Corra Dirksen facts for kids
| Birth name | Cornelius Wilhelmus Dirksen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 22 January 1938 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Vereeniging, Union of South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 10 July 2020 (aged 82) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Krugersdorp, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 84 kg (185 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Vereeniging High | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Hanno Dirksen (nephew) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Cornelius Wilhelmus "Corra" Dirksen (born 22 January 1938 – died 10 July 2020) was a famous South African rugby player. He played as a wing, which is a fast player on the side of the field. Corra Dirksen played in 10 international matches for South Africa and scored three tries.
Contents
Corra Dirksen's Rugby Journey
Corra Dirksen started his international rugby career in 1963. His first big game was against Australia.
Playing Against France
One of his most memorable times was during the 1967 rugby series against France. He scored all three of his international tries in these matches. The French team found him very difficult to play against. They even gave him a special nickname: Le Monster, which means "The Monster". This shows how strong and impactful he was on the field.
His Clubs and Later Life
Corra Dirksen played for a team called Northern Transvaal. This team is now known as the Blue Bulls. He also played for a club called Oostelikes (Easterns) in Pretoria. This club later joined with another club to form Naka Bulls.
After he stopped playing rugby, Corra Dirksen became a medical doctor. He moved to Krugersdorp to practice medicine.
Corra Dirksen passed away on 10 July 2020. He died due to health problems related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Corra Dirksen's International Matches
Here is a list of the international matches Corra Dirksen played for South Africa:
| No. | Opponents | Results (SA 1st) |
Position | Tries | Dates | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  Australia |
22–6 | Wing | 7 Sep 1963 | Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth | |
| 2. |  Wales |
24–3 | Wing | 23 May 1964 | Kings Park, Durban | |
| 3. |  Ireland |
6–9 | Wing | 10 Apr 1965 | Lansdowne Road, Dublin | |
| 4. |  Scotland |
5–8 | Wing | 17 Apr 1965 | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | |
| 5. |  France |
26–3 | Wing | 2 | 15 Jul 1967 | Kings Park, Durban |
| 6. | France |
16–3 | Wing | 1 | 22 Jul 1967 | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein |
| 7. | France |
14–19 | Wing | 29 Jul 1967 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | |
| 8. | France |
6–6 | Wing | 12 Aug 1967 | Newlands, Cape Town | |
| 9. |  British Lions |
25–20 | Wing | 8 Jun 1968 | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | |
| 10. | British Lions |
6–6 | Wing | 22 Jun 1968 | Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth |
See also
- List of South Africa national rugby union players – Springbok no. 393
