Joel Stransky

{{short description|South Africa international rugby union player}}

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Joel Stransky

| image =

| birth_name = Joel Theodore Stransky

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|7|16|df=y}}

| birth_place = Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

| height = {{height|m=1.79|precision=0}}

| weight =

| school = Maritzburg College

| university = University of Natal

| ru_currentposition =

| ru_currentteam =

| position = Fly-half

| amatyears1 = 1988–1990

| amatteam1 = University of Pretoria

| amatteam2 = University of Natal

| years1 = 1991–1992

| years2 = 1992–1993

| years3 = 1997–1999

| clubs1 = L'Aquila

| clubs2 = San Donà

| clubs3 = Leicester Tigers

| apps1 =

| apps2 =

| apps3 = 73

| points1 =

| points2 =

| points3 = 896

| superyears1 =

| super1 =

| superapps1 =

| superpoints1 =

| provinceyears1 = 1987–1993

| provinceyears2 = 1994–1996

| province1 = {{Rut|Natal}}

| province2 = Western Province

| provinceapps1 = 78

| provinceapps2 = 54

| provincepoints1 = 903

| provincepoints2 = 518

| repyears1 = 1993–1996

| repteam1 = {{Nrut|South Africa}}

| repcaps1 = 22

| reppoints1 = 240

| repsevensyears1 =

| repsevenscomp1 =

}}

Joel Theodore Stransky (born 16 July 1967) is a South African former rugby union player. A fly-half, he is known for scoring all of South Africa's points, including the winning drop goal, against New Zealand in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final.

Early life

Stransky was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa,{{cite web |url=http://www.jewishsports.net/BioPages/JoelStransky.html |title=Joel Stransky |website=www.jewishsports.net |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100311015727/http://www.jewishsports.net/BioPages/JoelStransky.html |archive-date=11 March 2010}} to a family from England and Czechia. He was raised in Reform Judaism and had a bar mitzvah ceremony.{{cite web |url=https://www.jewishtelegraph.com/prof_42.html |title=A JEWISH TELEGRAPH NEWSPAPER |first=Alex Harris webmaster@jewishtelegraph.com - Jewish |last=The Telegraph |website=www.jewishtelegraph.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325212053/http://www.jewishtelegraph.com/prof_42.html |archive-date=25 March 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.thejewishweek.com/features/boot_against_apartheid |title=A Boot Against Apartheid |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315133849/http://www.thejewishweek.com/features/boot_against_apartheid |archive-date=15 March 2012}} He was educated at Maritzburg College where he was coached by Skonk Nicholson, a well-known figure in schoolboy rugby. After his military conscription in Pretoria, he returned to Natal to study at the University of Natal.

Playing career

In 1990 he was part of the {{Rut|Natal}} team that beat Northern Transvaal to win the Currie Cup for the first time. He then moved to Italy where he played for L'Aquila during the 1991–92 season, and for San Donà in 1992–93. Between 1993 and 1996, he won 22 caps for South Africa.

In 1995 he was part of the first South Africa team to play in a Rugby World Cup – the country had been banned from the previous World Cups because of the Apartheid regime. He played an integral part in the tournament and scored all 15 points for his team in the final against New Zealand, including a winning drop goal in the second period of extra time. This was the first Rugby World Cup final that went into extra time.

In 1997, he moved to Leicester Tigers, where he played for two seasons, winning the 1996–97 Pilkington Cup and the 1998–99 Allied Dunbar Premiership, and then became backs coach.

In the buildup to the 1999 Rugby World Cup, it was suggested that Stransky could play for England, but he discovered that he was not qualified to do so.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/rugby_union/287808.stm |title=BBC News {{!}} Rugby Union {{!}} Stransky's England dream over |website=news.bbc.co.uk |access-date=2018-10-18}} On 20 June 1999, Stransky played for the Czech Republic in an exhibition game against Penguin International RFC, scoring 17 points.{{cite web |title=Historie českého ragby devadesátá léta (1990 - 1999) |url=http://www.ceskeragby.sportovnilisty.cz/retro/historie-ceskeho-ragby-devadesata-leta-1990-1999/?style=mobile |website=České ragby |publisher=SPORT ONLINE MEDIA s.r.o. |access-date=27 October 2023}}

In 2002, he was engaged by Bristol Rugby as a coach, but the offer was subsequently withdrawn. Stransky took legal action and was compensated.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/2565891.stm |title=BBC SPORT | Rugby Union | English | Bristol to pay Stransky damages |date=11 December 2002 |access-date=2006-11-19 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040204232803/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/2565891.stm |archive-date=4 February 2004}} BBC Report on court case.

= Test history =

{{color box|gold}} World Cup final

No.	Opposition	Result (SA 1st)	Position	Points	Date	Venue
class="wikitable sortable"
1.	{{ru\|AUS}}	19–12	Fly-half		31 Jul 1993	Sydney Football Stadium (SFG), Sydney
style="background: #D0E6FF;" \| 2.	{{ru\|AUS}}	20–28	Fly-half	15 (1 try, 2 conversions, 2 penalties)	14 Aug 1993	Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane
3.	{{ru\|AUS}}	12–19	Fly-half	2 (1 conversion)	21 Aug 1993	Sydney Football Stadium (SFG), Sydney
style="background: #D0E6FF;" \| 4.	{{ru\|ARG}}	29–26	Fly-half	9 (3 conversions, 1 penalty)	6 Nov 1993	Ferro Carril Oeste Stadium, Buenos Aires
5.	{{ru\|ARG}}	42–22	Fly-half	22 (1 try, 4 conversions, 3 penalties)	8 Oct 1994	Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth
style="background: #D0E6FF;" \| 6.	{{ru\|ARG}}	46–26	Fly-half	16 (1 try, 4 conversions, 1 penalty)	15 Oct 1994	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
7.	{{ru\|SAM}}	60–8	Fly-half	7 (1 try, 1 conversion)	13 Apr 1995	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
style="background: #D0E6FF;" \| 8.	{{ru\|AUS}}	27–18	Fly-half	22 (1 try, 1 conversion, 4 penalties, 1 dropgoal)	25 May 1995	Newlands, Cape Town
9.	{{ru\|ROM}}	21–8	Replacement		30 May 1995	Newlands, Cape Town
style="background: #D0E6FF;" \| 10.	{{ru\|CAN}}	20–0	Fly-half	10 (2 conversions, 2 penalties)	3 Jun 1995	Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth
11.	{{ru\|FRA}}	19–15	Fly-half	14 (1 conversion, 4 penalties)	17 Jun 1995	Kings Park, Durban
bgcolor=gold \| 12.	{{ru\|NZL}}	15–12	Fly-half	15 (3 penalties, 2 dropgoals)	24 Jun 1995	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
13.	{{ru\|WAL}}	40–11	Fly-half	15 (3 conversions, 3 penalties)	2 Sep 1995	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
style="background: #D0E6FF;" \| 14.	{{ru\|ITA}}	40–21	Fly-half	20 (4 conversions, 4 penalties)	12 Nov 1995	Stadio Olimpico, Rome
15.	{{ru\|ENG}}	24–14	Fly-half	9 (3 penalties)	18 Nov 1995	Twickenham, London
style="background: #D0E6FF;" \| 16.	{{ru\|FIJ}}	43–18	Replacement		2 Jul 1996	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
17.	{{ru\|NZL}}	11–15	Fly-half	6 (2 penalties)	20 Jul 1996	AMI Stadium, Christchurch
style="background: #D0E6FF;" \| 18.	{{ru\|AUS}}	25–19	Fly-half	25 (1 try, 1 conversion, 6 penalties)	3 Aug 1996	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
19.	{{ru\|NZL}}	18–29	Fly-half	8 (1 conversion, 2 penalties)	10 Aug 1996	Newlands, Cape Town
style="background: #D0E6FF;" \| 20.	{{ru\|NZL}}	19–23	Fly-half	14 (1 conversion, 4 penalties)	17 Aug 1996	Kings Park, Durban
21.	{{ru\|NZL}}	26–33	Fly-half	11 (1 conversion, 3 penalties)	24 Aug 1996	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
style="background: #D0E6FF;" \| 22.	{{ru\|NZL}}	32–22	Replacement		31 Aug 1996	Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Later career

He later returned to South Africa, and is a part-time rugby union television commentator.

In January 2007, Stransky joined Altech Netstar (Pty) Ltd. as Sales & Marketing director. In January 2008, he was appointed managing director, but subsequently resigned. He was then employed by the Steinhoff Group in a marketing and promotional capacity. He founded Pivotal Capital in 2012.

In film

In the 2009 movie Invictus, he is portrayed by Scott Eastwood.

References

External links

{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=18425 | name=Joel Stransky | date=10 March 2016}}
[http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=4778 Sporting heroes]
[http://www.netstar.altech.co.za Altech Netstar homepage]
[http://www.jewishsports.net/BioPages/JoelStransky.html Joel Stranksy bio at Jewish Sports Hall of Fame]
[http://www.jewsinsports.org/profile.asp?sport=bullfighting&ID=4 Joel Stransky bio] at Jewsinsports.com
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120306000103/http://www.rugbyrugby.com/news/story_211209190400.php Book review: The Glory of the Game], about the Ten Jewish Springboks.

Category:1967 births

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of Maritzburg College

Category:University of Natal alumni

Category:Jewish rugby union players

Category:Jewish South African sportspeople

Category:Leicester Tigers coaches

Category:Leicester Tigers players

Category:Rugby union fly-halves

Category:Rugby union players from Pietermaritzburg

Category:Sharks (Currie Cup) players

Category:South Africa international rugby union players