Ashwin Willemse: A legend with a grim past
Ashwin Willemse: A legend with a grim past
Many South Africans are excited about ex-Springbok winger Ashwin Willemse returning to the television screens. Here is a closer look at Ashwin Willemse: a legend with a grim past.
Rugby legend Ashwin Willemse
Ashwin Willemse, former Springbok winger, was born in Caledon, a small town in the Overberg district of the Western Cape. In the history of SA rugby, he is an icon for many rugby fans. This is partly due to the struggles he overcame before becoming a well-known Springbok player.
Willemse began his professional rugby career playing for the Boland Kavaliers in 2000 at the age of 18. His pace and speed led to his selection for his Springbok test debut against Scotland. He was part of the South Africa 2003 Rugby World Cup squad and scored a solo try against Samoa. Willemse received three awards for his achievements in 2003 – Player of the Year, Most Promising Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year. No wonder fans see Ashwin Willemse as a legend.
However, his childhood was the opposite of glamorous. He grew up in the poverty-stricken area outside Cape Town and lived in a shack with his mother and grandparents. They had no electricity. His father had walked out when Ashwin Willemse was two years old.
During the former Springbok’s youth, he was part of one of the most reviled criminal gangs in South Africa, The Americans. The gang had around 10 000 members in the 1990s. Willemse was a full-fledged member, with the gang tattoos and following orders from the gang leaders. He was also a drug dealer and user. At the age of 16, he attempted suicide.
Dramatic exit from SuperSport
Six years ago, former Springbok Ashwin Willemse made a dramatic exit from the SuperSport studios due to him allegedly encountering racism on set. This was after a highly publicised fallout with his fellow SuperSport TV commentators Nick Mallett and Naas Botha. Willemse implied on live TV that there was racism in sports broadcasting, and said he refused to work with people who undermine others. He accused Mallett and Botha of racism during a live segment in the studio.
Investigations into his allegations found no evidence of racism, leading to Ashwin Willemse and SuperSport parting ways. Because the review established that there was no racism involved in the incident, SuperSport said that Willemse was unjustified in his walking out. But now, the former Springbok, a legend among many fans, is coming back on TV screens. He will co-host the new weekly rugby talk show BÔll & Ôll which aims to be both entertaining and informative. The first episode is set to air on Sunday, 26 May 2024.