Basie van Wyk explained

Basie van Wyk
Full Name:Christiaan Johannes van Wijk
Birth Date:5 November 1923
Birth Place:Vryburg, South Africa
Death Place:Warmbad, South Africa
Position:Flanker
Repyears1:1951–55
Repcaps1:10
Reppoints1:18

Christiaan Johannes "Basie" van Wijk (5 November 1923 – 29 August 2002) was a South African rugby union international who was capped 10 times as a flanker for the Springboks in the 1950s.

Born in Vryburg, van Wijk played his provincial rugby for Transvaal.[1] He debuted for South Africa on the 1951–52 Europe tour and scored four tries across the five Tests, all won by the Springboks. His career also included home Tests against the touring Australians in 1953. On the reciprocal trip to Australia in 1956, van Wijk broke his leg while training in Sydney ahead of his first tour match.[2] He was a schoolteacher by profession.[3]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Selectors will watch Midland Counties XV . . 15 January 1952.
  2. News: Springbok's Leg Broken . . 17 May 1956.
  3. News: South Africans' Strong Side . . 26 September 1951.