Andries Bekker (born 5 December 1983 in

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

) is a South African rugby union player for the

Springbok rugby team The South Africa national rugby union team, commonly known as the Springboks (colloquially the Boks, Bokke or Amabokoboko), is the country's national team governed by the South African Rugby Union. The Springboks play in green and gold jerse ...

as well as

Kobelco Steelers The Kobelco Kobe Steelers are a Japanese rugby union team owned by Kobe Steel, and based in Kobe. They were the first ever Top League champions when the League started in the 2003-2004 season. The team rebranded as Kobelco Kobe Steelers ahead of ...

in the Japanese

Top League Japan Rugby League One (formerly the Top League) is a rugby union competition in Japan. It is the highest level of professional rugby competition in the country. The Japan Rugby Football Union created the competition in 2003, by absorbing the ...

Playing career

Bekker made his South African debut in 2008 against

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

in a 43–17 victory in

Bloemfontein Bloemfontein, ( ; , "fountain of flowers") also known as Bloem, is one of South Africa's three capital cities and the capital of the Free State (province), Free State province. It serves as the country's judicial capital, along with legisla ...

. At 6'11" he is one of the tallest international rugby players, but he only made the Springbok side regularly after the retirement of locks

Bakkies Botha John Philip "Bakkies" Botha, (born 22 September 1979) is a South African former professional rugby union player who played as a lock for the Springboks until 2014. He was a member of the national team that won the 2007 Rugby World Cup in Franc ...

and

Victor Matfield Victor Matfield (born 11 May 1977) is a South African former professional rugby union player. He played for and South African rugby union captains, captained the South Africa national rugby union team, South Africa national team (Springboks) as ...

. He is the son of former Springbok International Hennie Bekker who was also a lock. Holding the record for being the tallest Springbok in history, Andries Bekker was an imposing figure in the DHL Stormers lineout. Despite his large physique, he is blessed with mobility and pace; aspects which have seen him become an integral part of the current Springbok squad. His experience and all-round ability was to be crucial to the success of a relatively young pack in 2010. In 2013 Bekker agreed to a move to Japanese club Kobelco Steelers. He announced his retirement in January 2018.

Accolades

Bekker was a Vodacom Super 14 Rugby Player of the Year nominee in 2008.

References

Sources

External links

*
itsrugby.co.uk profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bekker, Andries South African rugby union players South Africa international rugby union players Stormers players Western Province (rugby union) players Kobelco Kobe Steelers players Living people Afrikaner people 1983 births Rugby union players from Cape Town South African expatriate rugby union players Expatriate rugby union players in Japan South African expatriate sportspeople in Japan Alumni of Paul Roos Gymnasium Rugby union locks