Looking back at fledgling careers
29 Oct 2009
Keo.co.za spoke to former Springbok and Northern Transvaal fullback and current headmaster of Affies, Pierre Edwards, about his six old boys who will play in the final at Loftus on Saturday.
Edwards played in seven Currie Cup finals, winning four and drawing one, while arguably his most famous moment came when he slotted a penalty in the last minute of the 1977 semi against WP. That sent his side into the final, which they won against Free State.
Edwards said the entire school – Affies is situated across the road from Loftus – are understandably proud of their six old boys. Incidentally, Affies’ close rivals Grey College have eight players involved in the match.
Edwards, who started two Tests and was on the bench for one against the Lions, told us what makes each individual special.
‘We’re extremely proud of all six, they’re all good, decent humans, who aren’t arrogant. Theyre’ very balanced, focused, and have all stayed the same throughout their rise to the top.
‘Derick Kuun always leads by example, he started in the U14 ‘D’ for donkeys side, but never gave up and ended up captaining the first XV. He has always battled to get recognition in his rugby career, but look where he is now.
‘Pierre Spies started at lock in standard six and moved to No 8 in Standard 9. He was all feet and knees – he was lomp – and we asked how could he be Pierre Spies’ son? But from Standard 8, he developed into a world class rugby player and athlete, and was our match-winner in matric. But again, it wasn’t all a path paved with gold for him.
‘When you mentioned Fourie du Preez, everyone thought of his father [former Northern Transvaal eighthman]. But from standard 8, you could see Fourie was an exceptional rugby player who would make a name for himself. From then he really worked hard in the off-season, which wasn’t normal at that stage – in 1998 you didn’t have schoolboys doing that. He went for sprint classes with famous athletics coach John Short, he was so dedicated and didn’t leave anything to chance.
‘When Wynand Olivier applied from a school in the deep platteland, he didn’t mention anything about rugby, only cricket. We had no inclination he would be a famous rugby player, but he took his chances. Wynand also suffered a serious injury at the start of matric, which meant he couldn’t play Craven Week, while he would have walked into SA Schools, but he returned from that setback.
‘Gerhard van den Heever is a real surprise, only because he got into the Bulls side so quickly after matriculating in 2007. He was in an U14 side that most people said was fairly average, but he always gave of his best and was dedicated, which is a good reason why he developed and matured to reach this level so fast.
‘Finally, although Jacques-Louis Potgieter plays for Free State, we have him to thank for the final at Loftus as he slotted the drop against the Sharks, and ironically he’ll be coming back to the Bulls. Jacques-Louis was also not a regular first team player – AB de Villiers was the flyhalf – while he also played centre and fullback, which probably counted against him. He was another of those who didn’t know when to give up, and as I said we have him to thank for a Loftus final!’
By Grant Ball, in Pretoria
47 Comments
29 Oct 2009, 06:14 am
Ek haat affies, maar ek laaik die Bulle. Nou weet ek hoe voe die res van die land.
29 Oct 2009, 07:25 am
Nice article.
29 Oct 2009, 07:28 am
Really enjoyable article. It was tough playing these buggers because when the ref wasn’t looking they were always messing with you. I’ll never forget our Kes 7th team beating their’s, good times.
29 Oct 2009, 07:45 am
Good article. Well done son.
29 Oct 2009, 08:07 am
well put but we need the other side now on the 8 grey boys
29 Oct 2009, 08:16 am
So Pierre Spies started taking ‘roids in Std 8?
Very interesting indeed.
29 Oct 2009, 08:32 am
#6 John Galt: I am a born and bred WP fan , I am one of those who feels that Luke Watson deserved to be in the bok team and even captaining it but even I will say that Pierre Spies is a awesome athlete and springbok 8th man !!
This is a fantastic article , interesting to see the bloodline of some of the players. At Wp as well , you have some players who parents and grandparents played provincial and international rugby , some legends in their time evens.
29 Oct 2009, 09:29 am
“while arguably his most famous moment came when he slotted a penalty in the last minute of the 1977 semi against WP. That sent his side into the final, which they won against Free State.”
May history repeat itself.
29 Oct 2009, 09:31 am
#6 John Galt: Jy is ‘n doosbitter ou man nê?
29 Oct 2009, 09:58 am
#5 Dunx: Indeed…Let’s hear the other side…
As an Old Grey boy, as well as someone who went to Waterkloof and played some bloody tough games against these buggers, whether you love them or hate them, you have to respect them.
29 Oct 2009, 10:07 am
Interesting article Grant. How about a few more of these instead of the standard viewpoint that we most often get here on keo, and that you can read on every rugby site?
29 Oct 2009, 10:31 am
#2 Tacitus: You would like this article you verkrampte twat.
Enough said.
29 Oct 2009, 10:40 am
Good article, Affies were kak until early 2000 or late 90′s though.
29 Oct 2009, 10:53 am
another reason why the bulls are the most successful team in the country. they have got their systems 100% right and affies are feeding them so much talent.
29 Oct 2009, 10:54 am
#12 dr dre: if i say this is a good article, does that make me a vekramte twat as well?
29 Oct 2009, 10:55 am
#11 wackers: I titally agree – makes a nice change from “Matfield to rule the lineouts” or “Brussow to win breakdown battle”.
Please could we have more of these behind the scenes investigative journalism pieces rather than the copy and paste articles we het so much of.
29 Oct 2009, 10:56 am
Good article, as a Boys High old boy, they were always the biggest fixture of the year. I remember sitting next to some Affies old boys in Paris when the Boks had a huge win – what a great day/night we had…..
29 Oct 2009, 11:04 am
#17 Hambafrika: I also remember that night in Parys.
It was beautiful.
I haven’t seen the Vaal River come down like that in a long time.
29 Oct 2009, 11:13 am
#9 Tjorra Nagel: Is a doos bitter? You hanging with the wrong girls dude.
29 Oct 2009, 11:24 am
#15 Martin: Not sure! Are you?
Not all Bulls suporters are, you will know if you suffer from it.
Do you identify deeply with that Bulls supporter with the hardhat and horns and a ring through his nose etc?
If you do, your it.
I hope I was able to help.
Before you thank me, its a pleasure!
29 Oct 2009, 11:29 am
#20 dr dre: perhaps you should cheer up……and get over your self….and maybe spend less time worrying about what other people think…..free advise..so its a pleasure
29 Oct 2009, 11:32 am
#20 dr dre: and they at least have an identity…something a lot of people in this country could do with.
29 Oct 2009, 11:32 am
#16 zimshark: Nooooo they do that here ?? LOL ! This is top prime copy and paste site nowadays , you get more info from the bloggers.
29 Oct 2009, 12:25 pm
#21 Martin: I
29 Oct 2009, 12:26 pm
#21 Martin: It seems you care what I think though?
Anyways, I do hear you … I am miff that the currie cup is between the Bulls and the Cheetahs.
29 Oct 2009, 12:35 pm
Think DR DRE is a Sharks man! You can always give the Blue Bulls your support!
29 Oct 2009, 12:37 pm
Pierre Edwards must be the weirdest-looking test fullback ever. At 1.98m — that’s a giant 6ft 6in — he weighed only 82kg, dripping wet.
29 Oct 2009, 12:39 pm
#25 dr dre: lol…aren’t we all….i mean i have to resort to shouting for the cheaters…talk about lowering my standards hehe
29 Oct 2009, 14:30 pm
pick AB for EOYT
29 Oct 2009, 14:43 pm
what year did he start his two tests for the boks?
29 Oct 2009, 14:50 pm
#30 schalla: 1980.
29 Oct 2009, 14:53 pm
Also quite remarkable how well rounded South African Sportsmen are in a sporting sense :
AB De Villiers : cricket and affies 1st XV
Schalk Burger : rugby and a talented junior cricketer
Conrad Jantjies : SA schools in cricket rugby AND soccer
Herschelle Gibbs : SA schools in cricket rugby and soccer
Pierre Spies : rugby and athletics
Jean De villiers : rugby and swimming I believe
Mark Andrews : rugby and SA schools waterpolo
Even the great Ollie Le Roux : SA schools rugby waterpolo squash
Quite amazing how talented these guys are really.
29 Oct 2009, 14:54 pm
Thanks Stormer in a Teacup
29 Oct 2009, 14:57 pm
Back in those days they used to play against “South America”. Who exactly were they playing against? Was it like a Lions makeup?
29 Oct 2009, 15:10 pm
#34 schalla: A team called the Jaguars came out. Thay were basically Argentina with one or two Chileans in the mix.
29 Oct 2009, 15:14 pm
#35 stormer in a teacup: Thanks again. Does anybody know who the 8 Grey College old boys are?
29 Oct 2009, 15:21 pm
#35 stormer in a teacup:
not chileans – ecuadorians i think
29 Oct 2009, 15:22 pm
The Boks played 8 tests vs South America. In the first 7 the Jaquars where all Argies. Only in the 8th was 13 Argies, an Uruguayan and a Spaniard.
29 Oct 2009, 15:26 pm
I just noticed that the All Blacks have a 5 test EOY tour. Granted one of them is a Bledisloe Cup match so that makes 4 tests against Northern Hemisphere sides. How come they always get more tests than us?
Theyve also had TWO cracks at the Grand Slam since we last had a shot. Theyve achieved it both times. I think that inflates theyre stats rather falsely as theyve done this when the NH sides were at quite a low point- particularly England.
29 Oct 2009, 15:26 pm
#38 gecko:
cheers
29 Oct 2009, 15:29 pm
their stats *
29 Oct 2009, 17:15 pm
#36 schalla: Strauss, Strauss, Stegman, Brussouw, Tewis De Bruyn, JW Jonker, Coenie Oosthuizen, Frans Viljoen
I think…
29 Oct 2009, 17:33 pm
#32 schalla:
the springbok squash achievement for ollie le roux is most amazing.
29 Oct 2009, 17:57 pm
#43 cab: ja I was also suprised when I read that. Forgot to mention CJ van der Linde was a champion 100m sprinter.
INcredible stuff really
29 Oct 2009, 18:57 pm
#44 schalla: a lot of our players seem to have had talent in football,
Paul Sackey: Crystal Palace
Danny Care: Sheffield Wednesday
David Strettle: Man City, Liverpool, Crewe
Danny Cipriani: QPR, Reading and cricket
Danny Grewcock: strength athletics, karate black belt
Jonny Wilkinson: cricket
29 Oct 2009, 19:45 pm
#45 Big Hit: that’s a fair list. all the football players are backs, expected I guess. Apparently Conrad Jantjies when he was younger was in the final stages of being recruited by Chelsea.
David Strettle- forgotten man of English rugby? I often wonder how you guys might have gone in ’07 if he wasn’t injured. Great counter attacking skills and seem to remember him making a magical run straight through the Welsh defence I think it was. Opinion of him gone up ten fold seeing as he was at ‘Pewl.
29 Oct 2009, 23:31 pm
#12 dr dre: Is that neccessary? Your unprovoked malice makes us lose respect for you. If your dooses are so bitter, you should stop licking them…
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