WP and Stormers icon Chippie Solomon laid to rest in Kuils River

I. Born in the Stands, 1963

Official papers list Christopher Solomon’s birthday as 1962 in Newlands, yet Bonteheuwel locals swear life switched on for him a year later. Clifford Solomon lifted his teething boy through the creaky turnstiles one September Saturday, letting the toddler taste the vibration of 40 000 throats. From that moment the ground became cathedral, players became cousins, the mingled smell of damp turf and boerewors turned into a holy perfume he would share with strangers for the next six decades.

The boy returned every weekend, memorising scoreboard bulbs and learning to mimic referee whistles. While friends chased marbles, he mapped line-out calls on dust patches. Family photo albums show him asleep in a too-big Province cap, clutching a programme like a bedtime storybook. By primary school he had already appointed himself unofficial ball-boy, chasing kicks into touch long before security noticed the kid with the gap-tooth grin.

That early apprenticeship shaped the creed he would later preach: venues pulse with memory; if you treat grass like sacred carpet, it teaches loyalty. The toddler who once felt grandstand thunder grew into the adult who would later orchestrate thunder for others, one clipboard at a time.

II. Science Lab, Sawdust Goalposts

In 1983 a fresh science graduate arrived at Westridge High in Mitchell’s Plain carrying a battered briefcase and a whistle that never saw a lanyard. The campus lacked rugby poles, so Meneer Solomon chopped two pine trunks from his parents’ garden, painted them white and, with pupils, mixed wheelbarrow cement to plant them behind netball courts.

Within four seasons the school cracked the Western Cape top-eight league; by 28 he was the province’s youngest principal. Staff recall the tatty exercise book labelled “Believe into Being,” in which boys penned dreams they recited at 07:30 each morning. A favourite refrain: “I fight for the badge, not the applause.”

He prowled corridors at dawn knocking doors two short, one long, greeting latecomers with: “The world spins without snooze buttons.” Detention meant rewriting cellular diagrams until mitochondria lodged in memory like hymns. Alumni still quote his report-card sign-off: “Knowledge is portable wealth; character is the vault.”

III. Suitcases, Cressidas and Babies in the Back

Province administrators coined the bland tag “Colts Co-ordinator” in 1994, but the romance unfolded on Friday nights when Solomon packed balls, cones, oranges and 25 litres of his mother’s bobotie into a borrowed Cressida. Pearl, his bride, rode shotgun calling roll while baby Nina napped on a duvet; Chad arrived later already hugging a plush rugby ball stitched to his baby-grow.

Their weekly Cape Flats loop - Elsies River, Bonteheuwel, Langa, Gugulethu, Nyanga - harvested rough diamonds. Aplon was 14 in Hawston when Chippie scribbled “elf with jet boots”; Kolisi landed in KwaNonqaba and, after one practice, Grey PE received a personal-guarantee letter for fees.

The boot discoveries total 42 future Springboks, yet spreadsheets miss the human ledger. Each recruit received a bedtime call on exam eve; every mother got Mother’s Day airtime. In player obituaries today you read the same line: “He knew my granny’s hip surgery date better than I did.”

IV. Five Presidents, One Hotel Key, Zero Retirements

Stormers headquarters promoted him to manager in 2002, a reign spanning five heads of state, four head coaches, three logo overhauls, two stadium facelifts and one pandemic. The rituals never varied:

• 05:45 – Conference room doors swing open; energy bars line up by jersey digit; four peanut-slabs wait for Schalk Burger “because flankers chew concrete.”
• 06:00 – Two short, one long knocks ricochet down corridors. Words: “Wake up, royalty; the mountain isn’t climbing itself.”
• 07:30 – Sock audit: 38 pairs inspected for toe-holes, “frostbite loses finals.”
• Kick-off – He stands on the 22, left pocket hiding a New Testament, right pocket guarding an idle stopwatch: “Time belongs upstairs.”

Numbers log 350 fixtures, 173 victories, 12 stalemates, 165 reverses, 27 nationalities, 42 future Boks. Yet alumni circle back to one truth: “He rattled off my mom’s name, my girl’s stress, my kid brother’s algebra mark - while fixing my laces.”

After the 44–19 Christchurch hiding in 2010, coaches surrendered the floor. Solomon spoke of an aloe in the desert that stores every rare drop, then told the squad: “Absorb tonight, bloom back home.” They obeyed, unbeaten at Newlands for 26 straight.

V. State Funeral, Personal Corolla

Pretoria bestows “Special Provincial Funeral” on citizens whose glow spills beyond sport. President Ramaphosa stamped the decree 36 hours after Solomon’s passing - honour previously granted to Brenda Fassie and Dullah Omar. Motorcades, flag-draped coffin, three-volley salute followed.

The irony: his own 1998 Corolla - hubcaps gone, odometer frozen near 487 000 km - remained parked outside the family house. The newer car shuttled his son to campus because “students need reliability more than legends do.” At the service friends joked that the only spoiler he ever cared about was a library budget.

Cape artist Alistair Izobell transposed the hymn into C-sharp - “sunrise over the Hottentots-Hollands key” - and slipped a reggae skank between verses, recalling a 2005 Brisbane car-park dance after beating the Reds at 02:00. Half the congregation sang off-key, tears disguising smiles.

VI. Guard of Honour, River in the Sky

Pall-bearers stepped into a tunnel of 60 raised jerseys outside the cathedral. The worst Western Cape storm since 2008 emptied clouds; not a single player lowered his shirt. The only audible layers: water drumming cotton, an ambulance siren answering in respectful code - Clifford Solomon once served St John’s at Newlands for three decades.

Inside the hearse lay the unfinished email: a plea for R12 million to rebuild Westridge library and tech hub. Cabinet ring-fenced the money within a week; the sign will read “The Chippie Learning Centre.” Exhibits include his original clipboard, the stopwatch that never started, the Cressia gearstick he kept like Excalibur.

Stormers jerseys won’t carry numbers honouring 22 seasons; instead a tiny aloe will hide under the collar - “store the lesson, bloom when thirsty.”

WhatsApp group “Chippie’s Boys,” 287 strong, stays muted for a year yet pings every hour with memories: De Villiers posts U12s wearing paper “Play for the Jersey” badges; Mtawarira screenshots a 2018 note: “When the hyena laughs, refuse the chorus - remember your name.”

And the stat no annual prints: between 2002 and 2024 only two players dialled after midnight demanding release. Both met him at Newlands within 30 minutes, sat on halfway, talked till sunrise. Neither left. One lifted the Webb Ellis Cup; the other christened his son Christopher.

What was Christopher 'Chippie' Solomon's early life like and how did it influence his rugby philosophy?

Christopher Solomon, or 'Chippie', developed his love for rugby from a very young age, attending games at Newlands with his father from 1963. He spent his childhood immersed in the sport, memorizing details, mimicking referee whistles, and even serving as an unofficial ball-boy. This early exposure instilled in him the belief that rugby venues are sacred spaces and that treating the game with respect fosters loyalty, a creed he later preached to his players.

How did Chippie Solomon contribute to Westridge High School's rugby success?

After graduating as a science teacher in 1983, Chippie Solomon arrived at Westridge High School, where he famously used two pine trunks from his parents' garden as rugby goalposts. Under his guidance, the school's rugby team rose to the Western Cape top-eight league within four seasons. By the age of 28, he became the youngest principal in the province, emphasizing character development and hard work with his "Believe into Being" mantra and phrases like "Knowledge is portable wealth; character is the vault."

How did Chippie Solomon identify and nurture future Springboks as Colts Co-ordinator?

As the Province's "Colts Co-ordinator" starting in 1994, Chippie Solomon embarked on weekly trips across the Cape Flats with his family, often in a borrowed Cressida filled with rugby essentials and his mother's bobotie. He personally scouted talent from underprivileged communities, discovering 42 future Springboks, including Bryan Habana, Gio Aplon and Siya Kolisi, whose fees he personally guaranteed for Grey PE. Beyond talent spotting, he deeply cared for each player, knowing their families, and providing personal support, such as bedtime calls before exams or Mother's Day well wishes for their mothers.

What were Chippie Solomon's daily rituals as the Stormers team manager?

As the Stormers team manager from 2002, Chippie Solomon maintained strict and inspiring rituals. These included opening the conference room at 05:45 with energy bars and special treats for players like Schalk Burger, waking players at 06:00 with inspiring words like "Wake up, royalty; the mountain isn't climbing itself," and conducting a sock audit at 07:30 to ensure no toe-holes. During kick-off, he stood on the 22-meter line with a New Testament in his left pocket and a stopwatch in his right, embodying his belief that "Time belongs upstairs." His dedication extended to motivating the team after losses, famously using the analogy of an aloe in the desert to inspire a 26-game unbeaten streak at Newlands.

What unique tributes and honors did Christopher Solomon receive after his passing?

Christopher Solomon received a "Special Provincial Funeral" from the President of South Africa, an honor previously bestowed upon figures like Brenda Fassie. This included a motorcade, a flag-draped coffin, and a three-volley salute. Ironically, his own humble 1998 Corolla, with nearly 487,000 km, remained parked at home, as he prioritized his son's need for a reliable car over his own. At his funeral, an artist transposed a hymn into C-sharp with a reggae skank, recalling a joyous post-game dance.

What lasting legacy did Chippie Solomon leave behind?

Chippie Solomon's legacy continues through various initiatives. His unfinished email plea for R12 million to rebuild the Westridge library and tech hub was swiftly approved by the Cabinet, and the center will be named "The Chippie Learning Centre." Stormers jerseys will feature a tiny aloe under the collar, symbolizing his lesson to "store the lesson, bloom when thirsty." The "Chippie's Boys" WhatsApp group, with 287 members, remains active with shared memories and wisdom, reflecting the profound impact he had on countless lives, with many players crediting him for their success, including one who lifted the Webb Ellis Cup and another who named his son Christopher.