DHL Stormers lock Ruben van Heerden will finally realise his dream this Saturday, July 18, 2026, making his Test debut against Wales at Hollywoodbets Kings Park.
The 28-year-old, 2-meter-tall tight-five forward has taken a patient route to the green and gold. After representing SA Schools (2015) and SA Under-20 (2017), He began his senior career with a two-season stint at the Vodacom Bulls (2016–2018) before moving to the Hollywoodbets Sharks for four seasons (2018–2022).
Looking for a change of scenery, he moved to England for a brief spell with the Exeter Chiefs during the 2022/2023 season. Returning home to join the DHL Stormers in 2022 proved to be the turning point. He became a core fixture in their forward pack, playing a crucial role in pushing the team to the United Rugby Championship semi-finals and hitting his 50th franchise cap.
Van Heerden is one of four uncapped players introduced by Rassie Erasmus to build depth for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, joining Vusi Moyo, Jaco Williams, and Carlu Sadie in the squad.
It's exciting playing alongside some of the double World Cup winners, and then having three other guys making their debuts as well,” he said.
“You know you're not the only one, which is comforting. When I'm on the field on Saturday, and I look around me and see someone in the same position as I’m in, and at the same time get to draw inspiration from guys who have been there and done it, it makes it an occasion to look forward to.”
Reflecting on his call-up at the Springbok press conference, Van Heerden admitted the news brought immediate emotion:
“Some guys have to knock hard on the door; others can knock a bit softer. Because I had to wait so long, it means so much to me. When I heard, there was a mixture of shock and excitement. I am in no way nervous for Saturday.”
“Everyone walks a different path... I am trying not to overthink anything. I am just grateful for the opportunity.”
“As Malcolm said, it's a big privilege, so it’s a matter of trying to do your best and control the controllables. If it happens, it happens, and in this case, it's happening for me now, and I'm very grateful for it.”
“I think the change of scenery going to Cape Town and the trust that was shown in me by the coaching staff really helped me become the player I am today.”
“It’s always been a goal of mine [to become a Springbok]. You just try and do your best and control the controllables.”
Head coach Rassie Erasmus praised the lock's work ethic. Erasmus revealed Van Heerden won an internal squad award for his training performance over the last seven weeks.
Erasmus highlighted the lock's dedication, noting that Van Heerden turned down a Barbarians invitation earlier this year to commit to the South African setup:
"For seven weeks, he has been preparing the guys who have been in the Test teams. So it is nice to reward him."
"We are not giving out caps for free because we also feel Ruan (Nortje) deserves a rest. He has played a heck of a lot of rugby."