28-year-old lock Ruben van Heerden to play his first Test for the Springboks on Saturday.
Ruben van Heerden is a deeply religious man, so he will appreciate the biblical reference that he has required the “patience of Job” on his journey to his Springbok debut.
The 28-year-old lock plays his first Test for the Springboks on Saturday, against Wales in Durban.
The reason for the testing of his patience is because there was early expectation that he would play for South Africa — he was brilliant as a schoolboy at Affies in Pretoria, he played for SA Schools in 2015, SA Under-20 in 2017, and in the same year was in the SA A side.
But then came the famine. Two seasons at the Bulls were followed by five years at the Sharks; a short stint in England at the Exeter Chiefs; and it has been at the Stormers that he has flourished since joining them in 2022.
