Veteran forward Willem Alberts continues to make bone-crunching tackles for the Lions, almost 20 years after starting his career in Johannesburg, writes OLIVER KEOHANE in SA Rugby magazine.
Veteran forward Willem Alberts continues to make bone-crunching tackles for the Lions, almost 20 years after starting his career in Johannesburg, writesIn 2005, 20-year-old Willem Alberts started his professional career at the Golden Lions. In 2023, 38-year- old Alberts finds himself back home, helping the Lions compete in the United Rugby Championship and Challenge Cup.
“The French league introduced laws against the number of foreigners sides were allowed to have,’ explains Alberts. ‘Each year, the number went down and they could sign fewer and fewer players, so myself and Morné Steyn – who were pushing an older bracket – ran out of contract. What’s remarkable is that the same set of shoulders that broke Schalk Burger’s ribs in the 2010 Currie Cup final is now taking the names of the next generation of Springboks.
Alberts also attributes his longevity to the excellent rehabilitation schedules he’s had throughout his career. “Anything can happen, you could get a huge injury at 21. Sometimes you don’t recover, but at the Sharks and Stade Français the rehab schedules were exceptional. Naturally, a bit of luck and grace from above plays its part too.”
With 43 Test caps for the Springboks, and almost 200 at senior provincial and franchise level, Alberts has given his share to South African rugby. He has also played in every condition imaginable, and toured back in the era of Super Rugby and now the northern hemisphere structure within which South African teams operate. What’s changed?
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