Os du Randt

Os du Randt
South Africa vs. England during the 2007 RWC (du Randt in center)
BornJacobus Petrus du Randt
(1972-09-08) 8 September 1972
Elliot, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight135 kg (298 lb; 21.3 st)
SchoolAdelaide Gymnasium
OccupationFarmer
Rugby union career
Position Loosehead prop
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1996–1997 Cheetahs
1999 Cheetahs
2000 Blue Bulls
2002–2007 Cheetahs
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
1997 Cheetahs
1998 Cats
2000 Bulls
2004–2005 Cats
2006–2007 Cheetahs
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1994–2007 South Africa 80 (25)

Jacobus Petrus "Os" du Randt (born 8 September 1972) is a former South African rugby union loosehead prop who retired as the most-capped forward in the history of the Springboks (a record since surpassed by John Smit, Victor Matfield, Tendai Mtawarira, and most recently Eben Etzebeth, the current record holder). For most of his career, he played in the domestic Currie Cup for the Free State Cheetahs, though he spent one season with the Blue Bulls. In Super Rugby, he represented the Free State Cheetahs when South Africa sent its top Currie Cup teams to the competition instead of franchised sides, later represented the Cats franchise (now known as the Lions), spent one season with the Bulls before returning to the Cats, and still later played for the Cheetahs. He ended his career as one of the last remaining international-level players from the amateur era of the sport and the last active member of the 1995 World Cup-winning squad. His final match was the 2007 Rugby World Cup final, which the Springboks won, with Du Randt playing the entire 80 minutes. He is one of 43 players who have won the Rugby World Cup on multiple occasions, remarkably 24 of whom are South Africans.

Os (his Afrikaans nickname, which means Ox and refers to his big, muscular build) was a powerful scrummager and a hard worker around the field. He also had very good ball-handling skills for a prop, and his defence was solid.