10 prominent South African rugby who failed dope tests

JOHANNESBURG - In light of the eight-year ban handed to former Springbok hooker, Chiliboy Ralepelle, for failing a drugs test for the third time in his career, senior writer Jacques van der Westhuyzen lists a few other well-known South African rugby players who’ve tested positive for banned substances.

Johan Ackermann: The former Bulls, Sharks and Springbok lock, and former successful Lions and Gloucester coach, served a two-year ban, starting in 1997, for using the steroid, Nandrolone.

Bennie Nortje: The former Lions scrumhalf, who also turned out for the Sharks, was handed a two-year ban for using testosterone in 1997.

Cobus Visagie: The former Western Province and Springbok prop also tested positive for Nandrolone, in October 2000, but had his conviction overturned months later.

Johan Goosen: The one-time Cheetahs and Springbok flyhalf star was found to have used Methylhexaneamine in 2010, when he was still an U-19 player in Bloemfontein. He served three months because of the indiscretion.

Herkie Kruger: The young Sharks flyhalf was banned for two years for testing positive for Nandrolone in 2003.

Monde Hadebe: The former Sharks hooker was found guilty of using two separate steroids, Oxandrolone and Stanozole, in 2016, and was handed a four-year ban. He subsequently retired from rugby.

Steam Pienaar: The promising former Bulls and current Lions wing served a two-year ban for using Letrozole, following a positive drugs test conducted in early December 2016.

Gerbrandt Grobler: The former Western Province lock sat out for two years after failing a test in 2015, after a Currie Cup game. The steroid Drostanolone was found in his body.

Ashley Johnson: The livewire flank-cum hooker, who recently left Wasps in England after several good seasons, served a six-month ban for using Hydrochlorothiazide.

Aphiwe Dyantyi: The Lions and Springbok wing returned positive tests for Metandienone, Methyltestosterone and LGD-4033 in July last year, with a hearing into the failed drugs test to still take place.