DHL Stormers legend: Pieter Rossouw
Pieter Rossouw was better known as ‘Slaptjips’ and the prolific wing produced countless mouth-watering performances for the DHL Stormers.
From Paarl Gimnasium to Stellenbosch University, then DHL Western Province and the DHL Stormers and Springboks, Pieter ‘Slaptjips’ Rossouw embodied rugby in the Western Cape.
Rossouw is a hero to South African rugby as a whole, but most particularly to Capetonians.
After an illustrious career for the DHL Stormers and Springboks, the now 51- year-old, fittingly, is back at his alma mater, as director of rugby. Giving back to rugby in the province at arguably the most important level.
Rossouw, funny enough, did not play for Paarl Gim’s 1st XV, and it was only after making the Maties side, and then progressing on to a short stint at the Boland Cavaliers that his career took off. After that, Rossouw’s trajectory to the top was rapid and straightforward.
In 1994, he debuted for DHL Western Province and in 1997 he was picked for the first time for the Springboks.
Rossouw scored 69 tries in 129 appearances for DHL WP, and at Super Rugby level contributed 31 tries in 75 matches for the DHL Stormers. Playing 43 Tests, he scored 21 tries and remains the ninth-highest-scoring Bok of all time.
Rossouw’s rugby career was short, at least by today’s standards, but oh was it sweet. A gangly and elusive winger, Rossouw may be remembered for his record-breaking four-try performance for the Springboks in their 52-10 victory over France at the Parc des Princes in 1997, or his role in the Tri-Nations-winning Bok team of 1998.
At domestic level, Rossouw was an integral part of the famous DHL Stormers’ ‘Men in Black’ season of 1999, and with DHL Western Province he won three Currie Cups.
Pieter Rossouw is a South African rugby legend, a DHL Stormers hero and a golden child of rugby in the Cape.
Rossouw’s DHL Stormers numbers:
75 – The number of matches he played for the DHL
Stormers from 1996 to 2004
31 – The number of tries he scored for the DHL Stormers
