Joe van Niekerk
Encyclopedia
Johann "Joe" van Niekerk (born 14 May 1980 in Port Elizabeth) is a South African rugby union
player, who generally plays either as a flanker
or number 8. He currently plays for Toulon in France.
directly from the U21 side in 2001
, in spite of never having played a game in either the Currie Cup
or Super 12
. He made his debut against the All Blacks
in Cape Town
.
Van Niekerk has experienced injury troubles throughout his senior-level career. When healthy, however, he is considered able to compete with virtually any back-row player in the world. He scored important tries for the Boks in home wins over the Wallabies
in the 2002
and 2004
Tri Nations. More recently, he has often been used as an "impact player" off the bench, especially in the 2005 Tri Nations
.
In 2002, he was voted the South African "Player of the Year". In the first match of the 2008 Tri Nations
against the All Blacks in Wellington
, he was a surprise choice to start at No. 8. He was expected to play for Northampton Saints
however his contract was terminated before he arrived, reportedly because of constant injury problems. At the moment he plays for RC Toulon, a club in France
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player, who generally plays either as a flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
or number 8. He currently plays for Toulon in France.
Career overview
After starring for the South Africa Schools, under-19, and under-21 sides, and captaining at all three levels, Van Niekerk received the rare honour of being called up to the SpringboksSouth Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
directly from the U21 side in 2001
2001 in South Africa
-March:* 4 March – Ian Syster wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:13:30 in Durban.* 18 March – The Department of Health declines the offer of a large donation of HIV test kits made by Guardian Scientific Africa Incorporated-April:...
, in spite of never having played a game in either the Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
or Super 12
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
. He made his debut against the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
.
Van Niekerk has experienced injury troubles throughout his senior-level career. When healthy, however, he is considered able to compete with virtually any back-row player in the world. He scored important tries for the Boks in home wins over the Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
in the 2002
2002 Tri Nations Series
The 2002 Tri Nations Series was contested from 13 July to 17 August between the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa national rugby union teams. The All Blacks won the tournament.-Table:-Results:...
and 2004
2004 Tri Nations Series
The 2004 Tri Nations Series, an annual rugby union competition between the national teams of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, was the ninth in the series. The competition is organised by SANZAR, a consortium of the three countries' rugby union federations...
Tri Nations. More recently, he has often been used as an "impact player" off the bench, especially in the 2005 Tri Nations
2005 Tri Nations Series
-Round Two:-Round Three:-Round Four:-Round Five:-Round Six:-External links:* at Rugby.com.aurugby union schedule for 2005...
.
In 2002, he was voted the South African "Player of the Year". In the first match of the 2008 Tri Nations
2008 Tri Nations Series
The 2008 Tri Nations Series was the thirteenth annual Tri Nations competition between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa...
against the All Blacks in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, he was a surprise choice to start at No. 8. He was expected to play for Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
however his contract was terminated before he arrived, reportedly because of constant injury problems. At the moment he plays for RC Toulon, a club in France
Teams
- South African Schools 19971997 in South Africa-March:* 19 March - Denel and Aérospatiale sign a co-operation agreement* 28 March - Nelson Mandela, President of South Africa and H. D. Deve Gowda, Prime Minister of India sign the Red Fort Declaration on a Strategic Partnership while Mandela was on a state visit to India-April:* 23 April - Eugène...
–19981998 in South Africa-January:* 3 January – Six policemen from the North East Rand Dog Unit set their dogs on three suspected illegal immigrants, allowing the animals to savage the three men as the officers hurled racial insults. The incident was caught on video and televised nationally on 7 Nov. 2000, causing... - South Africa U19 1998
- South Africa U21 20002000 in South Africa-February:*Tropical Cyclone Eline brings heavy rains to Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and Madagascar*The Mozambican navy begins evacuating people from low ground using rubber boats donated from last year's floods....
/2001 - South African SevensSouth Africa national rugby union team (sevens)The South African national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, the Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.-Current squad:2011–12 IRB Sevens World Series 14-man squad :#Cecil Afrika...
2001 - Gauteng Lions U21 1998–2001
- Gauteng Lions 2001–2003
- Lions Super 12 Team 20022002 in South Africa-January:* 29 January – Doctors Without Borders, an international humanitarian organisation, begins importing a cheap, generic version of patented AIDS drugs into South Africa in a direct defiance to South Africa's patent laws-March:...
–20032003 in South Africa-January:* 8 January – Unit 2 Power Generator explodes at Duvha Power Station will coming back on line after service.* 17 January, Jacob Zuma, Deputy President of South Africa hold ceasefire talks with Pierre Nkurunziza, the leader of a faction of the National Council for the Defense of... - StormersStormersThe Stormers, for sponsorship reasons referred to as DHL Stormers, are a South African rugby union team based in Cape Town competing in the Super Rugby competition . Despite their lack of silverware over the years, their home stadium, Newlands, typically draws the highest average attendance figures...
Super 14 Team 2004–2007 - Western ProvinceWestern Province (rugby team)DHL Western Province is a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. The team has won the Currie Cup on 32 occasions and has the most supporters of any Currie Cup team...
2004–2007 - SpringboksSouth Africa national rugby union teamThe South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
- Northampton Saints (contract was terminated before arrival)
- Rugby Club Toulonnais (France) 2008 – present