Oh Cabby

With the sheer volume of top class rugby going on, it is understandable if one were to get a little distracted from other important issues. No, I'm not talking about work and school or Israel but rather perhaps what Craig Davidson is doing with himself these days or whether Sean Fitzpatrick has been murdered yet. One particular individual who many of you must battle to get out of your thoughts and prayers is Cabous van der Westhuizen. He is alive, yes. Well in a sort of 'oh my god look honey its Keith Richards' sort of alive. His status amongst the living shouldn't however spare Cabby from your prayers and he could in fact probably use a bit more your well-wishing.

Cabous was born in Cape Town in 1965 (no, not 1695) and upon birth was immediately mistaken for either a withered tobacco leaf or Benjamin Button. After studying in Stellenbosch he was signed up by what was then the Transvaal Lions for whom he galloped around on 40 occasions. In 1992 Cabby moved to Durban to play for the Sharks. He was a truly scrumptious try-scorer and amassed a monumental 90 tries in 128 games for the Durban outfit. Cabby still holds the Sharks' records for the most career tries, most tries in a season (28), most tries in a Currie Cup season (13) and most tries in a match (4). 

No mere Currie Cup player was Cabous, who actually played 16 games for the Springboks but was not included in the winning 1995 World Cup squad. Cabby is unable to recall the World Cup without shedding a few tears. This does, however have nothing to do with the Springboks winning or the late Nelson Mandela's emotive heroics, nor even due to the travesty that was 'Invictus' but rather because it was Pieter Hendriks and not he who was able to throw down against the Canadians with 'Bullet' Dalton.

Cabby's career ended in 1999 and will be remembered by Sharks' players since for being one of the pioneers of the idea that every retired Natal player should open a restaurant in Umhlanga. Cabby decided that a sushi spot was a good idea for an Afrikaner from the Cape and he wasn't wrong with both "SoSushi" and "Sumo's Sushi Bar" proving big hits in Durban (which is really like saying that the Fourways Keg is big in uh Fourways). The confines of Durban proved too much for the transient Cabous who decided that in 2008, Mauritius was the place for him. I have it on first hand evidence that Cabous just oozes crusty beach vibes. Apparently your car will get less salt damage parked in the sea itself than near Cabous.

In Mauritius, Cabby is the proud owner of the Beach House Restaurant and Bar and supposedly lives off a combination of rum and underage tourists. Cabby does give back to the local community and is involved with a local rugby club called the Northern Pirates. He is also a member of the Anti-Drug Squad in Grand Bay but I get the impression that the organisation is something of a misnomer.

Cabous is on the left (fair mistake to think Paul Sprenger
[right] matches the description above)

In all seriousness, Cabby does appear to be a very likeable guy and any sour grapes come from behind a desk in Sandton knowing that he is probably limboing his hips away at this very moment with a coconut in one hand and whatever is foolish enough to get close in the other. It must be said; one cannot think about Cabous without drifting off with a smile on one's face to a simpler time where long-haired wings didn't just come Australia and of a player that was all wheels and gees who personified nineties Natal rugby.

Cheers Cabby. You are the best.

References include: www.mauritius-expatriate.blogspot.com, www.supersport.com, www.imademostofthisup.org