Chris Bezuidenhout
Full names: Christiaan Esias
Date of birth: 13 Oct 1937
Place of birth: Pretoria
School: Erasmus
Springbok no: 383
Springbok debut province: Northern Transvaal
Physical: 1.80m, 104.3kg
Date of death: 16 Oct 2001 (Age 64)
Test summary: Tests: 3 Tries: 0
First Test: 21 Jul 1962 Age 24 - Tight-head Prop against Britain at Kingspark, Durban
Last Test: 25 Aug 1962 Age 24 - Tight-head Prop against Britain at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentVenueResultScoreProvince
21 Jul 1962 24Tight-head Prop Britain Kingspark, Durban Win: 3-0  N-Tvl
04 Aug 1962 24Tight-head Prop Britain Newlands, Cape Town Win: 8-3  N-Tvl
25 Aug 1962 24Tight-head Prop Britain Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein Win: 34-14  N-Tvl

Chris Bezuidenhout: ChatGPT

Christiaan Esias “Chris” Bezuidenhout was born on 13 October 1937 in Pretoria. He grew up in an era when Northern Transvaal rugby was beginning to define itself as one of the powerhouses of South African rugby. A strong, no-nonsense front-rower, he played his club rugby for the Pretoria Defence club and went on to represent Northern Transvaal at provincial level. Standing around 1.80 metres tall and weighing just over 100 kilograms, he was built for the demands of front-row play and quickly earned a reputation for his toughness and uncompromising approach in the scrum.

Bezuidenhout’s performances for Northern Transvaal earned him selection to the Springbok side in 1962, when he was chosen as tighthead prop for the test series against the touring British Lions. He made his international debut on 21 July 1962 at Kings Park in Durban and went on to play in three tests of that series, which South Africa won. His strong scrummaging, endurance, and disciplined play made him a key part of the pack during that hard-fought campaign. It was a proud moment for a player who had worked his way up through the Defence and provincial ranks to wear the green and gold.

Later that same year, Bezuidenhout made headlines for a very different reason. In October 1962, he switched codes by signing for the Pretoria Rugby League Football Club. At the time, rugby union and rugby league were fiercely divided, and crossing the line between the two was seen as an act of defiance. The controversy was compounded by the fact that he was still serving in the South African Defence Force, and his decision led to a court martial. The outcome was lenient - a discharge with a caution - but it marked the end of his union career. He was selected for the South African rugby league side that was to tour Australia in 1963 but ultimately did not take part in the trip.

Although his time as a Springbok was brief, Chris Bezuidenhout’s story remains one of the more intriguing chapters in South African rugby history. He was a strong, capable prop who rose to the pinnacle of the game and then became one of the few players of his generation to challenge rugby’s rigid boundaries. His three test caps in 1962 and his later code switch captured both the passion and the controversy that surrounded South African rugby during that era. Bezuidenhout passed away on 16 October 2001 at the age of 64, remembered as a powerful front-rower and a man unafraid to follow his own path.