Des van Jaarsveldt
Van Jaarsveldt, c. 1960 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Desmond Charles van Jaarsveldt 31 March 1929 Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Died | 21 July 2025 (aged 96) South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Plumtree School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Desmond Charles van Jaarsveldt MBE (31 March 1929 – 21 July 2025) was a Southern Rhodesian-born South African rugby union player and captain of the Springboks. He was nicknamed the "Bald Eagle" due to his pace on the wing and bald head. He became the first Rhodesian to captain South Africa. Upon retiring from playing, he acted as a coach and administrator for Rhodesian rugby during the transition of the country into Zimbabwe.