Brendan Gallagher’s feature: Bionic Jacques Burger is on his last crusade

After the best part of ten months at the coal face on behalf of Premiership champions Saracens, Jacques Burger is taking June off and intends to do nothing more energetic than putting the barbecue packs on the brai and sipping the odd lager and fine wine.
He has been to the well so often in recent years – nine major operations in six years at the club – that he will need every last hour of his sabbatical to recharge his batteries ahead of his final World Cup and one of the last great challenges he has set himself. Namely being a member of the first Namibian team to win a game at the tournament.
So far the minnows’ record is played 15 lost 15 and although you fear the worst when they play New Zealand and Argentina, if they harbour their resources and target the matches against Georgia and Tonga there is just a chance of that breakthrough victory.
Burger, who was unanimously voted into the unofficial team of the 2011 World Cup despite his team’s travails, is hoping English sport’s love of the underdog can help get them across the line with that first win.
“I suspect that a lot of people didn’t get the tickets for the big matches they really wanted and are perhaps thinking they are ‘stuck’ with our games. Well, if you are one of those, I promise we will be out there giving it everything and trying to make your World Cup match a memorable one. If you support us we will make you proud and give our best every time.
“In France in 2007 I have never experienced the support we got in our opening game against Ireland. Of course we were all in the same pool so French fans were hoping we could give Ireland a bloody nose but it definitely made a difference in the second half when we made things difficult for Ireland and gave as good as we got.
“Rugby fans know their stuff. They know the odds are stacked against us but if we come out blazing and play in a way that appeals they will instinctively support.
“Sometimes in the past I have sensed good rugby people get a little embarrassed for us if we take a big beating in a World Cup match. Don’t be. Just keep supporting us. When we have taken a beating in the past nothing alters our pride and excitement in taking part. As long as we will give it our best on the day we always finish our games happy and grateful. That doesn’t mean we will ever stop trying to be better. I’ve got one more World Cup in me and I am very excited.”
Burger’s colleagues are currently involved in the Nations Cup in Bucharest which, along with their African Cup game against Tunisia last Friday, more or less replicates their World Cup Pool schedule of four matches in quick succession.
More or less straight from Romania they go into a month long camp in Namibia where Russia will be on hand for a couple of hit-outs while there is talk of sharing some training time with South Africa although nothing has been confirmed.
“What can we do in two months? Our fitness levels have to be right up there. We started well in both 2007 and 2011, against Ireland and Fiji, and then dropped off noticeably as the tournament took its toll. There will be a good base coming off those four Tests this time but we need to put in some really hard yards all July.
“Our defence must be rock solid. We need to stay competitive for longer – and that can frustrate opponents and drag them down a bit. To achieve that we need to produce an incredible work rate, backed up with organisation and the right mindset. Defence is completely down to us. It is nothing to do with world-class skills, rich Unions, large player-bases and all that. Defence is about being fit, organised and up for it.
“And let’s not forget attack. We can fire some shots or own up front and Chrysander Botha is a major talent at full-back and wing if we can bring him into the game as much as possible.
“Two months is not enough time to strip things down altogether. You have to look at what is already good, preserve that and then work hard on the things that can be improved quickly.  We have guys who will work themselves to the bone to try and make those improvements happen.”
Burger is too modest to suggest the idea but somebody from the Saracens coaching team should do their good deed for the day and put together a CD highlighting Burger’s defensive work and monster hits in their Premiership semi-final at Saints and send it down to Namibia coach Danie Vermeulen in Windhoek.
In fact, while they are on the case why not compile a similar package detailing his extraordinary performance in the Heineken Cup semi-final against Clermont last year. Now if a team could collectively tackle like that for 80 minutes…
“The odds are always massively against us but we aren’t daunted,” added Burger. “There is always an energy and sense of adventure every time we come together. This year we seem to have a few more experienced players available who are playing professionally outside of Namibia and, hopefully, we can benefit from that.
“As a rugby group we need to be a bit cuter as well and that can only really come from experience. We need to be realistic about our goals, look at our game, work on our weaknesses and play to our strengths.
“It’s funny how it goes. We have real strength in some positions and are struggling for cover in others. But then again we only have about 1,000 players all in. We could put out a couple of decent back-rows though.
“Renaldo Bothma is a great prospect, look out for this guy because he has the strength and rugby brain to make things happen. He used to play for the Pumas in the Currie Cup and now is making a big impression for the Sharks. He can play anywhere in the back-row and made an immediate impact for us last year.
“Rian Kirstoff plays for Western Province and a few games for the Stormers, Thinus du Plessis is a warrior who has played for Wasps, Jacques Naude can play lock or back-row, he’s been playing down with Dax and PJ van Lill had played in France a lot with Dax and Brive. There are a few more besides them as well.”
Heading that list of back-row talent is Burger himself and given the toll on his body since the 2011 tournament it remains a wonder of modern medical science that, barring any accidents this summer, he will tog up for one final World Cup.
“There were a lot of days I thought I was done as a player, let alone be given the opportunity to play another World Cup. When I first started training again after the major operation on my knee to break and straighten the bones it was really painful and I was thinking to myself I can’t see this happening, I just couldn’t see myself getting back.
“The World Cup was a million miles away at that stage, it seemed nigh on impossible. I couldn’t do what I wanted to do and that was very frustrating.
“The last two seasons have already been a bonus, they have been incredible. If I had to stop right now my overriding emotion would be thanks and gratitude that I was granted those final two seasons. The World Cup has been good to me, Namibia have been great to me and I owe them both. Without my early playing days with Namibia and then the experience of playing against the world’s best I wouldn’t have been blessed with the long professional career I’ve enjoyed.
“The exposure of playing in the 2007 World Cup gave a big boost to my career. It was an important stepping stone. We went well against Ireland and people notice these things. I had just signed for Aurillac in France but during the World Cup I was contacted by the Bulls where I played the following season and then I joined Saracens.
“That personal opportunity is something I stressed to the boys in 2011 and we will talk about it again this summer.
“Not only is this a rare chance to represent Namibia at a World Cup but this is also potentially a life changing opportunity. It’s right there in front of you. Grab it.”