Damian Willemse will start for the Springboks against New Zealand this weekend, but the 28-year-old combines his rugby career with running a funeral home in Cape Town.
The two-time World Cup winner remains a key member of Rassie Erasmus' side as the Greatest Rivalry Test series gets under way. The full-back, who featured in the Test series win over the British and Irish Lions in 2021, will likely be central to South Africa's bid to stay top of the world rankings in the coming weeks.
A different venture away from rugby
Away from the pitch, the Cape Town native is forging ahead with a different venture. Alongside his brother, former South Africa 'A' and Stormers forward Ramone Samuels, Willemse runs SamWill Funeral Services in Cape Town.
Samuels retired from rugby due to injury before choosing the career path. "I had a love for the funeral industry because I wanted to become a forensic pathologist," he said. "But at the time, I chose rugby, and then eventually I found my roots back to the funeral industry."
Entrepreneurial spirit and business plans
The brothers' entrepreneurial work has been showcased on the reality show 'Die Ondernemers' in South Africa. "Working with dead people does not affect my personal life at all," said Samuels. "It's a calling and something I love to do. I believe that in order to do this, you need to be called because not everyone can do it."
Willemse plans to have a career in business after rugby. He is currently studying commerce at Milpark Education and takes exams between matches. In 2024, he was included in Forbes Africa's 30 Under 30 list, which highlights the most impactful young people on the continent.
Off-field partnerships
Willemse has previously partnered with Vida-e Caffe and One Tree Planted to help reforest Cape Town. He has also teamed up with Springbok team-mate Siya Kolisi to front Adidas' Run for the Oceans campaign.
