Bryan Habana has lifted the lid on one of the most painful chapters of his life, revealing that his own father secretly took money from him during the height of his Springbok career, Cape {town} Etc reports.
The former winger, widely celebrated as one of South Africa’s greatest players, said the ordeal unfolded over several years while his father acted as his agent.
Bryan, who burst onto the scene with the Lions in 2003, went on to become a global rugby star. With more than 100 Test caps between 2004 and 2016 and a record-setting 67 tries for South Africa, he carved out a legacy matched by few in the sport. His performances helped fire the Springboks to World Cup glory in 2007, and he remains second on rugby’s all-time try-scoring list, behind Japan’s Daisuke Ohata.
In the early stages of his professional journey, Bryan placed full trust in his father, Bernie, to oversee his financial affairs, including high-value commercial deals and his high-profile switch from the Bulls to the Stormers in 2009. That move was considered one of the richest contracts in South African rugby at the time. His rising fame also saw him appear in major international marketing campaigns alongside global icons such as Roger Federer, Thierry Henry and Tiger Woods.
But it was during his relocation to Cape Town that he first sensed something was wrong. Speaking on the Business of Sport podcast, Bryan shared how he tried to purchase a home and needed access to money he believed was sitting safely in a trust. Despite repeated requests, the funds never arrived, and he was forced to take out bridging finance to secure the property.
When he later assumed direct control of his sponsorships in 2010, the truth began to unravel. A major deal with Canterbury International had already been renewed, and a signing fee had been paid, but Bryan had received nothing. The trust he thought existed for him was, in reality, under his father’s control, and the money he expected to access was not there.
The fallout tore their relationship apart. Bryan said attempts to confront his father were met with denial, and he eventually learned he had not been paid for major endorsements he had fronted during that period. He credited his wife Janine for helping him navigate the emotional aftermath, saying her support became the anchor he needed.
The impact extended to his relationship with his mother, which he described as strained because she knew parts of what had happened. Despite the deep wounds, Bryan said he is focused on safeguarding his wife and children and trying to build a life grounded in hard-earned lessons. Any future reconciliation with his father, he noted, could only happen if honesty and accountability were brought to the table.
First published by Cape {town} Etc
Compiled by Aiden Daries
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