I know the risks, it’s your brain... you can’t get a replacement
GJ van Velze feared for future after head injury sidelined him for a year Farming helped the Worcester No8 emerge from ‘seven-month hangover’
IT IS a sure sign that GJ van Velze has been spending more time with his sheep than his team- mates as he points out their unique facial features during feeding time on his farm.
‘The one with the black markings is always first to the food,’ he says.
Van Velze has been sidelined by concussion for 12 months and feared his career was over when his balance became so bad that he struggled to stand without falling over.
Subsequently, the 29- year-old Pretoria-born Worcester No8 spent large parts of the year housebound with his two dogs, Lexie and Bella, and his livestock — as well as the company of his wife, Menante, a doctor.
‘I’ve got to know the animals pretty well,’ he joked.
‘Initially I bought eight ewes with my neighbour, as a hobby, but now we’ve got 22 breeding ewes and 35 lambs which are fattening up. We’ve had to read a lot of Farmers Weekly magazines and watch a few YouTube guides! It’s safe to say it kept me pretty busy during my time off.’
His problems started on Saturday, September 3, 2016.
Following a seemingly innocuous collision with Saracens flanker Mike Rhodes, Van Velze felt a screaming pain through his head.
‘It all happened when I ran a short line and didn’t even get the ball,’ he explained. ‘I was body-checked but it wasn’t enough to knock me out. I had a bit of a whiplash and then, at the next ruck, I had this throbbing headache. Four weeks later, I was still being told to stay at home.
‘I thought, “Is this how my career’s going to end?” I started playing rugby when I was 18. Was i t going to suddenly end because of a body-check at Twickenham?’
Van Velze, who first left Pretoria’s Bulls to sign for Northampton in 2012, joining Worcester two seasons later, soon began to contemplate life after rugby.
His lambing hobby turned into a small-scale business — selling meat to friends, team-mates and family from his farm land which is surrounded by the Bulmer’s Cider apple orchards.
The farm now has its own tractor, trailer, baler and weighing crate, with Van Velze setting up spreadsheets to monitor dentistry records, weight, feeding habits, birthrates and medical issues.
He also set up a footwear business called Van Velze and Smith Superior Leather.
‘I wasn’t allowed to do anything for the first four months,’ he said. ‘I wasn’t allowed to watch TV, read, use my phone, drive. I fell in love with audiobooks and podcasts, built myself a desk and kept myself at home.
‘It felt like a seven-month hangover. There were times when I asked, “Is it worth playing again? Will I be fit to
play again? Will I be allowed to play again?” They weren’t sure what was causing the symptoms. The neurologist asked me to stand on one leg with my eyes closed and I fell over.
‘ Eventually I got diagnosed with balance problems. The impact had damaged my eye and ear canal. You get given exercises to do — like balancing on a trampoline on one leg with your eyes closed — and over the next six months it got better.’ Persistence and caution paid off. Now Van Velze has 1,500 pairs of shoes on order for next month — donating a pair of rugby boots back to children in South Africa for every pair sold. He has a growing flock of sheep to feed and is ‘feeling fine’ after making his rugby comeback against Newcastle last week.
During his injury, the Warriors changed coach twice and there has been more turbulence this week with the club put up for sale, although the players appear unfazed by that.
‘As a rugby player there are only a number of things you control,’ he said. ‘ Even thinking about it is wasting energy. Ninth is the highest we’ve finished and that’s not good enough. People talk about our great facilities, this and that, but they should be talking about winning. I think that’s possible under director of rugby Gary Gold.
‘He took away all uncertainty. He told guys what their job was and it was all measurable; hitting certain rucks, making certain calls and being in the right places. Before that we had too many variables. We could do “A”, “B” or “C”, but Gary told us just to do “A” as well as we can.’
Van Velze also praises the legacy left by Edward Griffiths, who was instrumental in Saracens’ recent success but left his consultancy role during the week. So, what was his input?
‘He’s not everyone’s cup of tea but he understands what rugby players need and he understands how important family is,’ said Van Velze. ‘He recognised the value in giving the players’ partners a place to catch up before the game or putting things like a creche at the club. Although… we didn’t have enough children for a creche so we set up a kennel instead. The boys can now bring their dogs to training and walk them during the breaks. It’s little things which make a big difference.’
A canine club counts for nothing if the players cannot show their teeth on the pitch — starting with today’s game against Wasps. Van Velze is back and firing. He is ready to repay the hard work of the club’s medical staff but is more aware than ever of the risks.
‘It’s your brain...you can’t just get a replacement like a new knee,’ he said. ‘Even if I’m symptom free and I keep playing, I’ll still get retested because I’ve got a responsibility to my family.
‘I want to have kids. I don’t want to have to take four paracetamol just to feel normal so I’ll say if something’s wrong. A younger guy might try to hide it because it’s contract time or they’re too proud, which is wrong. I’m old enough that I don’t have to prove anything.’