Who were Chris Burger and Petro Jackson?

The Chris Burger/Petro Jackson Players’ Fund pays homage to two young rugby players who died playing the game they loved.

Chris Burger was a Western Province fullback who broke his neck and died in a Currie Cup match in Bloemfontein. This led to the founding of the Chris Burger Fund by then WP captain Morné du Plessis and his teammates.

Petro Jackson was a young player from Kylemore in Stellenbosch who died during a match in 1989, prompting the pre-unity body SARU (not to be confused with the current South African Rugby Union) to establish a similar fund in his honour.

In 1992, the two Funds were united to form the Chris Burger/Petro Jackson Players’ Fund, as it is still known today.