Fritz van Heerden

Frederick Johannes "Fritz" van Heerden (born 29 June 1970) is a former South African rugby union player who played international rugby for the Springboks, making his debut on 4 June 1994 in Pretoria against the England touring side. Van Heerden played rugby with Western Province and Leicester Tigers.

Playing career Van Heerden matriculated at Roodepoort High School in 1988 and represented at the annual Craven Week tournament in 1988. In 1991 he enrolled for a law degree at the University of Stellenbosch and represented Maties on the rugby field. He made his senior provincial debut in July 1991, when he replaced the injured Gert Smal, in the team. In 1996 he was named the Western Province captain.

He joined Leicester Tigers in 1997, following fellow South African Joel Stransky, and joining up with Martin Johnson, and replacing Matt Poole who acquired a knee injury at about the same time with Dean Richards (normally a number eight) playing lock. Also able to play flanker, he complemented Johnson's more powerful play with mobility, but perhaps more importantly he pioneered the contesting of the opposition's line-out throws.

He returned to South Africa in 1999 to try to play for his country in the 1999 World Cup, and was drafted into the side late as a replacement for Selborne Boome, playing against Spain. After the World Cup, he returned to Leicester where he helped in the development of England lock Ben Kay. He retired.

Test history No. Opponents Results(SA 1st) Position Tries Dates Venue 1. 15–32 Flank 4 Jun 1994 Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria 2. 27–9 Replacement 11 Jun 1994 Newlands, Cape Town 3. 18–18 Flank 6 Aug 1994 Eden Park, Auckland 4. 40–21 Flank 12 Nov 1995 Stadio Olimpico, Rome 5. 24–14 Flank 18 Nov 1995 Twickenham, London 6. 32–22 Replacement 31 Aug 1996 Ellis Park, Johannesburg 7. 46–15 Replacement 9 Nov 1996 Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires 8. 44–21 Replacement 16 Nov 1996 Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires 9. 74–10 Lock 1 10 Jun 1997 Newlands, Cape Town 10. 15–18 Replacement 28 Jun 1997 Kings Park, Durban 11. British Lions 35–16 Replacement 5 Jul 1997 Ellis Park, Johannesburg 12. 32–35 Replacement 19 Jul 1997 Ellis Park, Johannesburg 13. 35–55 Replacement 9 Aug 1997 Eden Park, Auckland 14. 47–3 Lock 10 Oct 1999 Murrayfield, Edinburgh