Losing Reeva was so tough
Hougaard reveals pain of ex-girlfriend’s murder by Pistorius
FRANCOIS HOUGAARD is talking through the tattoos which cover his arms, legs and torso. Underneath the rose gold Rolex and designer clothing, the ink tells the story of triumph and tragedy for a Springbok who has found his place in a quiet corner Englands West Midlands.
A date – 21.11.2009 – marks the day he made his Springbok debut. The roman numerals – DCCCVII – record his cap number. The image of Greek god Poseidon represents the Worcester Warriors selection for the 2016 Olympics.
Alongside his sporting journey, there are Greek scripts, gemstones and koi fish associated with good luck. The most pertinent, however, is the text on his bicep about cherishing life. It reads: ‘Every person’s life is a fairytale written by God’s hands. Honour your character and embrace your life experiences.’
Explaining the choice of words, Hougaard speaks lovingly about his family, while touching on the impact of losing people. ‘It’s been tough sometimes but I’m fortunate to have a great life,’ he says.
I ask about losing his ex-girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot dead on Valentine’s Day, 2013, by Paralympian Oscar Pistorius.
Hougaard was in the middle of the media inquest, with some reports claiming he sent a text message which sparked a row on the night of the killing.
‘Reeva and I dated for quite a while,’ he says, in a rare interview. ‘One of my best mates phoned me at 7 o’clock when I was playing golf to tell me what had happened. He was the first to get to the house. It’s a shock when you hear something like that, isn’t it? It’s tough. ‘Everyone was saying that I sent Reeva a message and that’s why he shot her. I had nothing to do with her any more, but it’s all people were asking me about. Mentally, that was a really tough thing to go through.’
The case went on for months. It shaped Hougaard’s sporting determination and his entrepreneurial drive.
‘It was tough because rugby is 80 per cent mental,’ he says. ‘If you’re not mentally
where you need to be, then you’re not going to play well. I went to see a psychologist to talk about it. That taught me to deal with negative situations. That taught me to turn things into positive fuel and not to sulk. ‘When you’re young, you might wake up with a sore shoulder and think “Ah, I’m not really keen for training”. Once something really seriously bad happens, it just adds some perspective. You don’t sulk about getting dropped or a niggle. It makes you appreciate what you’ve got.’ Now Hougaard is happy with his lot – although he wants more. He is speaking at his home in the Worcestershire countryside, which he describes as his ‘happy place’, and talk turns back to rugby. His perspective is reflected in his approach towards Worcester’s relegation battle. There have been reports about jumping ship to Toulon, however the scrum-half laughs off the speculation. He wants to retire from Sixways as one of the club’s greatest overseas signings.
‘We’re not going to go down,’ he says, confidently, sitting on his sofa next to a pile of unopened boxes. ‘Our fate is in our own hands. Beating Sale last week got us out of the big mess. I know that we can be better than that and we’ll just keep looking up, rather than down. Plus… I’ve only just bought this house! I’m getting new furniture in, a cinema room, it’s going to be nice! I’ve got two and a half years left on my contract and the plan is to finish my career here.’
Beating Gloucester today can seal Worcester’s Premiership safety. Hougaard wants to see out his career in England’s top flight and he has prepared diligently for life after rugby. However, he is still one of the league’s leading half-backs and, should his club allow, he could yet play his way back into the Springbok fold for the World Cup.
‘You play the game to represent your country, don’t you?’ he says. ‘My deal here is negotiated on the basis that I don’t play for the Spingboks, but the World Cup is a bit different I guess. If it works out with my club and I get to go to the World Cup then great, but that’s not my focus.’
When Hougaard’s focus is not on Worcester’s campaign, it is usually zoned in on his business interests. An entrepreneur, he owns shares in vitamin pills, signage companies, fashion brands, exotic game and a capital-funding company. His business empire is reflected in his collection of luxury watches and cars.
‘A lot of players get stress, anxiety or depression after rugby because they’re not the man any more and all of a sudden the money’s gone,’ he says. ‘I push hard in my business stuff so I don’t have to play until people say “You’re no good”. I’ll go out on my own terms.
‘Rugby players get invited to more functions which gives you business opportunities. I want to be a billionaire...we’ll see!’
Whether or not the streets are paved with gold, Hougaard will no doubt embrace walking along them.