Pierre van Schalkwyk - Captain of Union High
Player Profile
Union High play near neighbours Volkskool in an FNB Classic Clash in lovely Graaff-Reinet on Saturday. Flank Pierre van Schalkwyk is the captain – and more – of Union High.
On the same day that Union High skipper Pierre van Schalkwyk takes the field in the Graaff-Reinet derby, his All Black hero will run on the field a couple of hundred kilometres away at Newlands in Cape Town. Pierre van Schalkwyk plays aggressively to the ball and turning ball over is his forté. Like Richie McCaw, Pierre van Schalkwyk’s form on the day could hold the key to the outcome this week’s FNB Classic Clash.
Born in Port Elizabeth on 11 July 1986 Pierre has been at school in Graaff-Reinet since Grade 1, having attended Union Preparatory before graduating to the senior school. Graaff-Reinet has been good to Pierre. He is head boy of Union High and vice-headboy of the school hostel.
Pierre has not played Craven Week rugby and being in his final year this game is of huge importance to him. Pierre played in the drawn fixture (16-all) last season but believes Union High have more balanced team this year. Union High has performed very well this season and has lost only two matches (to Burgersdorp and Grey College). A winning team is usually a happy team and Pierre cites their wonderful team spirit as one of his teams many strengths.
Pierre would love to further his education and his rugby career but his first priority is to obtaining the funding to do so. To this end he will be travelling to the UK in 2006, where he will be hoping to make enough money to fund his tertiary education. If a local rugby club in the UK is looking for an outstanding fetcher with heaps of leadership experience they need look no further than big Pierre van Schalkwyk.
Before he goes anywhere though he has the biggest game of his life to play and, much like his hero Richie McCaw, Pierre van Schalkwyk will be hoping a couple of moments of brilliance will turn the game in his teams favour come Saturday.
