Wikus van Heerden
Full names: Johannes Lodewikus
Date of birth: 25 Feb 1979
Place of birth: Johannesburg
School: Waterkloof
Springbok no: 744
Springbok debut province: Lions
Physical: 1.93m, 105.0kg
Current age: 45
Test summary: Tests: 14 Tries: 1
First Test: 7 Jun 2003 Age 24 - Flank against Scotland at Kingspark, Durban
Last Test: 20 Oct 2007 Age 28 - Reserve against England at Stade de France, Paris
Tours Argentina, Wales & France 2005 Ireland & England 2006 IRB Rugby World Cup - France 2007
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentVenueResultScoreProvince
07 Jun 2003 24Flank Scotland Kingspark, Durban Win: 29-25  Lions
14 Jun 2003 24Flank Scotland Ellispark, Johannesburg Win: 28-19  Lions
12 Jul 2003 24Flank Australia Newlands, Cape Town Win: 26-22  Lions
19 Jul 2003 24Flank New Zealand Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Lose: 16-52  Lions
02 Aug 2003 24Reserve Australia Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), Brisbane Lose: 9-29  Lions
07 Jul 2007 28Flank Australia Stadium Australia, Sydney Lose: 17-251 try Blue Bulls
14 Jul 2007 28Flank New Zealand Lancaster Park (Jade stadium), Christchurch Lose: 6-33  Blue Bulls
25 Aug 2007 28Reserve Scotland Murrayfield, Edinburgh Win: 27-3  Blue Bulls
09 Sep 2007 28Reserve Samoa Parc des Princes, Paris Win: 59-7  Blue Bulls
14 Sep 2007 28Flank England Stade de France, Paris Win: 36-0  Blue Bulls
22 Sep 2007 28Flank Tonga Stade Felix Bollaert, Lens Win: 30-25  Blue Bulls
30 Sep 2007 28Flank USA Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier Win: 64-15  Blue Bulls
07 Oct 2007 28Reserve Fiji Stade Velodrome, Marseilles Win: 37-20  Blue Bulls
20 Oct 2007 28Reserve England Stade de France, Paris Win: 15-6  Blue Bulls

Wikus van Heerden: Suparugby

Rugby pumps through Wikus van Heerden’s veins. The former Springbok, Lions and Bulls flanker is the son of the legendary Springbok lock Moaner van Heerden.

Van Heerden was first spotted (along with Barend Pieterse) playing for Waterkloof Hoërskool in Pretoria and he was recruited to join the Lions the following year.

He was part of the Junior Lions which won the SA Under 21 competition in 2001 and the combination went on to win the Vodacom Cup in 2003.

“If I can sum up Van Heerden in one phrase it would definitely be ‘captain courageous’ says his former coach Eugene Eloff. “He didn’t speak a lot but his team-mates were inspired by his play and they followed him.”

Van Heerden was a member of the Springbok’s victorious World Cup side in 2007, won SuperRugby with the Bulls in 2008 and the Currie Cup with the Lions in 2011.

Wikus eventually played 99 games for the Lions and only a broken arm in his last season before retirement robbed him of his centenary.

He also played in 97 SuperRugby games for the Cats, Bulls and Lions.

He eventually played 240 first class games (Saracens excluded) and scored 49 first class tries, just missing out on another milestone.

  • Johannes Lodewikus van Heerden (Wikus), born 25/02/1979 in Johannesburg.
  • First Class Debut: 2000. Provincial career: Lions 2000-2006 & 10-11 99-17-0-0-0-85. Young Lions 2001-06 & 10 4-4-0-0-0-20, Blue Bulls 2007-08 15-6-0-0-0-30.
  • SuperRugby: Cats 2002, 2004-06 39-5-0-0-0-35, Bulls 2003, 07-08 38-12-0-0-0-60, Lions 2010-12 20-1-0-0-0-5.
  • Representative honours: SA 2003, 2007 Tests: 14-1-0-0-0-5, Tour 2-1-0-0-0-5. SA A 2004 4-0-0-0-0-0, SA Under 21, 2000 4-2-0-0-0-10, SA Under 19, Craven Week, Blue Bulls 1997.
  • First Class Record: 240-49-0-0-0-245.
  • He also played 21 games for Saracens in 2009-10 and scored two tries.

    Stats provided by Eddie Grieb.