Schalk (jnr) Burger
Full names: Schalk Willem Petrus
Date of birth: 13 Apr 1983
Place of birth: Port Elizabeth
School: Paarl Gimnasium
Springbok no: 754
Debut test province: Western Province
Physical: 1.93m, 106kg
Current age: 40

Test summary: Tests: 86 Tries: 16
First Test: 24 Oct 2003 Age:20 Reserve against Georgia at Sydney Football Stadium (Aussie stadium), Sydney
Last Test: 30 Oct 2015 Age:32 Flank against Argentina at Olympic Stadium, London
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentResultScoreVenueProv
24 Oct 200320ReserveGeorgiaWin: 46-191 trySydney Football Stadium (Aussie stadium), SydneyWP
01 Nov 200320ReserveSamoaWin: 60-10 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), BrisbaneWP
08 Nov 200320ReserveNew ZealandLose: 9-29 Colonial Stadium (Telstra Dome), MelbourneWP
12 Jun 200421FlankIrelandWin: 31-17 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinWP
19 Jun 200421FlankIrelandWin: 26-17 Newlands, Cape TownWP
26 Jun 200421FlankWalesWin: 53-181 tryLoftus Versfeld, PretoriaWP
17 Jul 200421FlankPacific IslandsWin: 38-24 Central Coast Stadium, GosfordWP
24 Jul 200421FlankNew ZealandLose: 21-23 Lancaster Park (Jade stadium), ChristchurchWP
31 Jul 200421FlankAustraliaLose: 26-30 Subiaco Oval, PerthWP
14 Aug 200421FlankNew ZealandWin: 40-26 Ellispark, JohannesburgWP
21 Aug 200421FlankAustraliaWin: 23-19 Kingspark, DurbanWP
06 Nov 200421FlankWalesWin: 38-36 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffWP
13 Nov 200421FlankIrelandLose: 12-17 Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), DublinWP
20 Nov 200421FlankEnglandLose: 16-32 Twickenham, LondonWP
18 Jun 200522FlankFranceDraw: 30-30 Kingspark, DurbanWP
25 Jun 200522FlankFranceWin: 27-13 Boet Erasmus, Port ElizabethWP
09 Jul 200522FlankAustraliaLose: 12-30 Stadium Australia, SydneyWP
23 Jul 200522ReserveAustraliaWin: 33-20 Ellispark, JohannesburgWP
30 Jul 200522ReserveAustraliaWin: 22-16 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaWP
06 Aug 200522FlankNew ZealandWin: 22-16 Newlands, Cape TownWP
20 Aug 200522FlankAustraliaWin: 22-19 Subiaco Oval, PerthWP
27 Aug 200522FlankNew ZealandLose: 27-31 Carisbrook, DunedinWP
05 Nov 200522ReserveArgentinaWin: 34-23 Velez Sarsfield Stadium, Buenos AiresWP
19 Nov 200522FlankWalesWin: 33-16 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffWP
26 Nov 200522FlankFranceLose: 20-26 Stade de France, ParisWP
10 Jun 200623FlankScotlandWin: 36-161 tryKingspark, DurbanWP
17 Jun 200623FlankScotlandWin: 29-15 Boet Erasmus, Port ElizabethWP
26 May 200724FlankEnglandWin: 58-101 tryFree State Stadium, BloemfonteinWP
02 Jun 200724FlankEnglandWin: 55-221 tryLoftus Versfeld, PretoriaWP
16 Jun 200724FlankAustraliaWin: 22-19 Newlands, Cape TownWP
23 Jun 200724FlankNew ZealandLose: 21-261 tryKingspark, DurbanWP
15 Aug 200724FlankNamibiaWin: 105-133 triesNewlands, Cape TownWP
25 Aug 200724FlankScotlandWin: 27-3 Murrayfield, EdinburghWP
09 Sep 200724FlankSamoaWin: 59-7 Parc des Princes, ParisWP
30 Sep 200724EighthmanUSAWin: 64-151 tryStade de la Mosson, MontpellierWP
07 Oct 200724FlankFijiWin: 37-20 Stade Velodrome, MarseillesWP
14 Oct 200724FlankArgentinaWin: 37-13 Stade de France, ParisWP
20 Oct 200724FlankEnglandWin: 15-6 Stade de France, ParisWP
24 Nov 200724FlankWalesWin: 34-12 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffWP
21 Jun 200825ReserveItalyWin: 26-0 Newlands, Cape TownWP
05 Jul 200825FlankNew ZealandLose: 8-19 WestPac Stadium, WellingtonWP
12 Jul 200825FlankNew ZealandWin: 30-28 Carisbrook, DunedinWP
19 Jul 200825FlankAustraliaLose: 9-16 Subiaco Oval, PerthWP
16 Aug 200825FlankNew ZealandLose: 0-19 Newlands, Cape TownWP
23 Aug 200825FlankAustraliaLose: 15-27 Kingspark, DurbanWP
30 Aug 200825FlankAustraliaWin: 53-8 Ellispark, JohannesburgWP
08 Nov 200825FlankWalesWin: 20-15 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffWP
15 Nov 200825FlankScotlandWin: 14-10 Murrayfield, EdinburghWP
22 Nov 200825FlankEnglandWin: 42-6 Twickenham, LondonWP
27 Jun 200926FlankBritainWin: 28-25 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaWP
29 Aug 200926ReserveAustraliaWin: 32-25 Subiaco Oval, PerthWP
05 Sep 200926ReserveAustraliaLose: 6-21 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), BrisbaneWP
12 Sep 200926FlankNew ZealandWin: 32-29 Waikato Stadium, HamiltonWP
13 Nov 200926FlankFranceLose: 13-20 Stade Municipal, ToulouseWP
28 Nov 200926FlankIrelandLose: 10-151 tryCroke Park, DublinWP
12 Jun 201027FlankFranceWin: 42-17 Newlands, Cape TownWP
26 Jun 201027FlankItalyWin: 55-11 Basil Kenyon Stadium, East LondonWP
10 Jul 201027FlankNew ZealandLose: 12-32 Eden Park, AucklandWP
17 Jul 201027FlankNew ZealandLose: 17-311 tryWestPac Stadium, WellingtonWP
24 Jul 201027FlankAustraliaLose: 13-30 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), BrisbaneWP
21 Aug 201027FlankNew ZealandLose: 22-291 tryNational Stadium, JohannesburgWP
28 Aug 201027FlankAustraliaWin: 44-31 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaWP
04 Sep 201027FlankAustraliaLose: 39-41 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinWP
11 Sep 201128FlankWalesWin: 17-16 WestPac Stadium, WellingtonWP
17 Sep 201128FlankFijiWin: 49-3 WestPac Stadium, WellingtonWP
22 Sep 201128FlankNamibiaWin: 87-0 North Harbour Stadium, North Shore CityWP
30 Sep 201128FlankSamoaWin: 13-5 North Harbour Stadium, North Shore CityWP
09 Oct 201128FlankAustraliaLose: 9-11 WestPac Stadium, WellingtonWP
14 Jun 201431ReserveWalesWin: 38-16 Kingspark, DurbanWP
21 Jun 201431ReserveWalesWin: 31-30 Mbombela Stadium, NelspruitWP
28 Jun 201431FlankScotlandWin: 55-6 Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port ElizabethWP
27 Sep 201431ReserveAustraliaWin: 28-10 Newlands, Cape TownSuntory
04 Oct 201431ReserveNew ZealandWin: 27-25 Ellispark, JohannesburgSuntory
08 Nov 201431ReserveIrelandLose: 15-29 Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), DublinSuntory
15 Nov 201431FlankEnglandWin: 31-281 tryTwickenham, LondonSuntory
18 Jul 201532EighthmanAustraliaLose: 20-24 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), BrisbaneSuntory
25 Jul 201532Eighthman (C)New ZealandLose: 20-27 Ellispark, JohannesburgSuntory
08 Aug 201532EighthmanArgentinaLose: 25-37 Kingspark, DurbanSuntory
15 Aug 201532EighthmanArgentinaWin: 26-12 Velez Sarsfield Stadium, Buenos AiresSuntory
19 Sep 201532EighthmanJapanLose: 32-34 Brighton Community Stadium, BrightonSuntory
26 Sep 201532FlankSamoaWin: 46-61 tryVilla Park, BirminghamSuntory
03 Oct 201532FlankScotlandWin: 34-161 trySt James Park, NewcastleSuntory
07 Oct 201532FlankUSAWin: 64-0 Olympic Stadium, LondonSuntory
17 Oct 201532FlankWalesWin: 23-19 Twickenham, LondonSuntory
24 Oct 201532FlankNew ZealandLose: 18-20 Twickenham, LondonSuntory
30 Oct 201532FlankArgentinaWin: 24-13 Olympic Stadium, LondonSuntory

Schalk Burger : Scrum.com

The unmistakable Burger is one of the stars of the modern game and has been making a sizable impression since bursting onto the international stage. He was part of the South Africa squad that won the IRB U21 World Championship crown in 2002 and was soon rewarded with his Springboks debut at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

He was 20 years old when made his international bow off the bench against Georgia on 24 October and went on to grab a try in South Africa's 46-19 victory. He featured as a replacement twice more in the tournament before being handed his first start by new coach Jake White against Ireland in the first Test clash of 2004.

He was selected at No.6 (openside flanker in South African rugby) and soon established himself as one of the best in the world. Burger started 11 Tests in 2004, playing a key role in South Africa's first Tri-Nations triumph since 1998 and his impressive performances saw him awarded the IRB Player of the Year honour.

The rising star continued his strong run of form in 2005 making another 11 appearance for the Springboks including a long-awaited away victory in the Tri-Nations against Australia in Perth. His career was threatened in 2006 when he suffered a neck injury in the 29-15 victory over Scotland on 10 June.

The injury required cervical fusion surgery and there were fears that he may never play again - however the subsequent operation was declared a success and he began a long period of rehabilitation. Against the odds he battled back to fitness and returned to the international fray against England on 26 May 2007 - scoring a try in the 58-10 mauling of the tourists.

He continued to impress, grabbing a hat-trick of tries against Namibia in a crushing 105-13 victory in August that year. Unsurprisingly Burger was named as part of the South Africa squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup but his physical approach to the game got him in trouble in the Boks' first clash against Samoa.

Yellow carded five times in his international career, he escaped immediate punishment for a high tackle on Junior Polu but was later cited and handed a four-match suspension which would have ruled him out of action until the semi-finals.

However his ban was halved on appeal and he returned to the line-up for the match against the USA - notching his 10th career try in the process. He was an ever-present from that point on as the Springboks scored their second Rugby World Cup success - culminating with the victory over England in the final. With the arrival of new coach Peter de Villiers in 2008, Burger retained his place in the Springboks squad.

Following a disappointing Tri Nations in 2008, where the Springboks finished bottom, Burger was included in the touring squad for Tests against Wales, Scotland and England. Burger and the Springboks recorded three wins, including a record 42-6 win over England at Twickenham. At the end of the tour, Burger stayed behind to take his place among the ranks of the Barbarians to play Australia at Wembley.

The following year Burger was selected in the Springboks squad to play against the touring British & Irish Lions. He missed the first test through injury and was replaced by Heinrich Brüssow but he returned in time for the second Test at the Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. After just 30 seconds Burger was sin-binned for an alleged eye-gouge on Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald. Once he returned he did not have a good game by his standards but the Springboks went onto win the game and therefore the series.

Burger had to appear before a disciplinary panel and was banned for eight weeks despite many critics thinking he should have been handed a stiffer sentence. South Africa coach Peter de Villiers defended the flanks' actions in the post-match press conference and then again a few days later. He said: "Why don't we all go to the nearest ballet shop, get some nice tutus and get some great dancing going on. No eye-gouging, no tackling, no nothing. Then enjoy. But in this game there will be collisions. There are no collisions in ballet."

The South African board made an immediate apology over de Villiers' comments and distanced themselves from what he had said. Five days after the incident Burger denied he was a 'rugby thug' but still had not apologised to Luke Fitzgerald. "I am not a rugby thug and will never intentionally engage in eye-gouging or similar illegal actions. This was also the case in the second Test against the Lions. I am therefore grateful that the judicial officer confirmed my stance with his conclusion that there was no deliberate eye-gouging as charged by the citing official," he said.

Burger made his Super Rugby debut for the Stormers in 2004 and his Currie Cup bow for Western Province the same year. His father, also called Schalk Burger, gained international honours for South Africa during their years of isolation in the 1980s.