Carlu Sadie and Ruben van Heerden have had to work incredibly hard over the years to earn their shot of representing the Springboks.
Springbok prop Carlu Sadie chats to Bok scrum coach Daan Human during a South Africa national men’s rugby team training session. Picture: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
The hard work put in over a number of years will eventually pay off for prop Carlu Sadie and lock Ruben van Heerden when they make their Springbok debuts in the Nations Championship match against Wales in Durban on Saturday.
Both 29-year-old prop Sadie and 28-year-old lock Van Heerden are South African rugby journeymen, but they will finally see their massive graft rewarded when they run onto the turf in the starting XV at Kings Park this weekend.
Sadie started his senior career with the Stormers back in 2018, before moving to the Lions, and then the Sharks. He eventually moved to France, and now stars for back-to-back Champions Cup champions Bordeaux-Begles. Erasmus believes he will make his mark against Wales.
“When he got into our system, Carlu had won the Champions Cup, and you don’t win it if you can’t scrum, and he was always starting for his team,” said Erasmus at the Bok team announcement earlier this week.
“We really think he deserves the opportunity because he’s been hanging in there for six weeks and his conditioning is just getting better and better. For Carlu to have a proper start to his Test career with a guy like Malcolm Marx next to him, it’s nice to have him in there.”
Similar career
Van Heerden has had a similar franchise career to Sadie’s, starting off at the Bulls back in 2017, before moving to the Sharks, then Exeter Chiefs and finally the Stormers. He will, however, turn out for Montpellier in France next season.
“We are all glad for Ruben. In the past, we had a few guys in our camp who never got a chance. It is terrible when that happens,” said Erasmus.
“Sometimes a nervous coach doesn’t give them their opportunity, and sometimes it is the opposition in front of you, or where we are as a team. Last year Ruben played for the Barbarians against us and made a statement with how he tackled.
“This year, he was actually picked for the Barbarians, then we had a few injuries, and he said, no, he doesn’t want to play for the Barbarians, he would rather play for the SA A team.
“Ruben is a guy who really wants to play for the Springboks. For seven weeks he has been preparing the guys who have been in the Test teams. So it is nice to reward him. And we are not giving out caps for free because we also feel Ruan (Nortje) deserves a rest. He has played a heck of a lot of rugby.”
Springbok rookies, 20-year-old flyhalf Vusi Moyo and 21-year-old wing Jaco Williams will also be in the starting lineup for the Boks on Saturday and will be eager to impress on their debuts.
Saturday’s Test in Durban kicks off at 5.40pm.
