Japie Mulder
Full names: Jacobus Cornelius
Date of birth: 18 Oct 1969
Place of birth: Springs
School: Hugenote, Springs
Springbok no: 617
Springbok debut province: Lions
Physical: 1.80m, 77.1kg
Current age: 54
Test summary: Tests: 34 Tries: 6
First Test: 23 Jul 1994 Age 24 - Outside Centre against New Zealand at Athletic Park, Wellington
Last Test: 30 Jun 2001 Age 31 - Inside Centre against Italy at Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentVenueResultScoreProvince
23 Jul 1994 24Outside Centre New Zealand Athletic Park, Wellington Lose: 9-13  Lions
06 Aug 1994 24Outside Centre New Zealand Eden Park, Auckland Draw: 18-18  Lions
19 Nov 1994 25Inside Centre Scotland Murrayfield, Edinburgh Win: 34-101 try Lions
26 Nov 1994 25Inside Centre Wales Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff Win: 20-12  Lions
13 Apr 1995 25Outside Centre Samoa Ellispark, Johannesburg Win: 60-8  Lions
25 May 1995 25Outside Centre Australia Newlands, Cape Town Win: 27-18  Lions
10 Jun 1995 25Inside Centre Samoa Ellispark, Johannesburg Win: 42-14  Lions
17 Jun 1995 25Outside Centre France Kingspark, Durban Win: 19-15  Lions
24 Jun 1995 25Outside Centre New Zealand Ellispark, Johannesburg Win: 15-12  Lions
02 Sep 1995 25Outside Centre Wales Ellispark, Johannesburg Win: 40-111 try Lions
12 Nov 1995 26Outside Centre Italy Olympic Stadium, Rome Win: 40-211 try Lions
18 Nov 1995 26Outside Centre England Twickenham, London Win: 24-14  Lions
02 Jul 1996 26Outside Centre Fiji Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Win: 43-181 try Lions
13 Jul 1996 26Outside Centre Australia Sydney Football Stadium (Aussie stadium), Sydney Lose: 16-21  Lions
20 Jul 1996 26Outside Centre New Zealand Lancaster Park (Jade stadium), Christchurch Lose: 11-15  Lions
03 Aug 1996 26Outside Centre Australia Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein Win: 25-19  Lions
10 Aug 1996 26Outside Centre New Zealand Newlands, Cape Town Lose: 18-291 try Lions
31 Aug 1996 26Outside Centre New Zealand Ellispark, Johannesburg Win: 32-22  Lions
09 Nov 1996 27Outside Centre Argentina Ferrocarril-Oeste Stadium, Buenos Aires Win: 46-15  Lions
16 Nov 1996 27Outside Centre Argentina Ferrocarril-Oeste Stadium, Buenos Aires Win: 44-211 try Lions
30 Nov 1996 27Outside Centre France Parc Lescure, Bordeaux Win: 22-12  Lions
07 Dec 1996 27Outside Centre France Parc des Princes, Paris Win: 13-12  Lions
15 Dec 1996 27Outside Centre Wales Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff Win: 37-20  Lions
10 Jun 1997 27Outside Centre Tonga Newlands, Cape Town Win: 74-10  Lions
21 Jun 1997 27Outside Centre Britain Newlands, Cape Town Lose: 16-25  Lions
12 Jun 1999 29Reserve Italy Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth Win: 74-3  Lions
19 Jun 1999 29Inside Centre Italy Kingspark, Durban Win: 101-0  Lions
26 Jun 1999 29Inside Centre Wales Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff Lose: 19-29  Lions
10 Jul 1999 29Outside Centre New Zealand Carisbrook, Dunedin Lose: 0-28  Lions
10 Jun 2000 30Reserve Canada Basil Kenyon Stadium, East London Win: 51-18  Lions
08 Jul 2000 30Inside Centre Australia Docklands Stadium (Marvel Stadium), Melbourne Lose: 23-44  Lions
02 Dec 2000 31Inside Centre England Twickenham, London Lose: 17-25  Lions
16 Jun 2001 31Inside Centre France Ellispark, Johannesburg Lose: 23-32  Lions
30 Jun 2001 31Inside Centre Italy Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth Win: 60-14  Lions

Mulder’s international career spanned from 1994-2001 during which he won 34 Tests and scored six tries. He made his Springbok debut in the 13-9 defeat to the All Blacks in Wellington on July 23, 1994 and scored his first try in his third Test in the 34-10 win over Scotland at Murrayfield in that year.

By 1995, he had established himself as South Africa’s first choice outside centre and formed a reliable midfield combination with Hennie le Roux. Mulder was the battering ram of the two who softened up opposing backlines with his powerful straight running.

Mulder solidified his reputation as a hard-hitting defender in the final of the 1995 World Cup when he single-handedly smashed the then deemed unstoppable giant All Black winger Jonah Lomu into touch. That bone-crushing hit would be the defining moment of Mulder’s career.

He went on to play against the British & Irish Lions in 1997 but missed out on the Springboks’ successful Tri-Nations campaign the following year as well as the 1999 World Cup. He played his final Test against Italy in Port Elizabeth on June 30, 2001, which the Boks won 60-14.

Mulder comes from a famous Eastern Transvaal rugby family. His dad, Koos, played on the wing in the ‘72 Currie Cup final, his eldest uncle Boet was a Springbok in the 65 side while the younger brother, also Japie played at centre for the Red Devils.

Records/Honours:

  • Super 10 winner with the Lions, 1993
  • Currie Cup winner with the Lions, 1993
  • Member of the World Cup winning Springbok squad, 1995