Provincial A product of
Grey College in Bloemfontein, Kruger played for the schools team at the annual
Craven Week tournament in 1987 and 1988 and gained selection for the
South African Schools team in both years. After representing the Free State under-20 team in 1989 and 1990, he made his senior provincial debut for the Free State in 1991. During 1993, Kruger moved to and played for the union until 2000. In 1995 Ruben Kruger was named South African Rugby Football Union's player of the year.
International Kruger played for the
South Africa national rugby union team between 1993 and 1999. He played his first test match for the
Springboks on 6 November 1993 against
Argentina at the
Ferro Carril Oeste Stadium in Buenos Aires. In 1995, he played in the
Rugby World Cup. During this tournament, he made 5 starts, and scored 1 try, in the controversial semi-final against the
France national rugby union team. Kruger also played in the 1999 World Cup and in addition to his 36 test matches, he also played in 20 tour matches and scored 14 tries.
Test history World Cup final World Cups • 1995: world champions, 5 selections (
Wallabies,
Romania,
Samoa,
France,
All Blacks). • 1999: 2 selections (
Spain,
All Blacks). ==Later career==