Best flanker of last decade joins Sarries

Ex Supersport

South Africa flanker Schalk Burger signed a two-year contract with English Premiership champions Saracens on Monday.

Burger, a World Cup winner in 2007, is scheduled to arrive at Allianz Park next season after he finishes spells at Japanese club Suntory Sungoliath and Super Rugby province Stormers.

The 32-year-old back row, who was a key player for South Africa during their run to the semifinals of last year's World Cup in England, has been capped 86 times and was named world player of the year in 2004.

"I'm delighted to be joining Saracens. I'm extremely excited to have the opportunity to play in both the Premiership and European Cup - two of the leading competitions in world rugby - for such a special club," Burger told Saracens' website.

"It's an exciting challenge for me and my family and hopefully I can add a lot of value on and off the field to an already successful group of players and coaches."

Recruiting Burger is a major coup for the Premiership leaders, who have been looking to strengthen due to this season's departure of Ernst Joubert and Jacques Burger.

Burger holds the record for the most caps accumulated and most tries scored by a Springbok flanker and can play across the back row, although he is most at home in the No 6 jersey.

South Africa built their gameplan around him at last autumn's World Cup, repeatedly using him at first receiver where he would either carry, clear out a ruck or feed the ball to his fly-half or wing.

He has been troubled by neck and knee injuries in the past, but his darkest hour came in 2013 when surgery to relieve pressure on a nerve resulted in him contracting a hospital bug that led to bacterial meningitis.

A four-day spell in isolation in intensive care led to fears for his life, but he recovered and was able to play again by the end of the season.

Director of rugby Mark McCall insists Saracens, the only unbeaten team in Europe this season, have signed one of the sport's outstanding players.

"Schalk is a Springbok legend and will add a huge amount of experience and quality to our young English forwards," McCall said.

"We have always talked about having the right blend of experience and youth in our squad, so to be able to add one of the world's finest players to the group is extremely exciting news."

Another blow to the Stormers. 

 
A good player in his day ... but now all we see is a battered and tired old warhorse in his twilight years.

As for the best flanker of the last decade ... I beg to differ.

He'll probably make the top ten with Mr McCaw topping the list.

Sorry!! I know that won't please you.




 

 ...Bean Brain I see in the news that Vermulen is luring Koch away from yr rain puddle team...a lot of European teams apparently interested in him but likely he'll join his former teammate at Toulon...that should cheer you up no end..  

 McCaw is king. Burger had some good years - even won player of the year once if I remember correctly. He deserves credit for his determined & successful fight back from near death to top rugby levels. Sadly misused in 2015 RWC. Great player but not on Richie's level.

 Take away mcaaaws illegal play and what have you left but a pretty average player. We all should know mcheat was aided and abetted by bent down under refs - that much is blatantly obvious. Hence the world wide use of the name mcheat.
One can only hope for a clean new start from nz rugby given mcaaaaaw's retirement but being a realist I can only advise dont bank on it. They have been very consistent with regards to illegal play - part of their rugby DNA. Some time in the future when biological advances have happened and DNA repairs are possible perhaps we might see a change for the better re NZ rugby. But I am not holding my breath!
JW mcaaaaw is not remotely in the class of Burger.  Burger achieved what he did playing in ther spirit of the game mcaaaaaw didnt.
End of Story

 Tell me Hasbeeno, when Schalk was red carded for a cowardly and filthy attack on an opponent in a test match, was he still playing in "ther" spirit of the game??

 Man for a minute I thought that u guys were referring to Victor "Greybeard" Matfield but then I recalled he did not play on the flank but at fly-half.

I think Schalk Burger was only red carded once in a test match (against Samoa for a dangerous tackle) but I'm pretty sure you're referring to his cowardly and disgusting eye-gouge on Luke Fitzgerald . . . for which he didn't even have the grace or decency to apologise. I wonder if that is "ther" spirit of the game that the painfully stupid and ignorant Baboon-ou is referring to?

Choosing the best flanker is a jig saw puzzle...we will differ because of the diversity of play, yes Schalk was very good but imo there have been more better players in the past and still younger players knocking at the door to surpass him.

One just has to look back in history...there in fact are myriads of flankers that can challenge him...Richie Mc Caw when he was young surpassed all in the modern/recent era... then there was Thierry Dusaitour when he peaked in 2011 was the best loosie to come out of that short span of time...dare we go back further to Rob Louw, Jan Ellis,Michael Jones and Piet Greyling etc and etc...no, it's a question of perception...rather like comparing the Windhond to Morne Du Plessis or Gary Teichmann...a futile argument

ou rooitwit was trashing Burger even in the year Burger was named IRB pla yer of the year. Can it get worse than that!Burger is appreciated as an excellent human being by so many but not by lunatics like ou rooitwit. On the other hand mcaaaws international nickname is mccheat. Spot the difference.I rest my case.

I wonder if the painfully stupid coward Baboon-ou can put up a picture of Richie McCaw doing anything close to this . . .



. . . or else remind us of an incident where Richie McCaw shoved a referee?

My bet is the gutless fool won't be able to.

 Case closed Hasbeeno. Please now extract both feet from that cavernous hole just under your top lip.......

 Appalling of Sarries and Leicester have signed Pietersen for next Season. Any more money grasping has beens you want to thrust our way ? 
As for Matfield, lost us the match on Saturday. Dreadful 

 Schalk is a great guy and is well-liked in Aus but geez he has been in a few unsavoury incidents on the field.

The inicdent on the Lions tour has been mentioned but in the 2011 RWC quarter-final he raked David Pocock in the same area a couple of times and it hardly ever got a mention in the press.

His action disappointed me because I am a huge fan.
.

 
Come now Moolaa ... don't be so harsh ... Burger was trying to help the lad ... he had something in his eye.

Very thoughtful man.