08 Aug 1970 28Tight-head Prop New Zealand Newlands, Cape Town Lose: 8-9  EP
29 Aug 1970 28Tight-head Prop New Zealand Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth Win: 14-3  EP
12 Sep 1970 28Tight-head Prop New Zealand Ellispark, Johannesburg Win: 20-17  EP
12 Jun 1971 29Tight-head Prop (C) France Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein Win: 22-9  EP
19 Jun 1971 29Tight-head Prop (C) France Kingspark, Durban Draw: 8-8  EP
17 Jul 1971 29Tight-head Prop (C) Australia Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Win: 19-11  EP
31 Jul 1971 29Tight-head Prop (C) Australia Brisbane Exhibition Ground, Brisbane Win: 14-6  EP
07 Aug 1971 29Tight-head Prop (C) Australia Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Win: 18-6  EP
08 Jun 1974 32Tight-head Prop (C) Britain Newlands, Cape Town Lose: 3-12  EP
22 Jun 1974 32Tight-head Prop (C) Britain Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Lose: 9-28  EP
13 Jul 1974 32Tight-head Prop (C) Britain Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth Lose: 9-26  EP
27 Jul 1974 32Tight-head Prop (C) Britain Ellispark, Johannesburg Draw: 13-13  EP
23 Nov 1974 33Tight-head Prop (C) France Stade Municipal, Toulouse Win: 13-4  EP
30 Nov 1974 33Tight-head Prop (C) France Parc des Princes, Paris Win: 10-8  EP

Hannes came from the Karoo and played on the flank at Stellenbosch. I called him over one day and asked him what he weighed. "More than 230 pounds" he replied. I told him to play front row because that's where I thought he would really make his mark. True enough, that is where he started showing his real worth.

A great leader who captained South Africa many times. He was the captain of the '71 tour to Australia "The Invincibles" they never lost a match.

He also has other wide interests, such as antique furniture and stone implements of prehistoric man and the Bushman.

A much respected player and captain, Hannes is today a national selector and one of our rugby legends. A man four-square.