Hall Of Fame

SARL

SARL would like to pay tribute to the Heroes and Legends who contributed to the establishment and success of Rugby League in South Africa We honor each one of them for the lasting legacy and example that they have set for the Rugby generations to come.

Thomas Van Vollenhoven

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Karel Thomas Van Vollenhoven – “The Voll” 

Born – 29 – 4 – 35

Bethlehem, Orange Free State

Tom Van Vollenhoven was blessed with blinding pace and after 7 tests for the Springboks; he was relentlessly pursued by English rugby league clubs including Wigan and St Helens. He signed with St Helens and quickly became a rugby league sensation, providing years of excitement for the St Helens faithful.

Beating defenders and scoring length of the field tries became the norm. He developed into a strong defensive winger, often rushing to the opposite side line to pull of a try saving tackle.

He scored a phenomenal 392 tries in 408 matches and also holds the St Helens record of 62 tries in a season and twice scored 6 tries in a match. 

In 2010, Tom Van Vollenhoven was named as the greatest ever overseas player to have ever played in the 113 year history of the Carnegie Challenge Cup, the sports biggest knockout cup.

One of the greatest players to have ever played the game, Tom Van Vollenhoven was inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame in 2000 as South Africa’s only representative. 

He returned to South Africa after his retirement and later in life became the honorary president of the South African Rugby League. During this time the teams in the SARL provincial competition competed for the Tom Van Vollenhoven Cup.

Tom Van Vollenhoven was graced with an abundance of talent and his try scoring prowess have become legendary. 

St Helens Rugby  (England)

408 games

392 tries    (club record )

1176 points