SARU salutes the late Sakier

Very few South African rugby supporters know of the players who represented South Africa in the days when the games was still segregated. Those of us who also followed the game in the old SARU (SA Council of Sport) day will remember the names Gary Boshoff (now running the Comrades Marathon Association), our own Paul Treu (coach of the Springbok Sevens) and Alistair Coetzee (current coach of Western Province/Stormers).

Another former-SARU player passed away this week.

The President of the South African Rugby Union, Oregan Hoskins, has paid tribute to former SARU and Western Province player Yaghya Sakier who passed away over the weekend after a short illness. The former number eight was buried in Johannesburg on Sunday according to Muslim burial rites.

He played during the late 1980’s for the Green Point Track-based Western Province in the period just before rugby unity was achieved in South Africa. A mobile loose forward and former captain of WP, he was also selected for the representative SARU team on two occasions.

The late Sakier played for, captained and later coached the Collegians Rugby Club. He was later involved in rugby administration and coaching in KwaZulu-Natal and more recently in the Gauteng region.

Mr Hoskins described the passing on of Sakier as a huge loss for local rugby. “He was a very warm, likeable person and someone who could get along with anyone. He had a huge love for South African rugby and the fact that he did not get the chance to display his talent on the international stage had very much to do with the political situation at the time in our country rather than his ability. Our prayers and thoughts are with his immediate family and friends,” said Mr Hoskins.