Springbok Lizo Gqoboka's had one of the toughest and most joyous years of any Bulls rugby player this year.
The loosehead prop’s father died on the same day he was supposed to feature in the Bulls’ United Rugby Championship (URC) quarterfinal clash against the Sharks at Loftus.
As Gqoboka drove up to Loftus on game day, the call came that his father was late and he had to withdraw from the match 23 and head immediately to the Eastern Cape.
The Bulls won that 30-27 game thanks to a Chris Smith drop-goal at the death before shocking Leinster in Dublin and losing to the Stormers in the URC final in Cape Town.
"It was very tough. I actually heard the news driving to Loftus," said Gqoboka.
"When I got here, I just cried. I just could not ... I was alone in the car and crying the whole way here.
"I couldn’t play that game and I had to go home. My father’s passing was really tough but I was also partly grateful.
"He was turning 80 and he left us when all of us (siblings) were over 30 years. It’s never a nice thing - it's tough and it’s painful even if you’re old - but you’re grateful he did not leave us as kids.
"He’s really instilled a lot of things in us and he was there and supported us. The way I see it, I was grateful for all his teachings and what he modelled for my life."
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It was the last time, until this weekend against Lyon in Pretoria, that Gqoboka’s name was on a Bulls team sheet after he suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out for five months.
But that heartbreak was salved by him and his wife Omila welcoming their second son into the world.
"It was tough and it’s always tough to have an injury because we want to play
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Chris Smith