He was a fearless runner, silky passer and creative spark in the Bok midfield – whether it was alongside De Wet Barry or Marius Joubert.

Former Stormers and current UCT coach Robbie Fleck turns 50 today – and South African rugby fans will fondly remember the flair and fire he brought to the green and gold.

Fleck shot to prominence with Western Province and the Stormers in the late 1990s, earning a reputation for his sharp attacking instincts and slick combination play. He made his Test debut in 1999 and would go on to win 31 Springbok caps, scoring 10 tries in an era where midfield battles were brutal and margins thin.

The quick-stepping, no-nonsense centre’s best Test was the Tri-Nations clash against the All Blacks at Ellis Park, where he bagged a brace in a famous 46-40 win over the great foe. His 31st and last Test cap came in 2002 on the Boks’ end-of-year tour against England at Twickenham.

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