Ruben van Heerden's path to a Springbok cap has been anything but linear. The 28-year-old lock will finally make his Test debut against Wales in Durban on Saturday, seven years after leaving the Bulls and embarking on a journey that took him through the Sharks, Exeter Chiefs and ultimately to the Stormers — the franchise he credits with reviving his international prospects.
Van Heerden began his professional career at the Bulls in 2016 before moving to the Sharks, where he spent four years. Despite early promise and talk of future Bok honours, he struggled to break through South Africa's deep pool of second-row talent. A move to Exeter in 2022 failed to ignite his career, and after just one season he sought a return home. The Stormers, facing a lock crisis, offered him a short-term deal in 2023.
"I was quite young when I was playing here," Van Heerden said at the team hotel in Umhlanga, reflecting on his Sharks years. "But I think the change of scenery in going to Cape Town definitely helped me. The trust shown to me by the coaching staff there really helped me get to where I am today."
That trust proved well-placed. Van Heerden quickly established himself as a vital component of the Stormers pack, contributing to their third-place finish on the URC log and a home final appearance against Munster. His performances earned him a permanent contract under John Dobson and, eventually, a call-up to Rassie Erasmus' Nations Championship squad.
Belated recognition
Van Heerden is one of four uncapped players set to make their Springbok debuts in Durban, alongside tighthead prop Carlu Sadie, fly-half Vusi Moyo and wing Jaco Williams. His selection comes at a time when several established Boks locks are sidelined through injury, opening a window that might otherwise have remained closed.
The lock's revival at the Stormers has not gone unnoticed abroad. He will join Top 14 side Montpellier at the start of next season, once his Springbok commitments are fulfilled. For now, though, his focus is on seizing an opportunity that once seemed to have passed him by — a chance to prove that the player who was spoken of as a future Bok in his junior years has finally arrived.