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Doug Hopwood

1934 – 2002

Rugby union player

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About Doug Hopwood

Lived 1934 – 2002 (aged 67–68). Doug Hopwood was a South African rugby union player.

Douglas John Hopwood (3 June 1934 – 10 January 2002) was a South African rugby union international.

Hopwood was born in Cape Town and attended Wynberg Boys' High School. A back injury suffered while lifting weights as a schoolboy would hamper him through his career and he would regularly have to take painkillers before a match.

A back-row forward, Hopwood represented the Springboks in 22 Test matches from 1960 to 1965. He received plaudits for his role in South Africa's 1960–61 European tour, where the Springboks achieved the grand slam by beating the four home nations, in particular for his performance in torrential conditions against Wales.

Hopwood had the distinction of captaining Western Province late in his career and would have been captain of the Springboks for the 1965 tour of New Zealand, only for the selector's choice to be vetoed by the board.

Following his career, Hopwood worked for South African Breweries. He was married with three children.

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Important facts

Born
1934, Cape Town
Birth century
Occupation
Nationality

People in Doug Hopwood's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Doug Hopwood's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Doug Hopwood?

rugby union player

When was Doug Hopwood born?

Doug Hopwood was born in 1934 in Cape Town.

When did Doug Hopwood die?

Doug Hopwood died on 10 January 2002.

What was Doug Hopwood's occupation?

Doug Hopwood was a rugby union player.

What nationality was Doug Hopwood?

Doug Hopwood was South African.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Doug Hopwood

· Wikidata: Q3037939

· DBpedia: Doug Hopwood

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Doug Hopwood. https://biography.guide/doug-hopwood/

MLA: "Doug Hopwood." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/doug-hopwood/.

Chicago: "Doug Hopwood." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/doug-hopwood/.

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