Andries van Heerden explained

Andries van Heerden
Birth Date:6 October 1961
Birth Place:Cape Town, South Africa
Height:6 ft 5 in
Weight:225 lb
Position:No. 8
Repyears1:1992
Repcaps1:2
Reppoints1:0

Andries van Heerden (born 6 October 1961) is a French former rugby union international.[1]

Biography

Early life

Born in Cape Town, van Heerden grew up on a farm outside the city and played rugby for Western Province, before moving to France in 1986. He settled in the town of Tarbes in the south west of the country, acquiring French nationality after marrying a local.[2]

Rugby union career

Van Heerden, a number eight, had a slender body shape than most forwards, but was an athletic and tireless player. He played most of his French rugby with Stadoceste Tarbais and was a member of the side which contested the final of the 1987–88 French Championship.[3] In 1992, van Heerden became the second player of South African origin to be capped for France, when he made two Five Nations appearances, against England at Parc des Princes and Scotland at Murrayfield.[4] [5]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Derniere Retouche . . 15 February 1992 . fr-FR.
  2. News: Van Heerden, Sud-Africain Blanc Et... Bleu . L'Humanité . 23 March 1992 . fr-FR.
  3. News: Andries Van Heerden : un inlassable . . . 29 March 2012 . fr.
  4. News: Coupe du Monde de rugby : "J'ai les racines sud-africaines et le cœur français", déclare Dries Van Heerden, international tarbais . La Dépêche . 12 October 2023 . fr.
  5. News: Bernès . Frédéric . L'ancien Bleu Dries Van Heerden : « Les Anglais nous ont défoncés, toujours avec ce petit sourire » . . 13 March 2021 . fr.