Frik Kirsten - FNB Player of the Week
Player Profile
A loose forward who was an instant hit as a prop, big, strong Frik Kirsten is our FNB Player of the Week.
Till last year Frik was an eighthman or flank – as his father was before him, for Barend Kirsten played flank and eighthman for Eastern Transvaal, Western Transvaal and Lowveld before retiring at the age of 32.
At Laerskool Elardusapark, Frik went to Craven Week as an eighthman. In the Affies Under 16, Frik went to the Grant Khomo Week as an eighthman. That was in 2004 – just the year before last.
In 2005 he moved to prop. Why? "I was getting too heavy for loose forward and I was too short for lock. I moved to prop."
Too heavy? Too short? He now weighs 114 kg (all muscle) and stands 1,92 metres in height. A few years ago he would have been a good size for a look. But in this age of increasing giantism he is too small.
And so he moved to tighthead. Does he hunker after the flashier, more comfortable life of a loose forward?
"No. I enjoy tighthead. I prefer it to playing loose forward."
What does he prefer? The answer is worth waiting for.
"Scrumming. I enjoy scrumming and getting stuck in in the loose."
Because he has the skills of a loose forward his side uses him as a ball-carrier, a strike force. And it was the power and strike force of the pack that made the 17-7 victory over Waterkloof that won the Beeld Trophy.
Was the transition from loose forward to prop easy?
"Yes. I got some help from my uncle Hannes Coetzee who played prop for Stellaland and my dad's friend Johan Swart. Then the Blue Bulls let me join in with them, and so I learnt the tricks of the trade."
He was clearly a quick learner. In his very first year he went to Craven Week with the Blue Bulls and was chosen for the South African Academy side which beat the South African Schools side in 2005.
This year Frik Kirsten was in the South African School side. They were saved the embarrassment of playing against the Academy side but played against Italy. He enjoyed both Craven Weeks, enjoyed beating the SA Schools side ("We were the underdogs.") and enjoyed the match against Italy in Bloemfontein.
"Their forwards were good but our backs were too good for them, especially Cecil Afrika who came in the second half and scored two tries. He's fast and agile."
Frederick Barend Christoffel Kirsten was born in Sandton on 18 August 1988. He enjoys Affies, where he is a prefect, and does well academically, hoping for a few distinctions in his matric exam. He is a Blue Bull by conviction – contracted to them. His ambition is to play for the Blue Bulls one day. But he also wants to study and so will go to Tukkies next year to study for a B.Com (Accountancy) degree.
His hero? That was the easiest question of the afternoon.
Os du Randt.
Affies coach Sakkie van der Walt believes that Frik Kirsten can go all the way to the top as a rugby player.
