The 'most scary thing' Schalk Burger ever saw on the rugby field
Schalk Burger has labelled Samoan powerhouse Henry Tuilagi as the scariest thing he ever saw on the rugby field with the Springboks. The now-retired 39-year-old was a World Cup winner with South Africa at the 2007 finals in France, but their opening round pool match in Paris versus the Samoans made a lasting impression on Burger.
The Springboks ultimately ran out comfortable 59-7 winners to set them on the path that took them all the way to glory at the tournament, but Burger has never forgotten the bull-riding bumping he suffered when trying to slow down the ball-carrying No8 Tuilagi during the early stages of the match.
A guest on the latest episode of RugbyPass Offload, Burger was asked to recall the moment he bruisingly acquainted himself with Tuilagi during the Springboks win. “He was probably the most scary thing I have ever seen on a rugby field,” quipped the former South African forward, delighted with the invitation to cast his mind back 15 years ago.
“I remember Jaque Fourie and Victor Matfield coming to me and saying, ‘Listen here, there is this bloke Henry Tuilagi, he is absolutely massive. I have just seen him, he weighs like 130kgs, he’s 6ft 2 but he is the biggest thing I have ever seen’.
“So me and Victor, we’re standing up (in the tunnel). At World Cups, you line up and then walk out together. The South Africans lined up one to 23 so Victor looks back at me and says, ‘Nah, he is not that big’. For some reason, the Samoan line was a bit quicker than we were walking and it was the tiny little brother Alesana Tuilagi walking out (alongside us).
“All I could see was Victor just panicking. He was looking back and going, ‘Oh, this isn’t the number eight’. Then it’s probably ten or 15 minutes into this game, it’s halfway and it’s a shortened lineout, five-man, and I was standing at the back, Danie Rossouw and me. We used to defend like up and in a fair bit.
“We lined up alright but this was ridiculous because I looked to the right and Butch James was almost on the 15 on the opposite side of the field and he looked at me and said, ‘That’s not mine. There is absolutely no chance’.
“It’s the first time everyone had seen Henry Tuilagi standing midway between the 22 and the try line and he was the lineout trigger so when he got to full pace just on the other side of the 22, the ball came and the next moment there was a gap for him to run through.
“I hoped to God that he was running past Butch but he just sort of looked at me and was coming straight at me. So I actually put a decent shot in from the side but as I swung around I was now basically riding on his back like a bull. He is carrying me and I can see Danie Rossouw sitting down on the bottom. He is a huge man, 124kgs, and I was on the back of Henry going over Danie riding off the back of him. It was just amazing.
“I remember having a few beers afterwards, all of us sitting there and Oz du Randt was on brandy. He was like, ‘This is the last bit of my career, I’m just going to retire after the World Cup. Never in my life have I been honest enough to say to a coach that I was scared but if someone asked me after 20 minutes today if I am scared, I would have said yes’.”
The Henry Tuilagi reputation has now been passed down to his son Posolo, the 6ft 4in and approximately 145kg 18-year-old. Last month he made his Top 14 debut for Perpignan.
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
39 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
39 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
39 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
50 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
39 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
39 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
39 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
39 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments