Troubles of a white wing
21 Apr 2010
Gerhard van den Heever faces immense obstacles in his quest to earn Springbok selection.
The Bulls wing wants to go to the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. And in an ideal world, one uncomplicated by Bryan Habana’s legacy and accepted but flawed selection norms, he’d have a realistic hope too.
This, after all, is the kid who ended his rookie season in 2009 having scored 11 tries in 19 provincial matches, and at the time of writing had bagged four in seven Super 14 starts. Rich in promise and with all the technical and physical attributes a modern wing needs to be successful, his Springbok ambition isn’t misplaced.
But his is a unique battle – one that no other elite South African wing has to fight.
It’s one, firstly, for acceptance and appreciation among the Loftus disciples, who are still in mourning after the passing – figuratively speaking – of their messiah, Habana. Van den Heever is yet to prove he is worthy of lacing Habana’s boots, let alone filling them.
Those in the know at the Bulls tell me he’s quicker than Habana (a South African champion hurdler at school, he once ran 13.7sec over 110m and boasts a 200m best of 20.9). He’s quicker than that now, but speed alone will never see him escape Habana’s haunting shadow.
Habana’s legend was built on feats of brilliance, the most memorable of which came at Kings Park in 2007. That last-gasp try against the Sharks captured the Bulls’ first Super 14 title. Appreciation for Habana became reverence. Whoever succeeded him would be judged by the standard he had set.
Habana was the Bulls’ adrenalin-charged central nervous system, renowned for his ability to spark the team into life with impossibly brilliant feats. Viewed in this context, Van den Heever’s lot is not an enviable one.
He addresses the subject of being compared to Habana with the naivety of the man-child that he is.
‘People shouldn’t compare me to Bryan,’ he says. ‘Of course they shouldn’t,’ I counter, ‘but the reality is they do and are, and will continue to for some time.’
‘I can’t control that. I can’t control what people think. I just know I’m my own man. Bryan is the best wing in the world. Nobody can fill his boots,’ is his rebuttal.
‘Sure,’ I probe further, ‘but as unrealistic as the expectation is, the nature of people is to measure the replacement of an exceptional player by the standards that player has set. Let me ask you this, where do you think you stand in the Bulls supporters’ estimation?
‘I don’t know. I haven’t thought about that.’
Of course he hasn’t. The question was a foolish one to pose to a 20-year-old who was probably oblivious to the issue until I raised it. Such complexities didn’t register with him. Keeping his starting place through consistent performance is his primary, all-consuming, objective. But his ignorant bliss will soon be disturbed by the realisation of the magnitude of the task ahead. The Bulls’ faithful are looking for a new demi-god to worship. Van den Heever’s mortality will only be tolerated for so long. Supernatural is what is demanded.
‘That’s unfair pressure to put on a youngster,’ Bulls coach Frans Ludeke says. ‘We see a bright future for Gerhard, but we’re realistic about his development and understand that we need to have patience with him.
‘Bryan was a special player who will forever be remembered as a legend at Loftus. But I think it’s testament to Gerhard’s talent that people compare him to Bryan. Even Bryan said he [Van den Heever] is a better player at 20 than he was at the same age. That’s a massive compliment and he will only improve.
‘We’re giving him time and space to progress naturally. I hope others will do the same.’
Van den Heever could have done without Habana weighing in on the issue of his successor in a post-match interview after their Currie Cup triumph in 2009.
It was a throwaway line: ‘I think Gerhard has the potential to be a Bulls and Springbok great.’ The implications of which Habana didn’t consider at the time. He was paying a massive compliment to his heir apparent, but inadvertently dumped a jersey that weighed 100kg on the kid and slipped lead boots on to his feet.
Van den Heever remains unfazed.
‘That comment never made me feel burdened. Why would it? I grew up idolising Bryan and for me to feel down about him saying kind things like that about me to the media would be foolish.’
But there is an uncertainty detectable in Van den Heever’s voice. Earlier he told me ‘I back my ability’ when asked if he ever felt inhibited by a fear of failure, then later admits that he ‘sometimes’ thinks he is out of his depth.
That inconsistency isn’t unexpected from one so young. It does, however, remind us that Van den Heever’s is as much a battle to emerge from Habana’s shadow, as it is one for emotional and cognitive equilibrium.
Then there’s the issue of Springbok selection and the World Cup, which poses an altogether new challenge.
Not since Nick Mallett routinely penned Pieter Rossouw’s name on the team sheet has a Springbok coach consistently selected a white wing.
This has become the domain of the dark-skinned player, and the prospects of the perception that white is whack changing are slim, unless Van den Heever plays so exceptionally that he makes himself invaluable to the Springboks.
And even if he should master levitation, acquire a jet pack and blow his opposition away in the coming year, he would still be competing for just one position, given that Springbok coach Peter de Villiers is highly unlikely to look beyond Habana as his starting left wing.
That leaves Van den Heever competing with eight wingers (at the time of writing, all of whom were black, and one of who, JP Pietersen, is a World Cup winner) for the right wing berth.
‘If I suggested those were insurmountable odds, what would your response be?’
‘I don’t think like that,’ he says, ‘I don’t think about the issues you’ve raised, or all the wingers I have to get past to make the Springbok squad. Maybe it’s naive, but I’d like to think that if I’m the best of the bunch I’ll get picked.’
‘But that hasn’t been the reality of Springbok rugby recently,’ I interject. ‘The best players sometimes don’t get picked for various reasons.’
‘The Springbok coach has said on a number of occasions that he will reward those who perform consistently. I can only trust that he stays true to his word,’ he says.
Only time will tell whether Van den Heever will die in the darkness cast by Habana’s shadow, or whether he’ll stay the execution and build a legacy of his own. This year’s rugby season will be decisive in answering that question.
Time is not an ally. Conclusions about his aptitude for Super Rugby will be drawn at the end of their 2010 campaign, or perhaps sooner, without due consideration of his age. Even exceptional performances will still not guarantee that he even gets a passing glance from the Springbok selectors.
Welcome to the world of Gerhard van den Heever. It isn’t a place for the faint-hearted.
By Ryan Vrede
– This article first appeared in the April issue of SA Rugby magazine. The May issue is on sale now.
566 Comments
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21 Apr 2010, 16:30 pm
@poppa69: and that is how you get under the skin of a kiwi, next lesson……. LOL
still waiting on what team you would pick if you were a NZ coach
21 Apr 2010, 16:33 pm
but things do change fast in rugby.Just last season it was the Rubble Reds.
21 Apr 2010, 16:33 pm
@CharlieBrown: did you also take into account the injury toll NZ had, the new players in the side that day? and they only beat us then because an overrated showpony who came back from Eng injured and had only played one ot two games before gifted them an intercept try in the final minutes??
did you see the result in France when we had our full compliment back, or is that different?
lets remember, you guys havent really beaten the french for a while now either have you, what is it, 2 out of the last ten games?
21 Apr 2010, 16:33 pm
@CharlieBrown: fully agree there Charlie, the fear of playing NZ has left the SA boys.
21 Apr 2010, 16:33 pm
one theory for the ABs being good outside the world cup and cr@p in it could be to do with the fact that a large portion of them are not actually NZ’ers. perhaps they play well for the ABs but when it comes to representing them in a competition full of their own nations, it becomes more apparent.
21 Apr 2010, 16:34 pm
@CharlieBrown: The All Blacks will be back. You wont keep a quality rugby nation like New Zealand down forever, but – this fall off in form has come at a very inconvenient time for them.
Plus, they have too many questions.
Just like the Sharks early season – too many unanswered questions.
If they can get a few of those questions answered before the world cup – they will be seriously competitive…but they just have too many question marks I think.
21 Apr 2010, 16:35 pm
@poppa69: 453. Bloody French…
21 Apr 2010, 16:35 pm
@ufo: oh come off it now UFO, this git started with us, you think we gonna be all polite to him when he starts attacking us.
21 Apr 2010, 16:36 pm
@MacToogie: Dont write off the Aussies….
The tri-nations will be interesting for sure.
21 Apr 2010, 16:36 pm
@MacToogie: hahahaha yeah right… need validation now do you…
gutless is all your are
gutless trash
21 Apr 2010, 16:37 pm
I for one hope that the stories about the financial decline in NZ rugby are not true. If so perhaps the SANZAR committee should look into how they can ensure some continued growth in the game in the region.
The last thing we can afford is the Kiwi’s and Ozzies getting beaten regularly as they have a good alternative to switch to in the strength of their rugby league.
21 Apr 2010, 16:38 pm
@poppa69: the worst thing about new zealand losing every four years is the excuses. forward passes, food poisoning when in actual fact the only real excuse was in 1987 and that was an excuse for winning in that it wasn’t a real world cup without the Boks there.
21 Apr 2010, 16:39 pm
@poppa69: 460 You wanna put a hit on them mate, my brass knuckles just been polished, and i don’t discriminate to only kiwis
21 Apr 2010, 16:39 pm
@Dusky: i dont, my prediction is Aus, France and or Boks in RWC fianl
@poppa69: no need for validation just the list of players you would pick, remember you’re not allowed to pick and aussies or SA players in your team LOL, and i know you’re beaten cos you revert to calling me names, LOVE IT
21 Apr 2010, 16:40 pm
@bananaboy: maybe they could unite the Tongan, Fijian and Samoan unions with the NZRU? oh, no they’ve already pretty much done that.
21 Apr 2010, 16:40 pm
@MacToogie:
hey Mac… Poppa’s no git… he’s a quality man…
and there’s nothing wrong with banter…
but when you guys read this back when tempers have cooled down… will anyone be big enough to come back on and say they are embarrassed by the arrogance being chucked around…???
one good season and we are eternal world beaters…???
21 Apr 2010, 16:40 pm
everyone must know by now that tri-nations and any other test form has no bearing whatsoever on worldcup form.
ironically, from a SA point of view, S14 has been a slightly better indicator.
21 Apr 2010, 16:41 pm
would love to see a footrace between Gerhard van den Heever and Zac Guilford
21 Apr 2010, 16:41 pm
@Soda: please, we’re all guilty of excuses.. quotas?
as for 87, was it our fault you guys werent invited? no, somehow your countries policies of the day had more to do with that…
the thing is, going on last years EOYT, once your 07 stars leave you dont have a lot of strength yourselves, but keep turning a blind eye to it all..
21 Apr 2010, 16:42 pm
@poppa69:
Now my moer is stooting.
Others may pussyfoot around you but not me.
You have been responsible for the most sweeping generalisations ever seen on this site.
“How many tourists are we going to murder”
“We are ******** over our so-called lost generation in Soweto”
Where do you get this? We may not be squeaky clean but keep your **** to yourself!
I say again … if this country pisses you off, go blog somewhere else.
21 Apr 2010, 16:43 pm
@Gonzo Journalism: I would love to see a foot race between Lwazi Mvovo and Bryan Habana.
21 Apr 2010, 16:44 pm
@Soda:
that was funny. I want to see us beat the Kiwis and Ozzies every time we play but the concern I have about that is that unlike us i.e. when we were getting beat we just had to knuckle down and turn it around because we don’t have other codes, these guys will abandon rugby union for the other codes easily. They’ll support the sport in which they are winning and for the Ozzies that is ARF.
21 Apr 2010, 16:44 pm
@poppa69: @ 469
if things don’t go well after the 07 stars retire… we’ll fall back on ‘our’ favorite excuse…
and blame PdV…!!
21 Apr 2010, 16:44 pm
our EOYTs are always poor. we don’t like the cold and rain and would prefer to be back at the vaal/hartebeespoort/midmar/beach with a braai and a windhoek. as opposed to looking for a good time in a foreign country and then jumping on peoples’ cars.
21 Apr 2010, 16:44 pm
@Dawn: and here comes miss righteous herself… the soweto reference was a direct response to a NZ reference, but you obviously skipped that part didnt you…
shame you only ever read one side Dawn, youd almost be a decent person if you looked at both parties..
but no… so go away now!
21 Apr 2010, 16:45 pm
@ufo: i’m not embarrassed that im arrogantly pro boks, im not embarrassed to say I’m arrogantly pro SA, for years we have sat back politely just for NZ and Aus to walk all over us like we are nothing, i say NO MORE!!!!! =)
21 Apr 2010, 16:45 pm
@ufo: When the 2007 stars retire…the Bulls better start thinking up a couple of excuses as well.
21 Apr 2010, 16:47 pm
@Dawn: Vat hom Fluffy….. i mean Dawnie
21 Apr 2010, 16:47 pm
@Dawn: Hey Dawn I thought you might be a colleague and might know another colleague of mine Birgitte. She will be returning to SA soon.
21 Apr 2010, 16:47 pm
@MacToogie:
mac bud… I’m not suggesting we sit back and let others walk all over us…
but when we do stand up to them… please let it be with a little class and dignity…
i KNOW you’re better than that…
21 Apr 2010, 16:48 pm
@poppa69:
Go to blazes.
No-one tells me to go away, especially not some self-important so-called morally righteous Kiwi.
Caramba the ***** we have to put up with from the likes of you.
I see you didn’t address the “how many tourists will be murdered in SA” bit.
21 Apr 2010, 16:49 pm
@Dusky: bulls have plenty of stock, never you mind, Sharks better worry about which mercenary flyhalf they’ll get once goode is finished sucking the life out of them =)
21 Apr 2010, 16:49 pm
Welcome to the world of keo…it isn’t a place for the faint-hearted..!
21 Apr 2010, 16:49 pm
@Dusky:
too true bud…
stormers too…
21 Apr 2010, 16:50 pm
@Dawn: 481. Flap and flutter…
21 Apr 2010, 16:50 pm
@Storm outta hell:
I mean how can he say something like that!!!!
Is this the only country where tourists have strife?
21 Apr 2010, 16:50 pm
@Dusky: would love to see a fight between Andrew Hore and Sebastian Chabal
21 Apr 2010, 16:51 pm
@Storm outta hell:
21 Apr 2010, 16:51 pm
@ufo: you obviously dont know me well enough then. i will break his spirit here if need be (and it looks like we getting close to that), they have their own sites to try and diss the Boks and SA sides, not here, not while im blogging.
21 Apr 2010, 16:52 pm
@Dawn: admittedly, i made the first inter-nation comment referring to the crystal meth problem in NZ but it was in realtion to rugby. of course, we have our own in SA (CT mostly) but Pooper didn’t pick up on that.
regarding class and dignity, i agree and should have used the word ‘member’ in place of ‘****’.
21 Apr 2010, 16:52 pm
@Heavens Game:
Oh shut the fark up for once.
You are not involved in this.
You have as much opinion as the underside of a maggot.
21 Apr 2010, 16:52 pm
@Storm outta hell: and so it should be
21 Apr 2010, 16:52 pm
Sweet, A Fight!!
21 Apr 2010, 16:53 pm
@MacToogie: break my spirit, on a blog hahahahahaha
hahahahahah
hahahahahaha
too farkin funny…
21 Apr 2010, 16:53 pm
@Storm outta hell: 483
yeah here at this hour you have to type with bandages wrapped around you hands, soaked in glue then dipped in broken glass
21 Apr 2010, 16:53 pm
@Gonzo Journalism: i would like to see fight between graham henry and wayne smith.
21 Apr 2010, 16:54 pm
@Soda: lol
21 Apr 2010, 16:54 pm
@Soda:
Thanks.
Still no justification for some wannabe Enzed to insult a whole nation.
21 Apr 2010, 16:55 pm
@poppa69: why is it that kiwis are such masochists? out of all the foreign bloggers they seem to look for a beat down. is it so you can handle the bitter pain at world cup time?
21 Apr 2010, 16:55 pm
its funny though, ONE kiwi has how ever many Saffas all ganging up on him..
ONE kiwi with so many saffas..
CLASSIC !!!
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