Thys Burger
| Born | Matthys Boshoff Burger 10 November 1954 Pietersburg, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 97 kg (214 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Helpmekaar, Johannesburg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Matthys Boshoff 'Thys' Burger (born 3 Augustus 1954 in Pietersburg, Limpopo, South Africa) is a former South African rugby union player.[1]
Playing career
Burger played for Northern Transvaal and made his provincial debut in 1976. Burger's first test for the Springboks was on 14 June 1980 in the second test against the touring British Lions team at the Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, when he replaced Rob Louw late in the second half. He also toured with the Springboks to South America, where he made his first start in a test, as eighthman during the test in Montevideo. He scored his first test try in this match.
Burger was part of the squad that toured to New Zealand and the United States in 1981. He played in the test against the USA, once again as a replacement, this time for Theuns Stofberg and he also scored his second test try in this match.[2]
Test history
| No. | Opposition | Result (SA 1st) | Position | Tries | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  British Lions | 26–19 | Replacement | 14 June 1980 | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | |
| 2. |  South American Jaguars | 22–13 | Number 8 | 1 | 18 October 1980 | Wanderers Club, Montevideo |
| 3. |  United States | 38–7 | Replacement | 1 | 20 September 1981 | Owl Creek Polo ground, Glenville, New York |
Personal
Burger is the father of Philip Burger, a former professional rugby player and South African sevens (Blitzboks) player. His granddaughter Rume Burger is a South African national sprint champion.[3][4]
See also
- List of South Africa national rugby union players – Springbok no. 511
References
- ↑ "Thys Burger". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
- ↑ Jooste, Graham K. (1995). South African rugby test players 1949-1995. Johannesburg: Penguin. pp. 101, 104 & 112. ISBN 0140250174. OCLC 36916860.
- ↑ "Teen sprint sensation Burger humbled and blessed". ofm.co.za. 28 April 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
- ↑ "'She lives and breathes athletics': Proud father Philip Burger on new SA 200m champ Rume". News24. 27 April 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.