Flippie van der Merwe and Hennie Bekker were part of the Springbok team that took on New Zealand in Wellington on 12th September 1981. Almost exactly 31 years later when Andries Bekker ran on to join Flip van der Merwe on the field in the 53rd minute of Saturday’s test against New Zealand in Dunedin, the circle was complete.
Hennie was a Western Province stalwart of the 80’s, played 2 tests away against New Zealand (both losses) scoring a try, and was named SA Rugby Player of the Year in 1983.
Flippie senior is still one of the biggest men ever to play prop for South Africa at 196cm and 133kg, and played 6 tests for the Boks (winning 4) up until the 1989 match
against a World XV at Newlands.