Stormers wing wants Bok jersey
10 Jan 2013
Gerhard van den Heever aims to build on his strong finish to 2012 and wear the green and gold in 2013.
Van den Heever started seven Super Rugby games for the Stormers last year, on the right wing, including three when Bryan Habana was used at inside centre and three when Joe Pietersen was out with a back injury. He came off the bench on another eight occasions and was an unused replacement twice.
With the Boks on Rugby Championship duty, Van den Heever was a regular starter for Western Province in the Currie Cup, and wore the No 14 jersey in the final against the Sharks after the Boks had returned (Gio Aplon played at fullback with Habana on the left wing and Pietersen on the bench).
Now Van den Heever wants to regain the form that saw him score eight tries in the 2010 Super 14, just one less than leading try-scorers Drew Mitchell and Joe Rokocoko.
‘When I joined the Stormers [at the beginning of 2012] I lacked confidence and was out of form,’ Van den Heever told keo.co.za. ‘I had lost focus at the Bulls and other things had become more important than being the best on the field. My priorities were wrong.
‘I just wanted to be in the Stormers squad for Super Rugby so I could have some influence on the team. I got a few starts on our overseas tour [against the Crusaders, Reds and Force], things went well, and I regained some of my confidence. Things then went really well for me in the Currie Cup and hopefully I can carry that form into 2013.
‘I’ve got my focus back,’ he added. ‘I want to start every game for the Stormers, I want to be the try-scorer I was for the Bulls in 2010, and I want to be selected for the Springbok squad in June. When I spoke with Heyneke [Meyer] at the Bok training camp last year he told me to work hard and said that there’s no reason why I can’t play for the Boks one day. If you’re the best they have to pick you.
‘I’ve had interest from French clubs but I want to give it a real crack with the Stormers. I’ve really enjoyed my time in Cape Town and I want to play for the Boks.’
Van den Heever credits Stormers coach Allister Coetzee and attack coach Robbie Fleck for reviving his career.
‘When I arrived in Cape Town they told me they believed in me, and that I must just go out and be myself. From a team perspective, they gave us structures and maps but also allowed us to be instinctive and creative on the field.’
The Stormers began their pre-season training on Monday, and Van den Heever says they are doing things a bit differently this time around.
‘Last year we did a lot of long-distance running and didn’t rest much. This year, we’ve focused more on direction changes, shuttles and intervals, because the stats from the 2012 Super Rugby tournament show that teams only managed to retain possession for longer than four minutes on four occasions, and three of those were by the Stormers. So we’re doing short drills, which require short bursts of energy, in our pre-season training to simulate what happens in matches.
‘From a personal point of view, I’ve been working hard on my kicking [out of hand]. A lot of people don’t know I can kick, but I’ve played fullback for the Bulls before, and for the Stormers in warm-up games, and I’d like to become more of a utility back. At the moment, though, I think my best position is wing.’
By Simon Borchardt
52 Comments
9 Jan 2013, 17:18 pm
First has to make sure he is 1 st choice Stormers wing
9 Jan 2013, 17:20 pm
Hekkies is a good player, if he keeps his focus
9 Jan 2013, 17:23 pm
I always believed this guy to be a better option at 15 than wing, but he needs to seriously improve his form because I don’t think he was that great in the Currie Cup even. Best of luck to him.
9 Jan 2013, 17:25 pm
He played well on the wing for us for the first year or so, then fame went to his head
But he’s fast
And you can’t buy speed, you have it or you haven’t and he’s got plenty
9 Jan 2013, 17:26 pm
Not much to write about at the moment,obviously. This guy will never be a Bok.
9 Jan 2013, 17:43 pm
Shock horror! A South African rugby player wants a Bok jersey. He won’t get it. Non story…
9 Jan 2013, 17:46 pm
@The_Don-6:
I strongly disagree.
If he has a TotalSports account he can become the proud owner of a Bok jersey.
9 Jan 2013, 17:57 pm
@nortierd-7:
Ja, hy staan elke aand voor die spieël in sy Bok trui en sing “Hier kom die Bokke” vir homself
9 Jan 2013, 18:10 pm
@victoriabok-8:
Teen die huidige trant wat ons die Bulle se vleuls koop, behoort Bjorn Basson in 2017 sy debuut vir ons te maak.
Net betyds om te laat te wees.
9 Jan 2013, 18:21 pm
I can’t really see Shadow as a Bok !!
IMO not good enough !
9 Jan 2013, 18:32 pm
@nortierd-9:
Ons kan vir julle ‘n gespierde agsteman aanbied?
Net 50 toetse onder die blad
Min kilos op die klok
Baie min kontak gemaak
Het nogsteeds daai nuwe “gym smell”
Lyk soos Ken, speel soos Barbie
9 Jan 2013, 18:34 pm
Don’t worry Gerhard you can score all 10 tries against the queens when you play against them and then you will have the Super 15 record for the most tries in a match and a season.
I am sure that might impress HM and you can get to do it twice in one season.
9 Jan 2013, 18:35 pm
No thank you Vicbok !!
Ons sal by Duane hou !!
9 Jan 2013, 18:36 pm
@CharlesM-13:
Seblief man, vat hom, moenie worrie nie ons sal regkom sonder hom, ons het nog vir Arno
9 Jan 2013, 18:46 pm
Arno – daar is nou ‘n ou vir die toekoms!
How will the loosies of the Bulls look this year?
Dewald P, Arno B, Pierre S (?) Steggies (walking penalty) Jacques P ( ek kan deur ‘n muur hardloop al is die venster oop)
9 Jan 2013, 18:47 pm
Probeer eers die deur voor die venster !!
9 Jan 2013, 18:49 pm
yeah… he most probably won’t make the boks this year…
but a few injuries and whatdya know…?
i just think it’s good to see the kids self-confidence growing…
good luck to him… hope he proves himself good enough and everyone else wrong…
go shadow…!!
9 Jan 2013, 18:51 pm
@victoriabok-11:
Lekker lag ek nou.
9 Jan 2013, 18:59 pm
@CharlesM-16:
but he’s hekkies… he’s always gonna try the window first…!
9 Jan 2013, 20:19 pm
Bjorn Basson is not good enough either. Featherweight.
9 Jan 2013, 21:52 pm
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HA HA HA HA HA !
9 Jan 2013, 23:37 pm
At least show us that you WANT to be seen in a WP/Stormers jersey first. You always look as if you are embarrassed to wear the jersey.
Where is this boy in the pecking order afa right wing is concerned?
10 Jan 2013, 03:17 am
Whatever……….not good enough to be a Bok!
10 Jan 2013, 05:57 am
no chance since you left Pretoria my friend
10 Jan 2013, 06:47 am
@victoriabok-11:
‘daai nuwe gym smell’…
@CharlesM-15:
ag nee bwaahahahaha
10 Jan 2013, 07:19 am
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
This must be the funniest thing i have ever read!
He is a low life alcoholic. I saw some guy beat the living **** out of him in Mosselbay a few weeks ago.
10 Jan 2013, 07:57 am
@Falken-26:
really?
do tell..?..
10 Jan 2013, 08:13 am
@nama1-22:
to be fair Habana looked like that for two years.
10 Jan 2013, 09:42 am
Well, according to Die Burger, Habana is going to Toulon after the Super Rugby Championship this year, so Hekkies will have a chance to make his move in the currie cup.
10 Jan 2013, 09:50 am
At best a CC player. No def . no vision and the kakkest hands in the game at the moment. Good enough jinx and explosive speed is about the only positives.
10 Jan 2013, 10:06 am
No chance
10 Jan 2013, 10:51 am
@Falken-26:
A low life- alcoholic?
Really?
Maybe the guy only had a few drinks and landed in a “fight”?
It happened to quite a few rugby players – people sometimes pick on them just to try and proof a point.
It does not make the player a low life alcoholic.
10 Jan 2013, 11:16 am
@Robzim-32:
Mosselbaai is very roff.
Anything can like to happen there.
10 Jan 2013, 11:29 am
@gunther-33:
10 Jan 2013, 11:30 am
@Robzim-32: Indeed. He seems very introverted, not the type to start a fight. Dont know him personally so I could be wrong.
10 Jan 2013, 11:40 am
@gunther-33:
Lol, I am going there on Sunday for a few days.
Will keep a low profile and avoid the locals as far as possible
10 Jan 2013, 11:45 am
@Taahirah-35:
Exactly, he seems even painfully shy at times.
10 Jan 2013, 12:20 pm
“Troubles of a white wing”
10 Jan 2013, 12:43 pm
@Transformation-38:
“Return of the white (right) wing”
10 Jan 2013, 12:47 pm
@nama1-39: indeed
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.
his “battle” according to that astute rugby brain Ryan Vrede was that Hekkies was white…
wonder why the Bulls offloaded him?
10 Jan 2013, 12:49 pm
fark me, Hekkies was NOWHERE near a Bok jersey by 2011 RWC
10 Jan 2013, 13:02 pm
@Transformation-40:
“Rich in promise and with all the technical and physical attributes a modern
wing needs to be successful, his Springbok ambition isn’t misplaced.”
I wonder how Vrede feels now after writing Shadow up like this. I know Tac does not feel the same way about him anymore.
10 Jan 2013, 13:18 pm
@nama1-42: Would be interesting to see Tac’s comment(s) on this article!
10 Jan 2013, 14:51 pm
Not to be mean, but for me, he’s been one of the worst signings that Province have made in a long time. I really don’t rate the guy. He’s got no step, lacks agility, his positioning has been caught wanting before and he rarely makes a difference off the bench.
10 Jan 2013, 14:56 pm
@Taahirah-43: Tac would probably agree with the article now that he’s not at the Bulls anymore, but none of us will forget the spate of comments on his promising hurdle times.
10 Jan 2013, 15:02 pm
@Yetirat-44:
There’s nothing mean about what you are saying. The truth is the truth.
Question: would you regard him as a worse signing than Naqalavuki?
10 Jan 2013, 15:36 pm
He can buy one from Total Sport for R699. Great price, great quality!
10 Jan 2013, 16:17 pm
@nama1-46: You know what, Naqalavuki had a bit of x-factor. He made some horrendous decisions at times, but every once in a while he would produce a little piece of magic in-between it all. He used to somehow jog into gaps and over people. VD Heever is just predictably average 99% of the time so I’d have to say he’s worse.
10 Jan 2013, 17:16 pm
@ 26,33,34
Hey watch it, Mossel Bay is my hometown!
10 Jan 2013, 21:34 pm
With Joe, Aplon, Swiel and Taute hanging around, I don’t see this GVDH getting much time on the pitch. He was brought in to add depth and that’s it. It’s great that he is ambitious and wants to be a Bok, but maybe he needs to be more realistic and aim to become a WP\Stormers stalwart first.
Anyway, with JDV and JDJ as centres, there is not much point in having great wingers as they never get to see the ball. It needs to be Flecks goal to get these guys distribution skills up and mould the gameplan around increased attacking play. The problem is that Fleck never did this as a player and so may not value this kind of play. He preferred the ball to go to one of the centres and them to try and take a gap or steamrole the opposite backline. This is too predictable.
20 Jan 2013, 10:55 am
Ok CC player at best.
20 Jan 2013, 11:29 am
@gunther-28: Hi Gunther.Hope
you are well
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