Striving to be the best player in Japan

The biggest talent in South African Rugby who has recently selected for 『Man of the Match』 in both 2nd and 3rd games in this season. This is his first exclusive interview.

◆Big challenge as a ball carrier

—— The game 2 against Toyota, it was your first match in Japan and you were selected for Man of the Match, How do you feel?

Obviously it was a good start for me. I'm learning different style of Japanese rugby. I'm also leaning a culture of Sungoliath. I think I adapted reasonably easy but still have some improvement to come.

—— Do you think the Japanese rugby is quite different style compare to South African rugby?

I think it is. I think for me there is different physical attribute that we have to have here. I think Super Rugby is a very high level and test you on a quite wide variety of skills. I think here is different, there is a big swings in the game. Also it is not easy to change your style so it is a new challenge and also a difficult challenge than previous challenges.

The tackles are very low in Japan. So I have to have new skills to go through the contact and Japanese rugby is much tougher in fitness level.

—— You don't like getting low tackle?

Maybe because I'm bigger, I always go for the ball trying to stop the ball. So for example the game I played for Stormers in Capetown. Probably 80% of the tackles are upper body. Where here in Japan completely the other way. So for me as a ball carrier, it's a big challenge.

South African rugby is obviously confronted by hitting the ball. So it's a different game to here where they use more leg drive in SA and go through the contact but in Japan your legs are taken away. I think more chances for offload passing but it is always difficult to make offload pass.

—— So do you think you can improve yourself if you could adapt to Japanese style rugby?

I think it's a part of the learning and something brand new, I only played my third game. I think playing more games with other players and I learn how I ran. Also I will find the way to combat the low tackles.

—— Are you confident to find the way?

I think important to play the way you play but I think in that big scope to learn and important to adapt.

◆Japanese rugby is fast and toughness

—— Suntory have Fourie Du Preez in the squad, have you heard anything from him before joining Suntory?

Obviously we are good mates, he was actually one of the guys urging me to come to play in Japan. And back in South Africa he is one of the finest players who had been playing in the Japan league. Japanese rugby is fast and requires different toughness to South African rugby

—— We have a numbers of world class players playing rugby in Japan. Do you think this is because Japanese rugby is more recognized in the world scene?

Recent years, the South African players were not so interested to play in Japan but now like Jaque Fourie, Andries Bekker are playing in Japan and I think now is the moment and lot of South Africans are coming across.

Also South African players are reasonably hard workers and well discipline. I think we've got natural physicality too. I think the South African players are fit to Japanese style rugby and it's a good place to play.

—— This is your first time playing in overseas but why did you want to challenge playing in overseas?

That's a difficult question. I had a choice to play overseas. I could go and play in Europe but at that time I spoke to Fourie who then recommended me to play in Japan. I thought about it for a while but I am experiencing many things and enjoying myself. So I think I've made a right decision.

—— What are the things that Fourie recommended about japan?

Firstly the lifestyle, he said he enjoys the lifestyle here in Japan. Second thing is coming from South Africa I have a lot of privacy. So back in South Africa, obviously I played for the Springboks so you get to recognized everywhere. So I think you come here at the rugby field the business is usual, where you feel in the changing room here or where you feel playing for the Springboks are same. But outside of the rugby field you got a lot of quality family time.

◆ Father who followed the same footsteps as him

—— -Is your family here as well?

Yes, my wife and two boys.

—— I have heard that one of your sons have same name "Schalk Burger" right?

We've got family name so my father is also Schalk Burger. He also played for Western Province and Springboks. Different middle name and I'm the 5th generation Schalk Burger. Fourie Du Preez is same, his son has same name.

—— Is it quite common in South Africa?

It's an Afrikaans culture.

—— How about your second son?

No, his name is Niko Christian Burger. It's normally the first son gets the same.

—— Did you get influenced by your father to play rugby because he was also a player?

I think so, where I grow up in South Africa, two sports are the main sports. Cricket and Rugby. So I played both at school. When I finished school at 18, Cricket contract started and half way through my first year I swapped to rugby.

My dad was obviously rugby player and I used to go watch the rugby when I was young. He always gets recognized so for me growing up I knew my dad was a famous rugby player.

—— Did your father taught you on how to play rugby?

Yes when I was young he gave me an influence on rugby and cricket. I think it's good to have father that played the game. As a son and been through a similar life always good to get advice.

—— Is your grandfather also a rugby player?

No, (laugh) but looking at my son it is a good chance.

◆Challenge towards Rugby is enjoyable

—— Were you big when you were young?

Yes, always tall but quite skinny at that age and once you get to play rugby I turned bigger.

—— When you first start playing rugby, what part of the rugby was most exciting for you?

I've always enjoyed the game and I don't think anything has changed. 80 minutes on the field is unbelievable. Obviously after the 80 minutes 23 of us standing and enjoying the few fine beers afterwards makes me more worthwhile. (Laugh)

—— Could you explain more specific about this" 80 minutes", what's enjoyable?

I think its challenge of rugby and every week is different challenge. All of us got reputations and high standards and trying to get to the level. The rugby is one of the games where so many uncontrollable. Always takes out of your comfort zone. I think it teaches you a lot about yourself and your team mates.

—— How do you want to express yourself in those 80 minutes?

I think I enjoy both sides, I enjoy the mental aspect of the game but I also enjoy the physical side. I always want to have high involvement. I want to be a part of the game. So when I grew up and playing rugby on the school park I want to get the ball in my hand all day. That hasn't changed.

—— So when I see you play rugby and you are not having the ball, I see you are very frustrated?

Probably (Laugh), sometimes in rugby the team will not going to have the ball. Then I've got a come up with a different plan. I hopefully make a lot of tackles, turn overs but I like when we have got the ball.

◆ To make my life better.

—— Which game you spend the best 80 minutes in previous rugby career?

I think it's difficult but there've been a few. I think the stand out for the magnitude of the event was winning the world cup in 2007. I don't think the players in that game played the best 80 minutes but it was definitely our biggest moment. I think in rugby your personal performance is not always that important but team performance is more important sometime.

With the Springboks, we won two Trinations and obviously the world cup. I think those events are memorable.

—— By talking to you and seeing you smiling, you look like you know how to enjoy your life?

It's always been my way. I love having a good time. I think a lot of people see me playing on the field and when they meet me off the field they can't believe how relax I am.

—— What's your future rugby plan?

I think things change quickly but next year is a world cup year. I think all of us in the back of our mind we are aiming to win another world cup. Obviously my immediate goal is to win at Suntory and we must have successful season. So stick with now and hopefully I play well for Suntory and we do well as a team. I will be playing few test matches hopefully and always nice to play for your country. It's really honor to play for your country.

—— Do you think your physicality level is still evolving?

I'm feeling good. In our game changes a lot in one week. I'm learning lots here and I was in one province since 2002. I think it's easy to get bored. So I think at the moment it's good for me, leaning new things and adapting and trying to impose myself on Japan league and becoming a good player.

—— Your position hasn't been changed previously right?

My first warmup game was at 6 and against Toyota I played 7 and against Canon I played 8. In South Africa I played between 6 and 7. I played quite few games on 8 but mostly 6 or 7.

I think when I was young, I was set to open side flanker. I think it was a right thing to do because you want to play in a certain position and full up your potential.

Obviously game develops every year, I'm more rounded player than I was 21 years old. I don't know whether this is a good thing or not. (Laugh)

—— What do you want your fans to see?

I think biggest thing for me is enjoyment. So the fans see me play and they feel I'm enjoying the rugby so the fans enjoy themselves, I think this is a very good thing. Fans see me running and playing rugby in high energy, that's my stand out feature.

(Interview & constructed by Kazuyoshi Hariya / Edited by Yutaro Igarashi)
[Picture ：Aki Nagao]