Vincent Koch Biography

Vincent Koch is a man who puts the well being of his team mates, and sometimes the opposition, above his own. The kind-hearted prop gladly sets aside his personal ambition for the betterment of the team. A rare trait that helped propel the Springboks to the glory of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

The tighthead prop’s career started at an early age when he started playing for the Boland Cavaliers and Blue Bulls. In his youth career he spent two years at Boland before moving on to the Bulls where he stayed until 2012.

While rising through the ranks, Vincent Koch enjoyed some varsity-level rugby at Tuks (University of Pretoria).

The Bulls, known for playing a physical brand of rugby, liked what they saw in the youngster and gave him some game time in the senior team. He made his senior career debut for the Bulls when he was 22 years old.

The Springbok prop decided the best move for him was to join the Pumas and find some game time in the starting lineup. The move turned out to be an excellent choice as he secured 51 appearances for the Pumas in the Currie Cup and put down eight tries.

He stayed there for four years, earning his reputation as a hard-hitter and powerhouse in the scrum. The Western Province franchise, the Stormers, made their bid for the tank and would successfully acquire the skills of the heavy forward.

In 2015 Vincent Koch joined the Stormers in Super Rugby, but would continue to play in the Currie Cup for the Pumas. He would bag 35 points during his time at the Stormers.

Come 2016, the big man decided to test his skills abroad and set sail for Saracens in England. Here he would come into his own and help the English giants lift a collection of trophies.

The silverware Vincent Koch acquired at Saracens so far includes three Premiership titles, and two Champions Cup trophies.

His most telling achievement would have to be the Rugby World Cup win in 2019, after almost failing to make the side due to SARU regulations. The prop also snagged a clutch win in the British & Irish Lions series of 2021.

Vincent Koch shows incredible patience and desire to see the team succeed. His humble approach highlights that no individual player makes a team, but he can undoubtedly carry the team on his shoulders if need be.