Claassens’ clan: the busiest man in rugby
THERE are family men, and then there is Michael Claassens. While the Sharks and Springbok scrumhalf is juggling oval-shaped balls on the field, he is also juggling five children, all under the age of three and a half, including two sets of twins, at home.
The 34-year-old Kroonstad born scrummie joined the Sharks in 2015 on his return from a stint overseas, playing at Bath, in England, for six years, before a successful three years at Toulon, in France. Before that, Classens played for the Cheetahs, as a true Freestate Boytjie, where he was also capped eight times for the Boks between 2004-07.
Now, in the twilight of his career, Claassens has shifted his focus to matters beyond the rugby field, such as having a family, and he has taken to that with furious vigour. However, his explosion of a family was a lot of hard work in the making as he and wife, Helen-Ann, struggled to conceive for well over three years.
“We struggled for a bit, in the UK, and then when we came back to South Africa and had our first baby, a girl, Jóco, now three and a half years old, through IVF. They said she would not be able to have kids anymore naturally,” he said.
“We wanted another child, but my wife had a few miscarriages, so we tried another IVF, which failed. But then, when we were in France, she fell pregnant naturally and those were twins! A boy, Michael, and girl, Anick, who turned two on May 8.
“We were back in South Africa with three kids under two, and we thought that is more than enough, but then she fell pregnant again… and it was twins again! Beauden and Teagen, who are now four months.”
Claassens, as you could imagine, has very little time for freetime. A busy day at the Shark tank is often followed by a chaotic return home around dinner time where it is his turn to pitch in and help now stayat-home mom, Helen-Ann.
Claassens is a hands on dad, and doesn’t shy away from the late nights, or the dirty nappies, but also admits that it is something that he has taken in his stride, gaining that mysterious parental superpower to just keep going.
“When I get home it is hectic,” Claassens smiled. “It is busy all the time with five under three-and-a-half-year olds. I don’t go back home like a lot of the other guys and chill on the sofa, I get home and help with feeding or what ever else needs doing, there’s always something.
“I don’t get much sleep either, even though we have someone helping at night, there are two babies and I will get up for them, and it is just one of those things, you get over it, it is what it is.”
As if balancing a professional rugby career and five babies was not enough, Claassens has recently completed two courses to aid in his life after rugby. “I studied accounting, and got my degree years ago, but then I have done a course or two now in trading commodities and a financial advisors exam.”
So, to recount, professional rugby player, father of five babies, part-time student, and to add a final cherry, entrepreneur.
Claassens is also involved in a company based in the UK called Arenaserach.co.uk, started with his brother, Errie, and two others. It is a property search company that gives people in South Africa the chance to invest in overseas property, and to invest in pounds.
Claassens is involved in facilitating property investment with his contacts in the UK, helping people get mortgages, surveyors, as well as running and managing the property for the client based in South Africa.
The ambitious scrumhalf, with his time vested, but not detracted, in other avenues besides rugby, admits that re- tirement from the sport is on the horizon, but he still has another year on his Sharks contract.
“Hopefully the babies aren’t detracting from my rugby ability,” he went on. “I think when that day comes, then I will stop playing. I have another year going on my contract, but if I feel that I can’t cope with it, that will be my cue to stop playing. I don’t want to just stick around and go through the motions. But when that time comes, I want to stay here in Durban, or maybe Cape Town depending on opportunities.”