It feels like it has been some time in coming, so it was understandable that when Emile van Heerden was asked in a zoom press conference on Tuesday why he was now finally fulfilling his potential at the Hollywoodbets Sharks the questioner apologised if he was causing offence.
There was none taken by the 25-year-old, who is the son of former Springbok lock and blindside flank Fritz van Heerden, who was also a Western Province captain in the 1990s.
It is that pedigree that has built up an expectation around the Nelspruit-born lock, and the fact that he is highly regarded can be gleaned from the fact that when he has been fit Sharks coaches tend to select him in their starting second row.
The problem for Van Heerden is that too often he has not been fit or, to put it more accurately, he has been injured.
Former Sharks coach John Plumtree was quite gutted in fact after a pre-season game back in September last year, when two Sharks teams played on the same Friday evening, one against a Saracens touring team and another in the Carling Currie Cup game against the Pumas.
“You won’t believe it, but it looks like Emile has been injured again and will miss the start of our season. He is so unlucky with injury and I feel really sorry for him,” said Plumtree when asked about the pre-season preparations.
Van Heerden did miss a few games in the early part of the season, but has had a better run of luck recently and it is that momentum he has picked up that he ascribes his recent good form to.
“I think my rugby career over the past three years has taken a different path in terms of stuff that you can’t control, like injury,” said Van Heerden.
“Over the past three seasons there have been lots of injuries that have kept me out of the game and it has been hard to get going. Fortunately in the last few months I have had a good run of game time and that is paying off. Hopefully it can continue that way.”
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Van Heerden became the man of the moment when he ran an excellent line onto a Grant Williams offload to score one of the Sharks’ tries in the 45-0 Vodacom United Rugby Championship rout of Munster at Hollywoodbets Kings Park last weekend.
As is so often the case, a forward can get through mountains of donkeywork in the dark arts of forwards play and not get noticed, but a try can change that and draw the spotlight.
“As locks you don’t get to score a lot of tries but I was in the right place at the right time and I think I can take a lot of confidence out of last weekend into this weekend (against Cardiff in Durban on Friday night),” he said.
Being a No 5 lock running the lineouts is a big part of Van Heerden’s job, something his father was also really good at, and he can credit for the excellent lineout performance delivered by the team against the Irish province.
“The lineouts were a big thing for us in our game against Munster and credit must go to our coaches and Jason (Jenkins) and the lifters. We put in a lot of preparation and it is great when that preparation pays off for us. When it comes to lineouts I don’t think pressure is the right word to describe how I feel. It is more a sense of responsibility that comes through.
“As the No 5 lock you have to run the lineout, and it makes my job so much easier when there are quality players working with me. Up until after the games against the Stormers we had the best lineout statistics in the competition. That comes from having guys like Eben and Marvie (Springbok locks Eben Etzebeth and Marvin Orie, who are sideline at present) sitting in at our meetings. They have tons of experience and impart to us how other teams attack and defend the lineouts. Coach Warren (Whiteley) is also really good in helping us with the prep and showing us the cues.”
NO PRESSURE FROM BOK DAD
Talking of pressure and responsibility, Van Heerden doesn’t believe being the son of a Bok has been a burden in the sense of creating expectation around him.
“My dad being a Bok hasn’t created any extra burden,” said the Sharks second row forward.
“He (Fritz) raised me as a little boy to choose any sport. I did mountain biking, swimming, hockey and water polo while at school. My dad never pressured me to play rugby, but it just turned out that I wasn’t too bad at rugby.
“My dad has played an instrumental role in my career. Not only as a coach but also as a father. He is always there to give an objective opinion, and sometimes we have tough conversations. Even now I still phone him to ask him about aspects of my game and my work-ons.”