Springbok Marco van Staden Pays Tribute to Former Bulls Teammate Dewald Naude After His Death
- Dewald Naude, a former Bulls and University of Pretoria rugby player, passed away on Saturday, 3 October 2026
- His wife Annabel confirmed his death in an emotional Instagram post, describing him as her soulmate and source of strength
- Springbok Marco van Staden broke his silence on Naude's passing, honouring the bond the two shared on and off the field
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Springbok flanker Marco van Staden has publicly honoured former Bulls teammate Dewald Naude following his sudden death, which has sent shockwaves through South African rugby circles.
Naude's wife, Annabel, confirmed on Instagram that he died on Saturday, 3 October 2026.
Naude matriculated from Paarl Boys High School in 2013, an institution with a distinguished Springbok alumni that includes Frans Malherbe, Thomas du Toit, Salmaan Moerat, Evan Roos, and Cameron Hanekom.
Old Boys associations mourns Naude
The school's Old Boys association announced his passing on Facebook, stating:
"We share the grief of the class of 2013 over the passing of Dewald Naudé. Our hearts go out in love to the Naudé family during this time. May the cherished memories of his life bring comfort and strength."
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Marco van Staden's Heartfelt Tribute
Van Staden, who played alongside Naude in the Bulls U21 side and the University of Pretoria's Varsity Cup team, shared a tribute on social media that hinted at Naude having battled a health struggle in the period before his death.
"Rest in peace my brother. The Lord is holding you now and He has taken all your hurt away. He loaned you to us for a short while, and you put a smile on my face every day and made me forget about any problem, no matter where you were in the world," Van Staden wrote.
He continued:
"You put everyone above yourself in the most difficult time of your life…You were brave and fought like only I knew you, always with a smile!"
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Source: Briefly News
