The rugby community is in mourning following the death of Stormers and Western Province team manager Christopher “Chippie” Solomon (64) due to a heart attack on Saturday morning (11 April).
Solomon, who lived in Kuils River, is survived by his wife, Pearl, and children Nina and Chad. He was a life member and honorary president of Kuils River Rugby Football Club (KRFC).
On Friday evening he was at KRFC in Jagtershof for the unveiling of the club’s kit for the season. On Saturday, a minute of silence was observed to pay tribute to Solomon ahead of the club’s match against Hamilton.
Donny Isaacs, a former player and public relations officer of KRFC, said Solomon’s death is a huge loss to him personally as a friend, but also to the club.
Solomon joined KRFC in 1997 as under-20 coach. He became the second team coach a year later and the club’s first team coach in 1999.
Five undefeated years at KRFC
The team was undefeated for five years – they drew one game. It was an amazing achievement,” Isaacs said. In 2002 the team won Super League B and moved up to Super League A, where KRFC still competes.
Isaacs said the club was blessed to have some provincial players at the time, but Solomon clearly played a huge part in the promotion. “Chippie knew how to manage talent. He just had that intrinsic skill that could bring out the best in everyone. That’s why he was so much-loved as a coach. Everyone just wanted to play for him.”
‘No did not exist’ – A leader who delivered
Solomon became club president around 2004 and then honorary life president. “In that role he formed an anchor to so many aspects of what the club was trying to achieve, whether it was sponsorship or functions…Chippie always said (yes) – no did not exist. He was a straightforward person, loud and proud and you knew exactly where you stood with him,” said Isaacs.
“He did not accept failure, he always strived for success, and if he didn’t get it, he would make sure that we stood up very quickly and go for the goals we set out to achieve. He was a wonderful kind-hearted man with a wonderful rough edge that knew exactly how to get everyone excited. His love and genuine approach to people were what made his tenure at the club so special.”
Final words: ‘We’re going to have a great day’
Isaacs was a schoolboy when he first met Solomon as WP school coach, and at the club, they worked very closely. Even when the Stormers were on tour, Isaacs could reach out to him and Solomon would walk the extra mile. “He always delivered when he said he would do something.”
Solomon’s sudden passing hit hard. “I still can’t get over it – on Friday evening we spoke about the game against Hamilton and he said to me: ‘I think we are going to have a great day tomorrow.’ Those were his final words to me before he left. What a loss; there will never be another Chippie Solomon.”
Solomon’s impact extended far beyond club rugby to the professional game.
21 seasons as Stormers’ ‘Uncle Chippie’
Solomon served as Stormers team manager from 2004 until his death, overseeing more than 350 matches across 21 seasons. Known affectionately as “Uncle Chippie”, he acted as a mentor to generations of players at the franchise.
Born in Newlands and raised in Bonteheuwel, Solomon was a teacher, coach and headmaster at Westridge High School in Mitchells Plain before moving into rugby administration. During his playing career, he represented Western Province Schools as a hooker and loose forward under the SA Rugby Union banner.
Solomon also worked as a coach and selector for the SA Schools team before joining the professional structures as a team manager for various junior teams.
A true rugby man
Stormers chief executive Johan le Roux said Solomon brought passion to everything he did and embodied the values of rugby. “Our thoughts are with his family and all those whose lives he touched over what was an incredible career. Our supporters will all miss his familiar presence, and the entire rugby community is in mourning over this sad loss,” he said.
Stormers director of rugby John Dobson said there would never be another character quite like Solomon. “This is devastating news for so many of us. Chippie was a remarkable man who was so much more than just a team manager. He has been synonymous with our team for so long and represented us with pride all over the world,” he said. “He will be remembered as a true rugby man, but more importantly as someone who was fiercely loyal and represented his community and family with distinction in all that he did.”
The team recently returned from a tour of France, where Solomon managed all arrangements.
The glue that held it together
Former Springbok and Stormers player Bryan Habana described Solomon as the Stormers’ heartbeat. “His laughter was infectious, his passion unmatched, and his care for every single person in that environment was something truly special. He didn’t just manage a team… he was the glue that held it together,” he wrote in an online tribute. “He was a mentor, a confidant, a constant. The guy who checked in when no one else did, who celebrated your highs like they were his own, and who stood firmly by you in your lowest moments.”
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