In Newcastle Falcons’ Tap & Tackle bar, Michael van Vuuren reflects on life as rugby’s greatest journeyman. The friendships he made and the different parts of the world he visited, as well as the crippling stress and lack of security caused by his nomadic career.
Hooker Van Vuuren holds the record for the most club appearances (10) in English rugby’s top two divisions – one ahead of Tom Arscott, according to statistician Stuart Farmer. Add in his clubs in South Africa and his early spell at Stade Francais and his total reaches 14; You can list them in order: Free State Cheetahs, Stade Francais, Eastern Province Kings, Leicester Tigers, Bath, London Scottish, London Irish, Northampton Saints. , Bedford Blues, Ampthill, Ealing Trailfinders, Wasps, Lions and Newcastle Falcons.
His longest spell at a single club was three seasons at Bath; The 32-year-old player played the most here (21). Van Vuuren, on the other hand, enjoyed spending time at many other clubs, especially Northampton and Wasps. Yet partly due to some surprising bad luck – two clubs were liquidated and he was twice signed by coaches who were sacked before his arrival – he was never able to get anywhere long enough to put down roots. “It’s hard for me to say where is more like home because in a sense I’ve always been looking for a home and I’ve never found it,” Van Vuuren said. “You have to stay in one place long enough to settle.
“I was talking to my best friend last night about when you should stop chasing. When is it not worth it anymore? I think I was really bad at knowing when to give up or when to stop. I always tried to stay in the fight. We all have dreams. Even if we don’t get there, it will take a long time for these dreams to fade.”
Growing up in the Eastern Cape, Van Vuuren’s dream was to represent the Springboks. He played on the same team with Siya Kolisi at Boz High School. While the double World Cup-winning captain was destined for greater things – “even then he was a man among men” – Van Vuuren was one of the late developers not selected for the famous, star-making Craven Week. “Nobody gave me the chance to do this,” he says.
Nevertheless, Van Vuuren became the youngest hooker to play in the Currie Cup and featured alongside Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth for the South African Under-20s at the 2011 Junior World Championship. The first of a series of sliding door moments, Van Vuuren signed for Stade Francais in 2012. His plan was to play there for a few seasons before returning to South Africa to strive for higher honours. This was not the case.
“Michael Cheika actually signed me but he got fired before I got there,” Van Vuuren said. “Paris is not a forgiving city for a little child; sink or swim.” He returned to South Africa to join his hometown club the Kings, saying they “looked like they were building something special” only for the club to be liquidated in 2015.
He soon joined Leicester on a two-week trial, which was extended to a month and then until the end of the season. Hearings would become a frequent event. “It’s hard to be in a place where there’s no security,” Van Vuuren said. “It forces you to put your best foot forward every day, which can be quite tiring at times, but that’s the way it is.”
Mike Ford signed Van Vuuren at Bath but was sacked before he arrived. Similarly, after a spell at Northampton at Ealing, Alex Codling continued the season after arriving. “I don’t know why the people who signed me keep getting fired,” Van Vuuren said. “Sometimes I’ve been at clubs where players were better than me. It’s just something you have to accept. There were times when I was unlucky or got injured at the wrong time.”
The toughest point came after Van Vuuren joined Wasps; He joined her again on a trial basis and eventually received a contract and the promise of some security. “I will always be grateful to Joe Launchbury who fought to get me a contract extension and to Lee Blackett who gave it to me,” Van Vuuren said. That security disappeared when Wasps went into administration last year.
Unemployed and with no openings in the European market, Van Vuuren reluctantly returned to South Africa. “Coming back to South Africa was never part of my plan,” Van Vuuren said. “I had made the UK my home and was going through the citizenship process and becoming a British citizen, which was something I was really focused on. I saw that the rest of my life was in England. I have spent the best and worst times of my life in England and I consider myself British.
“I was here for seven years, so going back to South Africa was a huge culture shock for me. “It can be difficult to understand issues such as lightening the burden, such as electricity being cut off for 12 hours a day, or not having water for three days.”
This was particularly difficult for his partner, Lydia, an aspiring actress whom he met in Bath and has followed him ever since. “It was difficult to navigate, but he is resilient,” Van Vuuren said. “He was incredible at adapting to things.
“You can take your low points. You need good support from those around you. I am a Christian and I have faith and sometimes it can even be hard to stick to it. I’m lucky to have a family and a close group of friends who have always supported me. I try to do this for myself and also for the people who were with you in the beginning. You don’t want to give up for these guys.”
‘I guess I’m a romantic when it comes to games’
Another unintended consequence of playing for the Lions was that Van Vuuren unknowingly lost his British Qualified Player status; This was not only a source of pride but also a crucial selling point for Premiership clubs. Conor O’Shea, the Rugby Football Union’s chief executive of performance rugby, and the Rugby Players’ Association are helping it regain its status. “It was very stressful,” Van Vuuren said. “I hope common sense prevails”
Fortunately, he was still able to sign for Codling-managed Newcastle, where he was very impressed with the city and the potential of a young team. “There are definitely a lot of young players who can play for England,” Van Vuuren said. “It’s about how you nurture and develop them. It takes time to change the mindset and change the culture that is used to losing. “This won’t happen overnight, but Codders is the right man to do it.”
His contract at Kingston Park runs until the end of the season and further uncertainty is expected. Van Vuuren repeatedly states that he does not want sympathy. He does not reject the title of journeyman either. In fact, he is in the process of setting up a business, Journeyman, with former Bath and Sevens player Jeff Williams, to provide advice to aspiring actors, their parents and children. Despite everything, he almost maintains his passion for sports.
“I guess it’s love-hate,” Van Vuuren said. “I guess I’m a romantic when it comes to gaming, but it’s also a business and that’s where the hate comes in.”