Ex-Stormer wants to play for USA
Jurie van Vuuren will be eligible to play for the Eagles at the World Cup
KAVAS STINT: Jurie van Vuuren
Image: Ernest Kilowan/Boland Rugby Media
AFTER a successful stint back in the Currie Cup, former Stormers lock Jurie van Vuuren has cast his eye on a Test debut for his soon-to-be adopted country, the United States.
Van Vuuren helped the Boland Kavaliers make history by reaching the semi-finals of this year’s competition.
The Free State-born forward, who was schooled in the Western Cape (Oakdale in Riversdal), started his professional career at Western Province, playing in 46 games for the Streeptruie and represented the Stormers in eight Super Rugby games.
He then made the move to the now-defunct the Southern Kings, representing them in the PRO14 (now United Rugby Championship)
Van Vuuren then made the big move to the US in 2020, where he started out playing for the Utah Warriors before moving to Los Angeles RFC, where he is currently contracted.
And after five years, Van Vuuren tells the Daily Voice that he is set to become a US citizen, which will allow him to reach a childhood dream of playing Test rugby.
Telling the Daily Voice, how that is certainly not a pipe-dream, Van Vuuren said: “Yes, I would very much like to play in one Test match before I retire.”
The 32-year-old reveals how there has already been conversations regarding debuting for the Stars and Stripes: “Next year I will become eligible to play for USA, so there is definitely a chance. We will just have to see how that all works out, but yes, I will qualify as an American citizen and see if I can achieve that dream.
“There have been conversations around that where it was sort of a waiting game for me to get citizenship, but now I am on the cusp, so let’s wait and see.”
Meanwhile, Van Vuuren revealed that he was on his way back to Mzansi for a holiday when he got the call to join the Kavas.
Of the opportunity to play in the Currie Cup again, he wysed: “I have always just played against Boland when I was at WP.
“I never thought that I would play Currie Cup rugby again after moving to the States, but it is lekker. The first time in six years that I am playing rugby in South Africa.”