Cornal Hendricks showed signs of health decline weeks before his death
SIGNS OF POOR HEALTH Cornal Hendricks showed early signs of declining health due to his heart condition before his tragic death on May 14, deeply impacting the SA Rugby community. Picture: Andrew Dowling/INPHO/Shutterstock
Image: Andrew Dowling/INPHO/Shutterstock
The tragic death of Cornal Hendricks on May 14 has left a gaping hole in the SA Rugby community, and there were signs that his heart condition had worsened a few weeks before his demise.
The 37-year-old former Springbok and Blue Bulls player was still on the books of Border, who have just secured their passage back into the Currie Cup Premier Division.
However, in March, Boland coach Hawies Fourie noticed Hendricks’ performance had begun to dip.
After some tests with his doctor, Wouter Basson, it was decided that he should cease playing for Border immediately, revealed Fourie.
Early Signs and Medical Concerns Leading to Cornal's Retirement
"The first time we noticed something was wrong was in a training session, where he felt a bit dizzy,” Fourie told SportsBoom.co.za.
“The doctor immediately pulled him; the doctor initially thought he might have had a concussion as we did a breakdown drill. But all the players that were involved mentioned he didn't get a knock to the head, and that's when we started to monitor him a bit closer.
"In a game against Valke in Kempton Park, Allie Coetzee [management] noticed that something was wrong. He didn't chase and his work rate was low. I spoke to him the following week, Monday [24th March], and we decided to give him a week off and send him for tests, to make sure that everything was fine.
"He saw the specialist [Basson] that he had to see every year to clear him and play for the next 12 months. Then he said Cornal must stop playing; that was three weeks ago. But the last game that he played for Boland was on 22nd March.”
Tribute to Cornal Hendricks: Celebrating an Icon of Boland Rugby
Fourie still wanted Hendricks to fill a non-playing role for Border, he explained.
"Since then, we have used Cornal as a mentor for the younger players in the team.
“And I discussed with him being a coach in the younger structures, and we mutually decided to end his contract and apply him somewhere else in our system."
"He was a great person, a great ambassador for Boland Rugby and rugby in general. He cared about his community and the people around him. We have lost an icon in Boland Rugby. But we’ll honour him by giving everything on and off the field, just like he did.”
Though there had been speculation about whether or not Hendricks should have still been playing rugby with his pre-existing condition, Fourie said the backline player had previously passed every fitness and medical test.
"Every new player that arrives in Wellington goes through a medical scan from our doctor and our physios. He started with us after last year's Currie Cup, when he played for the Bulls. He did the medical scans on his first day with us; we don't allow any player to train with the team before you have passed the medicals.
"He did his medicals and was cleared to play. He had his own specialist that he has been seeing for the last five to six years. He was the fittest in the team. He had a very good pre-season.”