Rugby giant ties the knot
Rugby star Coenie Oosthuizen marries his ‘diamond’ and ‘best friend’ at a picturesque KZN wedding farm
HIS teammates call him Shrek because, like the beloved animation movie character, the powerfully built prop is fearless and frightening in the heat of the battle. But today shows another side of the Sharks and Springboks star. “I’m going to cry my heart out, watch me,” Coenie Oosthuizen warns us.
Today Coenie (28) isn’t here to secure the scrum, but to tie the knot with his long-time love, Christi Gerber (22).
Taking up his position near the altar in the chapel at the Orchard Wedding Farm in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, he anxiously watches the door.
Then Christi appears, looking like a fairytale character herself with her white gown and flowing golden locks as she walks on the arm of her dad, Antonie.
And Coenie is as good as his word – as he gazes at her, the tears run freely down his cheeks. Seems he and Shrek have something else in common: they’re both gentle giants at heart.
Shortly after 4pm, with rugby stars including Ruan Venter, Stephan Coetzee, Curwin Bosh, Trevor Nyakane and Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira looking on, Pastor Glenn Schroder pronounces the couple husband and wife.
Christi flings her arms around Coenie’s neck and it’s as though the final whistle has gone with their triumphant kiss.
Getting married is far more terrifying than any rugby match, Coenie assures us when we meet the couple before their big day.
But he wouldn’t swop this occasion for any other. He waxes lyrical about Chris- ti’s “loving heart” and tells us she’s “at her most beautiful when she wakes up in the morning”.
CHRISTI was a matric student at Oranje Meisieskool in Bloemfontein when her brother, Frans, introduced Coenie (then 24) to her. “But I immediately knew she was the woman I’d marry,” says Coenie, who was playing for the Free State Cheetahs at the time.
“At first I was scared of him,” Christi confesses. “He seemed a bit intimidating. But I quickly realised this giant has a tender heart.”
Because of their six-year age difference, Christi was hesitant to tell her dad about her new love. But before she’d plucked up the courage to do so, Antonie saw a picture on her tablet of Christi giving Coenie a peck on the cheek. She needn’t have fretted.
“He said he wasn’t worried and that Coenie would make a good husband one day,” Christi recalls.
The couple are both sporty and love jogging and playing golf and tennis together. They also like to take each other on in various computer games. Christi boasts that she regularly beats Coenie on this front, and he retorts that he’s much fitter than her.
The rugby giant went down on one knee in April last year to pop the question. They’d already set up home near King’s Park Stadium, which is Coenie’s rugby base in Durban.
She watches all of Coenie’s games, says Christi, who started her studies in financial management at a Durban college this year, having completed a diploma course in entrepreneurship at the University of the Free State.
And when her beau plays away from home, she’s the one who packs his bags for the trip. “She knows exactly what has to be in the suitcase,” Coenie tells us.
When the trip has him flying off to
distant shores, Christi makes sure to tuck a love letter and a few snacks in his bag. And before he runs out on the field, he always gets an encouraging text message from her.
When he’s home, they love chilling in front of the TV and indulging in hearty, home-cooked meals. Christi’s lamb knuckles and special potato dish are out of this world, Coenie gushes.
There will likely be plenty of down time for the pair in the coming months because in November last year, Coenie had surgery to fix a knee injury. He’ll be out of action until at least June this year – but he isn’t letting this temporary setback get him down.
“When you’re recovering from an injury you usually train twice as hard,” he tells us. “It gives you a chance to return to the game better than ever before.”
And “Shrek” is determined to secure his spot in the Springbok scrum at the 2019 World Cup tournament in Japan.
In the meantime they’ll revel in the home-cooked meals and movie nights – until Christi has to pack those bags again.
WITH the wedding ceremony and official phototaking done everyone moves to the reception hall, which resembles a spacious farmhouse interior overflowing with white and pink roses and candles.
Coenie rises from his chair, towering over the rest of those seated at the main table. He digs out a piece of paper from his pocket, clears his throat and turns to his bride. “I was a naive child who knew nothing about life. When I met you the first time, I already knew you were the woman I’d marry,” he reads.
“But that day when we were feeding the underprivileged children, that was the moment when God opened my eyes. There before my eyes I saw a diamond. Today I got married to my best friend.”
Some of the burly rugby players among the 130 guests are clearly touched and their companions haul out the tissues as Coenie solemnly continues reading.
“I’ll always love you, in good and bad times. I’ll make you proud and never leave you in the lurch. I’ll give you my best, because my best is all I have to give.”
With the speeches over, the guests tuck into a sumptuous spread of Indian dishes including lamb curry, basmati rice and rotis.
A night of dancing follows before the bridal couple get ready for a romantic honeymoon in the exotic Maldives.
And after that – will Mr and Mrs Oosthuizen hear the pitter-patter of little feet anytime soon? A big family is definitely on the cards, they assure us.
But first, Coenie says, “We want to focus on being happy and adjusting to married life.”