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Revision as of 14:32, 11 April 2013

Heinrich Brüssow
Birth nameHeinrich Wilhelm Brüssow
Date of birth (1986-07-21) 21 July 1986 (age 38)
Place of birthBloemfontein, South Africa[1]
Height1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Weight104 kg (229 lb; 16 st 5 lb)[1]
SchoolGrey College, Bloemfontein[1]
UniversityUniversity of the Free State[1]
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2006- FS Cheetahs 50 (90)
Correct as of 27 October 2012
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007- Cheetahs 55 (30)
Correct as of 16 July 2012
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2009- South Africa South Africa 20 (5)
Correct as of 30 November 2012

Heinrich Wilhelm Brüssow (born 21 July 1986 in Bloemfontein, South Africa) is a South African rugby union footballer. He plays for the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup, Cheetahs in Super Rugby, and the Springboks internationally. His usual position is open-side flanker.

Early Career

Heinrich Brüssow attended Grey College in Bloemfontein where he played in the First XV and was later selected for the Under-18 Free State Craven Week side. Brüssow was part of the Free State Cheetahs squad who shared the Currie Cup glory in 2006 with the Blue Bulls, before playing in the 2007 Currie Cup final against the Golden Lions, scoring a crucial try and helping the team to a 20-18 win. In 2008 he was voted best open-side flanker in the Super 14 and Currie Cup. This earned him a call-up to the Springboks squad for the November 2008 tour to the British Isles. He only played the final 4 minutes in the end-of-tour test against England.

Professional Career

File:South Africa-Bloemfontein-Free State Stadium01.jpg
Free State Stadium

In 2009, Brüssow was again a flanker in the Super 14 competition. However, selectors excluded him from the Springboks squad. Soon afterwards he played for the Free State Cheetahs against the British and Irish Lions team; Brüssow was finally called up for Schalk Burger, who failed to recover from an injury for the first test against the Lions.[2][3] He received the Man-of-the-Match award in the Springboks' win against the All Blacks on the 25 July 2009.[4] Brüssow once again featured in a Currie Cup final in 2009, but the Free State Cheetahs lost to a hungry Blue Bulls team.

Early March 2010 Brüssow's career took a blow when he injured his cruciate knee-ligament[5] in a Super 14 game against the Hurricanes, which kept him from international rugby till August 2011. For the Cheetahs in the 2011 super rugby season Brussow was part of the Cheetahs team that finished 11th in the table. The cheetahs won five and lost eleven games that season which showed that they were not at their best. However they produced some wonderful wins against the Waratahs and the Brumbies. In the 2011 tri nations Brussow only came in at the third game against eventual champions Australia. South Africa lost the match 14-9. South Africa had nothing much to play for in final test against New Zealand but they could certainly spoil the party for New Zealand. Brussow put up a man of the match winning performance and South Africa beat the All blacks 18-5.

He returned to international competition on the 13th of August 2011 against Australia where he played for a short stint from the bench where he showed he still has all the ability that made him so popular in 2009.[6] On the 20th of August 2011 Heinrich Brüssow gave a Man-of-the-Match display of his skills as the Springboks managed to defeat arch-nemesis New Zealand All Blacks in Port Elizabeth.[7] Brussow played the first game against Wales which South Africa won 17-16 and against Fiji which the boks once again won 49-3. However against Namibia Alberts was favoured to Brussow in the starting line up which ment Brussow had to drop to the bench. SouthAfrica won that game and Brussow restored his place in the starting line up against Samoa which South Africa won to reach the Quarter-finals of the World Cup. In the Quarter Finals Brussow started against Australia. South Africa lost the game 11-9 and were knocked out of the competition. In the summer internationals Brussow was shockingly dropped from the team with new South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer preferring Marcell Coetzee. Even without Brussow's commitment South Africa won the series anagainst England with a win in the first test 22-17, second test 36-27 but where held to a draw in the third test 14-14.

Squads

  • 2005
    • Free State (SA Under 19)

Influential Games

2009

  • 20 June 2009 : South Africa vs British and Irish Lions I: Heinrich Brüssow replaces injured Schalk Burger in the starting line-up. His ball-stealing and recovering skills proved too much for the Lions. When he was replaced in the second half, the Lions managed to fight back, but not enough to win the game. Scored a try from the back of a maul.
  • 27 June 2009 : South Africa vs Lions II: Brüssow came on in the 62nd minute and effected a few crucial turn-overs helping seal the 28-25 victory for the South Africans.
  • 25 July 2009 : South Africa vs All Blacks I: Although being targeted, Brüssow battled competently against Richie McCaw, who is widely considered the best open-side flanker in the world. He made a number of crucial turn-overs and tackles. He was named Man-of-the-Match in the 28-19.
  • 1 August 2009 : South Africa vs All Blacks II: Continuing to build on his reputation, Brüssow again managed to compete with the All Black captain Richie McCaw at the breakdown. He once again made a number of crucial turnovers, tackles and powerful runs as the Boks won 31-19
  • 8 August 2009 : South Africa vs Wallabies I: Brüssow was once again in outstanding form for the Springboks as his ruck work, brutal hits and ball-carrying led South Africa to victory over Australia. His opposite number George Smith, also considered one of the best in world rugby, could not cut it with Brüssow, and his frustration led to a yellow card.
  • 13 November 2009 : South Africa vs France: It was a grey evening for the men in green, as they were out-muscled by France 20-13. Brüssow, though, stood up and kept the Springboks in the match with several vital turnovers and tackles. Even though it was a defeat, the match in Toulouse was considered Brüssow's best in a test jersey up to that point.

2011

  • 20 August 2011: After a lengthy injury lay off Heinrich Brüssow returned to the international stage in the Springboks final two Tri Nations matches of the 2011 season. After a short stint against Australia (13 August 2011), he played a full game against New Zealand All Blacks. With a first-off whitewash on the cards, Brüssow's fetching skills would be vital, in order for the Boks to gain some momentum before the (RWC World Cup 2011). Brüssow delivered a Man-of-the-Match winning performance. One that saw him make some fantastic and crucial turnovers, immense tackles and ball carries while going through an enormous amount of donkey work and taking a boot to the face for his efforts. Brüssow ended the game with a bloodied, pockmarked face and bandage, but most probably assured his place in Peter De Villiers' plans for rugby's greatest stage in New Zealand. (RWC World Cup 2011)
  • 9 October 2011: After South Africa progress to the Quarter-Finals of the Rugby world cup they lose 11-9 in Wellington to be knocked out of the competition.

Tournament Winner Medals

Tournament Winner
Year Tournament Team Position
2009 Tri Nations Springboks Openside Flanker
2009 British and Irish Lions Springboks Openside Flanker
2007 Currie Cup Free State Cheetahs Openside Flanker
2006 Currie Cup Free State Cheetahs Squad Member
2004 Craven Week Free State U/18 Openside Flanker

Injury

South Africa's flanker Heinrich Brussow has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a cruciate knee-ligament injury during the Cheetahs' 28‑12 win over the Hurricanes in the Super 14 on Saturday.

The 23-year-old's injury, which is expected to keep him out for eight months, means he will miss the defence of the Tri-Nations title and is unlikely to make the end-of-year tour of Britain and Ireland.

The Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske said: "Its a big blow. Heinrich is irreplaceable; he is a once-in-a-lifetime-player who always gives 150%. It's very bad for Heinrich, but it's one position in which we have depth with players like Hendro Scholtz and Kabamba Floors able to deputise."

Brussow, who has 13 caps, made his mark on the international stage when he replaced the injured Schalk Burger in the starting XV for the first Test against the British and Irish Lions last summer, and was outstanding as they went on to secure a 2-1 series victory.

He followed that up with an excellent Tri-Nations series, winning the man of the match award in the 28‑19 victory over New Zealand in Bloemfontein and was named SA Rugby young player of the year.

Awards

  • 2011
    • South Africa medal for reaching quarter final
  • 2009[1]
    • SA Rugby Young Player of the Year
    • Provincial Player of the Castle SA 2009 Lions Series
    • {nominee} SA Player of the Year
  • 2008[1]
    • {nominee} Sasol Young Player of the Year
    • {nominee} ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year

Playing Style

Heinrich Brussow is known well in South Africa because of his immense and unstoppable work at the breakdown and in the scrum. He broke into the South African team due to his excellent performances. He was also admired by many when he outfought New Zealand captain Richie McCaw in two of their duels against each other, one which South Africa won 18-5.

Transfer Rumours

In January 2012 there was a rumour that Brussow may join Ireland pro 12 team Ulster Rugby but Brussow eventually stayed with the Cheetahs.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g http://www.sarugby.co.za/playerprofile.aspx?id=35550&category=&leagueid=0 Official SA Rugby site
  2. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/8100972.stm BBC: Brüssow handed Springboks start
  3. ^ http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/06/16/rugby.lions.springboks.test/index.html CNN: Springboks call for flanker Brüssow
  4. ^ "Pocket rocket to plague All Blacks". Stuff.co.nz. 28 July 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  5. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/mar/08/heinrich-brussow-injury-south-africa Guardian.co.uk
  6. ^ http://sport.iafrica.com/rugby/news/747735.html iAfrica.com:Brussow to steal the show
  7. ^ http://sport.iafrica.com/news/747805.html iAfrica.com:Boks come to the party
  8. ^ http://mg.co.za/article/2011-08-23-no-surprises-in-world-cup-bok-squad/ Mail & Guardian: No surprises in World Cup Squad

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