Corné Krige says the devastating knee injury that shattered his dream of playing at the 1999 World Cup ultimately made him a stronger and more resilient person.
The former Springbok captain was a rising star when disaster struck in the Boks’ 28-0 defeat to the All Blacks in Dunedin. The then 24-year-old suffered a serious knee injury that forced him off the field, with coach Nick Mallett describing it at the time as a “devastating injury”.
The setback ruled Krige out of the World Cup later that year.
Looking back more than two decades later, Krige believes the disappointment became one of life’s greatest teachers.
“It obviously made me stronger and more resilient,” he told Netwerk24. “It taught me how to overcome disappointment in life. Hopefully that’s something I can teach my children.”
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Krige admits that, like any former professional athlete, there are decisions from his playing days that he would handle differently if given another chance.
“But at the time you do what feels right to you,” he said. “Looking back, it might have been the wrong decision, but as long as it was made with the right intentions, that’s OK.”
Krige’s rugby career was eventually cut short at the age of 30 by a neck injury, presenting another significant challenge as he transitioned into life after the game.
Photo: Nigel Marple/Getty Images
The post How World Cup agony shaped Corné appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Corné Krige says the devastating knee injury that shattered his dream of playing at the 1999 World Cup ultimately made him a stronger and more resilient person.
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