Philip BurgerPhilip Burger may not have had his chance to represent the Springboks in the 15 man game, but his rugby résumé is by no means lacking.

One of the quickest men in world rugby, and certainly the player with the best spacial awareness of anyone I’ve seen play the game, Philip Burger chose to ply his trade in France since leaving the Cheetahs after the 2007 season, where he was the top try-scorer in the 2006 Currie Cup competition. He joined up with French club, Perpignan, and has since enjoyed the chance of being part of their victorious 2008/2009 squad. 

Burger has also excelled at rugby sevens and represented the Springbok 7s team, where he was the top try scorer in the 2006 IRB Sevens tournament in George.

He is probably best remembered for his gravity defying acrobatics when crossing the chalk for a try whilst in South Africa. He might no be diving so high these days, but he still loves getting the crowd going after scoring.

BlogSpotRugby caught up with Philip Burger and asked him a few quick questions regarding His time in France and the 2010 Super 14.

Here Goes:

  • Dooley: How have you been enjoying your time in France, and do you think you will play out your career there, or return to SA once your contract there is up?
  • Philip: Living in the South of France is amazing, it’s so chilled and care free that sometimes you forget you have to play rugby on the weekends. I have another 2 years after this season, signed with Perpignan, but things can happen so fast in this “industry”. Guys are getting payed a lot of money back home, I hear. I’d like to finish my career in SA if I could.
  • Dooley: You have the best spacial awareness out of any rugby player I have ever seen, and are certainly one of the quickest around too. If you could choose three players to have a “sprint off” against, who would they be and why?
  • Philip: On a rugby field it’s more about when you apply your speed rather than brute pace, but I can tell you who I wouldn’t get into a “sprint off” against, is Jongi Nokwe and Tonderai Chavhanga, don’t think there’s anyone in world rugby that can catch those okes, for the rest I’m not too worried.
  • Dooley: You enjoyed great success with the Cheetahs during the Currie Cup, but not so much in the Super 14. If you could choose to be based at, and play for any Super 14 team, which would it be and why?
  • Philip: I think the Stormers are building a great setup down in Cape Town. Rassie and his team have all the structures in place now to have a winning S14 franchise. It would be nice to get involved in something like that, I think.
  • Dooley: With the Super 14 about to start in the Southern Hemisphere, will you be tuning in to watch any of the games?
  • Philip: All the games are on Sky, which we have at home. We watch all the Currie Cup games as well.
  • Dooley: Was it difficult to learn the language when you moved over to France and did you take any lessons before, in preparation?
  • Philip: Nope, no lessons before we came over. In the beginning it was really difficult, but at Perpignan there are no translators and all the sessions are in French, so you pick it up quite fast, but to express yourself is still very difficult.
  • Dooley: How do the local ‘watering holes’ compare to those in Bloem, and which is your favourite?
  • Philip: Nothing comes close to Bloem, but that’s cause people make a place and not the other way around.

Here is a clip of the kind of devastating pace and spacial awareness Philip Burger is capable of: [gilontano]