Danie Gerber remains the Springbok try-scoring GOAT

On Dec 11, 2025

Picture this: In trademark fashion, Danie Gerber produces yet another moment of pure magic. Receiving the ball with nothing on, he steps inside the first defender, swerves into space, and accelerates past two more with that unmistakable burst of speed. A final dummy leaves the last defender flat-footed as he dives over the tryline – a classic solo effort from one of South Africa’s – and the world’s – greatest ever centres.

Power, pace, flair … a Danie Gerber try in every sense.

Will attest to his brilliance

Those who were fortunate enough to have seen Danie Gerber in his prime will attest to his brilliance. Sadly, his international career lasted just 24 Tests over a 12-year span.

He did, however, play 115 games for Eastern Province, 40 for Western Province and 24 for Orange Free State.

In 2007 he was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame.

Gerber was victorious in 16 of those Tests and lost on eight occasions for a win percentage of 66.7%.

Thirty-three years after hanging up his boots, his 19 tries still places Gerber in a tie for 15th overall alongside Stefan Terblanche (37 Tests) and Cobus Reinach (50 Tests).

Along with his 19 Test tries, Gerber landed a conversion against South America at Loftus Versfeld in 1984, giving him 82 total Test points.

Fifteen of Gerber’s tries were scored with they were worth just four points, with four coming when that was changed to five points in 1992.

Gerber’s try-scoring ratio remains the highest in Springbok history.

Player	Try ratio (%)	Tries	Tests
Danie Gerber	79.2%	19	24
Kurt-Lee Arendse^*	76.7%	23	30
Makazole Mapimpi^*	70.2%	33	47
Ray Mordt	66.7%	12	18
Gerrie Germishuys	60.0%	12	20
Hennie van Zyl	60.0%	6	10
Basie van Wijk	60.0%	6	10
S’bu Nkosi^*	56.3%	9	16
Bryan Habana	54.0%	67	124
Chester Williams	51.9%	14	27
Stefan Terblanche	51.4%	19	37

*denotes still active

Factfile: Danie Gerber

Full names: Daniël Mattheus Gerber

Date of birth: 14 April 1958

Place of birth: Port Elizabeth

School: Despatch

Springbok #514

Physical: 1.85m, 88kg

Current age: 67

Test summary: Tests: 24 Tries: 19

First Test: 18 October 1980 – Inside Centre against South America at Wanderers Club, Montevideo

Last Test: 14 November 1992 – Outside Centre against England at Twickenham, London

Danie Gerber’s Test career

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Score
18 Oct 1980	South America	Wanderers Club, Montevideo	Won 22-13	1 try
25 Oct 1980	South America	Prince of Wales Country Club, Santiago	Won 30-16	1 try
08 Nov 1980	France	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria	Won 37-15
30 May 1981	Ireland	Newlands, Cape Town	Won 23-15	2 tries
06 Jun 1981	Ireland	Kings Park, Durban	Won 12-10
15 Aug 1981	New Zealand	Lancaster Park, Christchurch	Lost 14-9
29 Aug 1981	New Zealand	Athletic Park, Wellington	Won 24-12
12 Sep 1981	New Zealand	Eden Park, Auckland	Lost 25-22
25 Sep 1981	USA	Owl Creek Polo ground, Glenville, NY	Won 38-7
27 Mar 1982	South America	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria	Won 50-18	3 tries
03 Apr 1982	South America	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein	Lost 21-12	1 try
02 Jun 1984	England	Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth	Won 33-15	1 try
09 Jun 1984	England	Ellis Park, Johannesburg	Won 35-9	3 tries
20 Oct 1984	South America	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria	Won 32-15	1 try, 1 conversion
27 Oct 1984	South America	Newlands, Cape Town	Won 22-13	1 try
10 May 1986	NZ Cavaliers	Newlands, Cape Town	Won 21-15
17 May 1986	NZ Cavaliers	Kings Park, Durban	Lost 19-18
24 May 1986	NZ Cavaliers	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria	Won 33-18	1 try
31 May 1986	NZ Cavaliers	Ellis Park, Johannesburg	Won 24-10
15 Aug 1992	New Zealand	Ellis Park, Johannesburg	Lost 27-24	2 tries
22 Aug 1992	Australia	Newlands, Cape Town	Lost 26-3
17 Oct 1992	France	Stade de Gerland, Lyon	Won 20-15	1 try
24 Oct 1992	France	Parc des Princes, Paris	Lost 29-16	1 try
14 Nov 1992	England	Twickenham, London	Lost 33-16

Where you fortunate enough to watch Danie Gerber live in action?

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Crédito: Link de origem