Bok flank joins rugby exodus

2008-05-15 22:06

Morris Gilbert

Pretoria - Springbok flanker Wikus van Heerden's decision to go abroad to play for an English rugby club means the Bulls and Blue Bulls are losing a brilliant player, leader and human being.

This is how Ian Schwartz, business manager of the Blue Bulls Company, responded on Thursday to news that Van Heerden had signed a three-year contract with Saracens.

Van Heerden will depart for the UK at the end of October when his contract with the Blue Bulls Company expires.

The Springbok loose forward says there are two reasons for his decision.

The first is to build a financial nest egg and the second to test himself in the highly competitive Heineken Cup competition.

"I do not have a Springbok contract and this makes me compare unfavourably with players who have national and provincial contracts," he explained.

"I accept that I may not play for the Springboks again but my wife and I decided after thorough consideration that it would be best for my career and our family."

Schwartz congratulated Saracens on landing such an outstanding player, saying Van Heerden was the ultimate professional.

"He was honest towards us right from the start when we negotiated a two-year contract with him at the end of 2006.

"We wanted to sign him for a longer term but Wikus indicated that he would like to continue his career abroad at the end of 2008.

"We tried to extend his contract last year but Wikus again indicated that he wanted to play abroad. However, he undertook to make a final decision only during the last two weeks of the Super 14 competition.

"The integrity and transparency with which he kept us informed throughout enabled us to start looking for a replacement.

"Therefore, we were able to contract the Namibian World Cup flanker Jacques Burger for the Currie Cup season. He and Wikus are similar players," Schwartz said.

- Beeld