A South African 1995 Rugby World Cup winner Naka Drotske was shot three times while protecting his family in an attempted robbery on Friday.

Drotske, was shot in the chest, arm and abdomen after "rugby tackling" four heavily armed intruders out of his brother's house just outside the South African capital Pretoria last week.

Drotske was visiting family with business partner Os du Randt, a former team‑mate of South Africa's world champion 1995 side, at the time of the attack.

Drotske was shot when the gang of robbers opened fire after earlier spraying tear gas inside the house, but they later fled the scene empty‑handed.

He will soon be discharged from hospital.

[Source: stuff.co.nz]