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The diminutive scrumhalf was named in the starting line-up for the Boks’ first match of the year against the Barbarians.
Morne van den Berg will start at scrumhalf for the Boks against the Barbarians on Saturday. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
Scrumhalf Morné van den Berg was named in the Springboks’ starting line-up for this weekend’s clash against the Barbarians in Cape Town.
In October last year, just after the United Rugby Championship (URC) kicked off, Van den Berg said he was going to use lessons learnt in the national team to improve himself for the Lions’ URC season.
Despite his union missing the top eight cut a few weeks ago, therefore not making it into the quarter-finals of the championship, Van den Berg had a good season.
Eight months after the start of the URC season, and the diminutive number nine still speaks highly of the lessons around putting the team first that he learnt with the Boks.
“It’s selflessness on another level,” Van den Berg told The Citizen, at the launch of Boktown, the Castle Lager fan parks across the country, where South Africans can watch the reigning world champions.
This was just days before Van den Berg was named in the starting line-up for the Boks’ first game of the year.
“It’s unreal, it’s a complete dream come true. It’s very hard to put into words,” he said about being part of the team.
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Van den Berg cementing his place
South African rugby is teeming with exciting talent in almost every position, with scrumhalf probably being one of the most contested. He understands this and says being selected is only the start.
“It’s only the start to be selected … [you have to] really be good when you’re there and to give it your all,” Van den Berg said.
“Just seeing the system, serving it, trying to add to it … really working hard to make the guys around you better and to become a better player and individual,” shared Van den Berg
Van den Berg is named as the starting scrumhalf for the first Springbok match of the year, and despite the game against the Barbarians not being an official Test match, the 27-year-old is happy to have involvement in the team.
“I can’t wait,” he said of the chance to wear the Bok No 9 jersey.
ALSO READ: Exciting Springbok talents to be led by experienced heads in Barbarians tussle
Bok camaraderie
You would think someone new in the Bok fold, specifically one who wasn’t part of the two back-to-back Rugby World Cup triumphs, would feel like a bit of an outsider when in the Bok team.
However, Van den Berg says one the things that stands out for him is the camaraderie in the squad.
“The amount of time you spend together, you learn new stuff … for me personally it’s learning new ways to do stuff. Getting a different perspective of how to play the game, how you can play the game, how other people see the game and those people really know the game.
“Just to sit around and hear the guys’ stories I think that’s the special part of it.”
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