\u201cAs jy \u2019n lynstaanbal wou wen, gooi hom op John Williams.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
S\u00f3 onthou die gevierde Noord-Transvaalse kaptein Thys Lourens die hemelbesemslot van die Ligbloues wat pas in die ouderdom van 78 oorlede is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johannes Gerhardus Williams het in 1971 saam met die legendariese Frik du Preez, ook \u2019n deurtrapte Noord-Transvaler, sy Springbok-buiging teen die besoekende Franse toerspan gemaak. Later daardie jaar is die drie Ligblou-spanmaats saam op die betogertoer deur Australi\u00eb waar Hannes Marais en sy span al 13 wedstryde, waaronder drie toetse, gewen het. Williams was in al vyf toetse in 1971 Du Preez se slotmaat en het Johan Spies, wat saam met Du Preez die vorige jaar as slotkombinasie die All Blacks verslaan het, uit die span gehou. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daarna het Williams saam met nog \u2019n ranker uit die Noord-Transvaalse slotfabriek, Piet du Plessis, in 1972 teen Engeland op Ellispark gespeel, maar die span het verloor nadat Suid-Afrika met talle strafskoppe wat hulle sou laat wen het, misluk het (selfs Jan Ellis het aangel\u00ea pale toe.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Toe kom die gedugte 1974-Leeus onder Willie-John McBride hier toer. Williams, wat ses voet sewe in sy sokkies staan (\u2019n katspoegie oor die twee meter) moet sy man staan teen slotte van w\u00eareldformaat, soos McBride van Ierland en die Skot wyle Gordon Brown. Hoewel die Leeus die Noord-Transvaler die bynaam \u201cJolly Jumper\u201d gegee het, was hy een van die min Springbokke vir wie hulle respek gehad het. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In die laaste toets op Ellispark saam met die vuurvreter Moaner van Heerden as slotmaat, laat eindig hulle die toets gelykop met 13 punte elk. Williams was s\u00f3 goed dat algemeen na hom verwys is as \u201cmoontlik die beste lynstaanspringer ter w\u00eareld\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
N\u00e1 die Leeu-toer het die Bokke Frankryk aan die einde van 1974 op eie bodem kafgedraf met \u201cMoaner\u201d en Williams as slotte.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die keurders het egter Van Heerden en Kevin de Klerk teen Richard Astre se besoekende Franse vir 1975 gekies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Andy Leslie se All Blacks het in 1976 kom toer en Williams was \u2019n outomatiese keuse. Hy het egter sy neus in die tweede toets in Bloemfontein gebreek en is vir daardie toets en die res van die reeks deur die Transvaalse reus Kevin de Klerk vervang. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Williams se besering het sy rugbyloopbaan kortgeknip. Volgens verslae het sy neusbene in sy wangbeen ingesteek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
John Williams is in 1970 aangewys as een van Suid-Afrika se Vyf Belowendste Rugbyspelers van die Jaar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hy moes egter meeding met bulle soos Frik du Preez en Johan Spies vir \u2019n plek in die Bokspan en moes wag tot die volgende jaar voordat hy wel vir Suid-Afrika gekies is. Op die 1971-toer deur Australi\u00eb was daar dreigemente dat die Bokke dalk sal honger ly as gevolg van stakings deur betogers. Een berig het gelui: \u201cJohn Williams is die grootste man in die span en een man wat dalk kan swaarkry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thys Lourens \u2013 sy volle name is Mathys Johannes \u2013 onthou veral die 1975-eindstryd teen Vrystaat soos gister. \u201cDit was op \u2019n sopnat Vrystaat-stadion toe dit kort voor die wedstryd katte en honde gere\u00ebn het. Die veld was \u2019n absolute modderbad! Ons agsteman was Wynand Claassen, wat later Springbokkaptein op die berugte meelbomtoer in 1981 deur Nieu-Seeland was. Vrystaat het \u2019n baie goeie span gehad en die wedstryd is kort voordat die eindfluitjie geblaas het, nog gelykop nadat Pikkie du Toit onder die pale gedruk en De Wet Ras vervyf het. Toe druk Pierre Spies daardie langarm-drie van hom in die suidwestelike hoekie. Maar die man wat die beslissende lynstaanbal gewen het, was John Williams.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lourens takseer Williams as \u2019n uitsonderlike kaptein.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die Jolly Jumper was volgens Lourens \u2019n uitmuntende spanspeler met goeie leierseienskappe. \u201cHy het \u2019n skerp humorsin gehad en kon lekker poetse bak. Later het hy ook naam gemaak as afrigter van formaat. Hy het onder meer Suid-Afrika afgerig.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thys Lourens het sy toetsdebuut teen Tom Kiernan se 1968-Leeus gemaak en in die laaste drie toetse gespeel en \u2019n drie in die derde toets gedruk. Die einde van daardie jaar is die Springbokke onder Dawie de Villiers Frankryk toe. Hy het egter net in een wedstryd gespeel nadat hy \u2019n besering opgedoen het. Toe, in 1969-\u201970 gaan toer Dawie de Villiers se Springbokke deur die Verenigde Koninkryk. \u201cHulle het my gepos vir daardie toer.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Betogers het amok gemaak en die spelers kon nie behoorlik oefen nie. \u201cDie noodlot het besluit dat ek daardie toer moes misloop. Hulle het Piet van Deventer, flank van Griekwas, gekies en ek gun hom dit.\u201d Toe die Bok-toergroep vir 1971 aangewys is, was sy naam egter daar. Hy het sy plek welverdiend teruggewen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die besnorde Noord-Transvaalse kaptein het uiteindelik in 168 wedstryde vir die gevreesde Ligbloues gespeel. Net Burger Geldenhuys (184), Naas Botha (179) en Louis Moolman (171) het in meer wedstryde as hierdie 1943-model van Vryheid in KZN gespeel. Thys Lourens het die span van Pretoria nie minder nie as 84 keer aangevoer en \u2019n stewige 63 drie\u00eb gedruk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die beste flank saam met wie hy gespeel het, was die \u201cRooi Tier van Suidwes\u201d, Jan Ellis. \u201cEllis kon loop soos die wind en het oor \u2019n verbysterende systap beskik. Hy kon die bal soos \u2019n agterspeler hanteer. Hy was rateltaai en met sy reusehande kon hy \u2019n bal behoorlik toevat. Boonop was hy die ideale skakel tussen voor- en agterspelers.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ellis, terloops, was daarvoor verantwoordelik dat die Walliese towenaar Barry John, \u2019n losskakel, slegs in die eerste toets van die 1968-Leeus gespeel het \u2013 Ellis het sy sleutelbeen gebreek.\u2013 Pierre Massyn is die skrywer van Springbok Rugby-Vasvra<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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