rwc15-Spotlight on Russel van Wyk

Russel van Wyk won the man of the match award in the first test against Russia last Saturday when he scored two tries in Namibia’s 39-19 victory.

The first took a great effort, as he was tackled 10 metres from the tryline but his strength and determination to score carried him over.

For the second, he turned on the speed and beat his Russian opponent on the outside to touch down in the corner.

It was a great performance by Van Wyk, who vividly recalled both tries.

“My first try was amazing and I’ll never forget it – it was my first try for Namibia in a test match at the Hage Geingob Stadium. I just decided that these Russians are not going to stop me from scoring so I just worked hard and managed to go over for the try,” he said.

“My second try, I just felt it’s now or never – it was between me and their wing and I just gave it my all. I turned on the speed, I don’t really know what happened, I still remember feeling a wind just behind me, but when I looked again I saw I had passed him and then I scored the try. I just ran straight and beat him with pace on the outside,” he added.

Pace is an asset that Russel has always had and at school he also represented Namibia in athletics.

But rugby was his game as he grew up with it in his family as well as at school. His father Steve played for the Rehoboth club, Reho Falcon and Russel started playing from his early school days in Otjiwarongo and later Tsumeb.

In his final school years he moved to Jan Mohr in Windhoek where he made his mark in both rugby and athletics. He was selected for the Namibian u16 rugby team that competed in the South African Grant Khomo Week, while he also made the national athletics team in 400m while he also had a 100m best In 2008, Van Wyk made the Namibian Craven Week team and in 2009, the U19 national team that competed at the Junior World Trophy tournament in Chile.

At the Craven Week he was spotted by Free State’s coach who offered him a contract with the result that Russel moved to Bloemfontein and started playing for Free State U19 and U21.

In 2011 he was called up to the Namibian Welwitschias team for the first time and made his debut against the Falcons. He was also selected for the original 50-man squad for the World Cup but missed the cut for the final 30 players, but this did not deter him.

“My motto is ‘winners never quit and quitters never win and I live according to that so I never gave up hope of playing for Namibia again and just continued to work hard,” he said.

In 2012 he moved to Johannesburg to join the Falcons after being offered a contract by their coach John Williams, who had previously coached Namibia.

“John Williams called me and asked me to join the Falcons, so I went to Jo’burg and signed a two-year contract with them. But I came back earlier to Namibia because I wanted to play for my country and felt that I wouldn’t get that opportunity if I stayed in South Africa,” he said.

Since then, Van Wyk made the squad for last year’s European tour and this year’s Vodacom Cup where he scored two tries against the Griffons. He also made the squad that travelled to Romania to compete in the Nations Cup, but with a lot of quality wings now back from abroad and competing for a place in the final World Cup squad, Russel knows it will not be easy.

“It has always been my dream to represent my country at the World Cup and for the last seven or eight years I have been working towards that goal, to make the World Cup team. Now that it’s so close, I will just do my best and hope for the best. The team has not been selected yet so a lot can still happen but I hope and pray that I make the squad,” he said.

One on One with Russel van Wyk

When and where were you born?

Windhoek, 12 August 1990

Schools attended:

Vooruit Primary School in Otjiwarongo, Otjiwarongo High School, Etosha Secondary School and Jan Mohr High School in Windhoek.

Who played a big role in your life?

My parents and my sister, Steffi. We are a very tight family and without their support nothing would have been possible. They always believed in me and supported me.

What do you like to eat and drink?

I like steaks a lot and especially spare ribs. I like to drink passion fruit and lemonade.

What music do you like?

What was your best performance?

In 2009 I played for Namibia u18 in a tournament in South Africa against England and France. Against England I ran 50 metres to score a try and a lot of those players are now in the England squad so that was one of my best performances.

Who was your favourite player?