Today Saracens announced a huge signing for next season in the shape of a Springbok legend who has won a World Cup, IRB player of the year, played in 4 World Cups, won 86 international caps and is the 55th captain of his country.
That man is 32 year old Schalk Burger, who has signed a 2 year deal with the London club and will be putting on a black jersey in the 2016/17 season, where he play once again play alongside Neil De Kock, Michael Rhodes, Schalk Brits and has also been in the same Springbok camp as Alistair Hargreaves.
On the announcement of the signing, Schalk Brits talked to the Saracens media about his friend:”I have known Schalk since our schooldays and he never ceases to amaze me. The character of the guy, given how much he has gone through is really amazing and it tells you volumes about him as a person. He is one of the most chilled people you could ever want to meet off the pitch but when he crosses the whitewash that all changes and he becomes an awesome player.”
The South African flanker is one of the best on the planet, but he hasn’t always found life so easy. In 2013, he had to battle for his life, when he suffered some serious medical problems that lasted months at the begining of the year. However, he didn’t let this stop him as 15 months later, he won a Man of the Match award at Twickenham, where he also scored a try. This resulted in him being awarded the 2015 Laureus Comeback of the Year award for his inspirational return to health.
The Springbok loose forward,Burger, will link up with Saracens after a spell with Japanese club Suntory Sungoliath and Super Rugby’s Stormers.
