Bokdle #21: 22 Oct 2026

The mystery green and gold player on 22 Oct 2026 was McNeil Hendricks: Test player #657 · Wing · 2 caps · 1 try · School: Schoonspruit Senior Secondary School.

McNeil "Maccie" Hendricks was a strong, quick wing from the Boland whose Springbok career lasted just two Tests in June 1998, both off the bench and both won. Born in Malmesbury in July 1973, he matriculated at Schoonspruit Senior Secondary School and came through the Boland under-23 side before making his Currie Cup debut in 1996. A decade later he found a second, very different moment of fame: playing Chester Williams in a Hollywood film.

The Boland years

Hendricks made his name on the wing for Boland in the mid-1990s, a side then coached by Nick Mallett. In 1996 he played for a Boland Invitation XV against the touring All Blacks and went on the South Africa A tour of the United Kingdom. In 1997 he was picked at centre for the Emerging Springboks against the British and Irish Lions at Boland Stadium in Wellington, and later that year he was named in the Springbok squad for the end-of-year tour to Europe, though he didn't play.

Two Tests, two wins

When Mallett took charge of the Springboks, Hendricks got his chance. He came off the bench against Ireland at Loftus Versfeld in June 1998, in a 33–0 win. A week later, at the same ground, he replaced Stefan Terblanche early in the second half against Wales and scored a try as the Springboks won 96–13, still one of the biggest wins in their history. He sat on the bench against England at Newlands the next week, but didn't get on, and that was his last involvement.

Pretoria and beyond

In 1999 he moved to the Blue Bulls and played Super Rugby for the Bulls, but found it hard to hold down a starting place, and went on the South Africa A tour to Europe in 2001. Short spells followed with the Free State Cheetahs in 2003, Griquas and Western Province, where injuries cut his time short, and he retired when his contract ran out. He later completed coaching and rugby safety courses and has worked to develop the game in his community.

Test record

From bokhist.com's Test-by-Test list:

• Springbok number: 657
• Debut: 20 June 1998, aged 24, off the bench against Ireland at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (won 33–0)
• Last Test: 27 June 1998, aged 24, off the bench against Wales at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (won 96–13)
• Tests: 2, both off the bench
• Results: 2 wins from 2

Did you know?

• Clint Eastwood cast him as Chester Williams in Invictus (2009), the film about the 1995 World Cup.
• His one Test try came in the 96–13 win over Wales, then South Africa's biggest Test score.

Sources: bokhist.com, en.wikipedia.org

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