Schalk Burger facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Schalk Burger

Burger with South Africa in 2007
Full name	Schalk Willem Petrus Burger Jr.
Date of birth	(1983-04-13) 13 April 1983 (age 42)
Place of birth	Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Height	193 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	114 kg (251 lb; 17 st 13 lb)
School	Paarl Gimnasium
University	Stellenbosch University
Notable relative(s)	Schalk Burger (father)
Occupation(s)	Rugby player
Rugby union career
Position(s) Loose-forward Current team Saracens Youth Career 2002 Western Province Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2003–2014 Western Province 37 (35) 2004–2016 Stormers 123 (45) 2014–2016 Suntory Sungoliath 17 (25) 2016–2019 Saracens 52 (20) National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2003 South Africa U21 8 (20) 2003–2015 South Africa 86 (80) 2014–2015 Springbok XV 2 (0)

Schalk Willem Petrus Burger Jr. (born 13 April 1983) is a famous South African former professional rugby union player. He was known for playing as a flanker, a position in the back row of the scrum. Schalk played for Saracens in the English Premiership. He also proudly represented his country, South Africa, in 86 international matches.

Schalk was a key member of the team that won the 2007 Rugby World Cup. He was named South African Rugby Player of the Year twice, in 2004 and 2011. In 2004, he also received the prestigious IRB Player of the Year award, which is like being named the best rugby player in the world. He holds the record for the most appearances (84) and most tries (13) by a Springbok flanker. Schalk was known for his tough style of play, which sometimes led to him getting yellow cards. He also faced several injuries, especially to his neck and knee, which kept him off the field for long periods.

Early Life and Family Connections

Schalk Burger comes from a rugby family. His father, also named Schalk Burger, was also an international lock player for South Africa. This makes Schalk one of the few second-generation Springboks.

Schalk went to high school at Paarl Gimnasium. He was good at many sports there. After high school, he attended Stellenbosch University. However, he left university to focus on his rugby career full-time.

Starting His Rugby Journey

Schalk first played for the Under 21 Springbok team. This team won the U21 Rugby World Cup in 2002. He then captained the team in 2003. Soon after, he was chosen for the senior Springbok squad.

He made his first international appearance against Georgia in 2003. This was during the Rugby World Cup. He quickly became known as one of the best flankers in the world. He showed his skills in major competitions like the Super 12, Tri-Nations, and Currie Cup.

A Champion Year: 2004

In 2004, Schalk was part of a new Springbok team. Under their new coach, Jake White, they won the Tri-Nations trophy. This was a big achievement, as South Africa had not won it since 1998.

To top off an amazing year, Schalk received the IRB International Player of the Year award. This award recognizes the best rugby player in the world. He also won the ABSA SA Rugby Player of the Year award in 2004.

Overcoming Challenges: 2006 Injury

The Stormers during 2006.

After a mixed 2006 Super 14 season, Schalk was set to play for the national team again. However, in a match against Scotland in June 2006, he suffered a serious neck injury. He needed surgery on his spine.

The injury was so serious that some people wondered if he would ever play rugby again. His father shared that the injury was in a good spot for a full recovery. The South African Rugby Union announced that the surgery was successful. Schalk then spent many months recovering and working to get back on the field.

World Cup Glory: 2007

England playing South Africa in the 2007 World Cup.

After his successful surgery and recovery, Schalk returned to play for the Vodacom Stormers in January 2007. He showed flashes of his brilliant play. He helped the Stormers win their first game of the 2007 Super 14 season.

In mid-2007, he was chosen for the Springboks squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup. During the World Cup, he received a suspension for a high tackle. However, the suspension was reduced on appeal. Schalk returned to play a vital role in South Africa's victory. The Springboks defeated England 15–6 in the final. This win brought the Webb Ellis trophy back to South Africa for the second time.

Playing for the Stormers: 2008-2009

A Stormers match at Newlands.

In March 2008, Schalk was banned for two weeks. This happened after he spoke angrily to a touch judge during a Super 14 game. After another strong season with the Stormers, he was selected for the Springboks' 2008 Tri Nations campaign.

In 2009, Schalk was chosen to play against the British & Irish Lions. He had been recovering from a calf muscle injury. During a match against the Lions, he was involved in an incident with an opposing player. He received an eight-week ban. Schalk stated that he always played fairly and would never intentionally do anything illegal.

More Tries and Injuries: 2010-2011

2007 World Cup Final

Schalk was part of the South African squad for the 2010 Tri Nations series. He scored two tries during this tournament, both against New Zealand. Later in 2010, he broke a rib during the 2010 Currie Cup final. This injury meant he missed the end-of-year international matches.

He was selected for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He played in all the group matches. South Africa was knocked out in the Quarter Finals by Australia. In November 2011, Schalk was named the SARU's Player of the Year for the second time. This made him one of only five Springboks to win the award more than once.

A Remarkable Comeback: 2012-2013

The years 2012 and 2013 were tough for Schalk due to injuries and illness. While preparing for the 2013 Super Rugby season, he had calf spasms. Scans showed a cyst near his spinal cord. He had an operation to remove the cyst.

However, serious problems followed. Schalk caught a hospital infection during the operation, which led to a severe illness called bacterial meningitis. At one point, his condition was very serious, and there were worries for his life. After improving, he had more operations to fully remove the cyst. He spent six weeks in the hospital and then eight weeks recovering at home.

Schalk finally returned to play in September 2013. He came off the bench in a Currie Cup match. It was his first game in 18 months. He finished the game without any problems, showing his incredible determination.

New Teams and More World Cups: 2014-2015

In 2014, Schalk signed a two-year contract with the Japanese team Suntory Sungoliath. This contract allowed him to still play for the Stormers and the national team. Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer brought Schalk back into the national squad for the 2014 June test series. He had not played for South Africa since the 2011 World Cup.

Because of his amazing return to rugby after his illness, Schalk received the Comeback of the Year Award at the Laureus World Sports Awards. He also reached 100 Super Rugby appearances in 2015. He was chosen for the Springbok squad at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Schalk played in all seven matches, mostly as an openside flanker. The Springboks reached the semi-finals but lost to New Zealand. They then won the Bronze Final against Argentina. Schalk scored tries against Samoa and Scotland in the group stages. He also helped set up a try in their quarter-final win against Wales.

Schalk finished the 2015 World Cup with many records. He was one of the players with the most World Cup appearances (20). After the 2015 World Cup, Schalk suggested he would retire from international rugby.

Playing in England: 2016-2019

In 2016, Schalk signed a two-year deal to join the English team Saracens. He helped Saracens win the European Champions Cup twice, in 2017 and 2019. He played in both finals. In December 2018, Schalk announced that he would leave Saracens at the end of the 2018-2019 season. He planned to return to Cape Town, South Africa.

International Tries

Schalk Burger scored many tries for South Africa during his career. Here are some of them:

Tries	Opposition	Location	Venue	Competition	Date	Result
1	Georgia	Sydney, Australia	Sydney Football Stadium	2003 Rugby World Cup	24 October 2003	Won 46–19
1	Wales	Pretoria, South Africa	Loftus Versfeld	Test match	24 June 2004	Won 53–18
1	Scotland	Durban, South Africa	Kings Park Stadium	Test match	10 June 2006	Won 36–16
1	England	Bloemfontein, South Africa	Free State Stadium	Test match	26 May 2007	Won 58–10
1	England	Pretoria, South Africa	Loftus Versfeld	Test match	2 June 2007	Won 55–22
1	New Zealand	Durban, South Africa	Kings Park Stadium	2007 Tri Nations Series	23 June 2007	Lost 21–26
3	Namibia	Cape Town, South Africa	Newlands	Test match	15 August 2007	Won 105–13
1	United States	Montpellier, France	Stade de la Mosson	2007 Rugby World Cup	30 September 2007	Won 64–15
1	Ireland	Dublin, Ireland	Croke Park	Test match	28 November 2009	Lost 17–31
1	New Zealand	Wellington, New Zealand	Westpac Stadium	2010 Tri Nations Series	17 July 2010	Lost 21–26
1	New Zealand	Johannesburg, South Africa	FNB Stadium	2010 Tri Nations Series	21 August 2010	Lost 22–29
1	England	London, United Kingdom	Twickenham Stadium	Test match	15 November 2014	Won 31–28
1	Samoa	Birmingham, United Kingdom	Villa Park	2015 Rugby World Cup	26 September 2015	Won 46–6
1	Scotland	Newcastle, United Kingdom	St James' Park	2015 Rugby World Cup	3 October 2015	Won 34–16

Life Outside Rugby

When he was not playing rugby, Schalk Burger lived and worked with his family. They have a wine estate called Welbedacht Wine Estate near Wellington, Western Cape.

Schalk married Michele de Munck, an interior designer, on December 3, 2011. They had been together for six years before getting married. The couple has two sons. Their first son, also named Schalk Jr., was born in August 2012. Their second son, Nicol, was born in March 2014.

See also

In Spanish: Schalk Burger para niños