Former Springbok scrumhalf Pieter De Waal (Piet) Uys died in the early hours of Saturday morning 12th December 2009, two days after his 72nd birthday.
Uys, who played for Pretoria Police - he was a detective in the police force - and Northern Transvaal (now the Bulls) throughout his career, gained Springbok colours on the 1960-61 tour to Great Britain and France where he played in four Tests against the four Home Countries, but missing out against France when Dick Lockyear played.
He had an excellent service and could break well both sides of the scrum.
He was badly injured in a motor accident travelling with the Northern Transvaal team to a game in the then Rhodesia and the injuries at one stage threatened to end his career.
He played more or less regularly for the Springboks up until 1963 and he was only on the losing side once in his 12 Tests - the Newlands Test against Australia in 1963.
He later took a back seat to Dawie de Villiers but made a return to international rugby on the 1968 tour to France where he was understudy to the younger De Villiers, who had meantime taken over as South Africa's captain.
In 1969 he played his last two Tests against the touring Wallabies when De Villiers was injured, but the younger Dirkie de Vos was preferred to him on the 1969-70 tour which followed.
- Peter Martin