Danie Gerber - Maestro Of The Midfield (Updated)

This is an update of our previous tribute to Danie Gerber titled "Maestro Of The Midfield". It has all the original tries, plus a couple more we found over the last year.
The greatest Springbok ever. Sit back and enjoy.
Thanks for watching!

[@ifgfqageneration6939]

Kiwi here . The greatest centre of them all!

[@Switll72]

I was a school boy in the 80's and those players was the ones I looked up to. Playing for pride and with passion , no contracts no bullshit just for the love of the game. The test where Gerber scored 3 tries against England at Ellis Park was the first test my father took me to see as a 12 year old and made me fall in love with this beautiful game for ever. I have huge respect for John Kirwan but there was no winger as powerful as Mordt in full flight or as majestic as Carel du Plessis (The Prince of wings) swerving his way through teams. So sad and heartbroken for them that they never got the opportunity to really shine, Imagine Gerber, Botha, Du Plessis & Mordt playing 50 + tests they would have set up records that would probably still be relevant today. The "Original Legends" of Rugby.

[@Phil-v61]

Gerrie Germishuys wasn't bad either

[@hopscotch30]

This is one man for whom the term "world class" is a gross underestimation.

[@RealRugby]

hopscotch30 100% agree. I often wonder why people rate O' Driscoll and Sella with him. They were fantastic players, but they don't match Gerber. He was the greatest 13 ever. Simple as that

[@hopscotch30]

Real Rugby . Yep!

[@duncanidaho9492]

@@RealRugby totally agree with you

[@HenryDube72]

@@RealRugby it's because Gerber is South African, I always feel there's this global knack of undermining South African athletes. I notice it even in cricket.

[@gerhardpotgieter840]

Mates came up from Durban for a Sharks vs Blue Bulls final.Had no ticket for me so I went to watch at a pub outside Loftus Versveld and we would hook up later.Bumped into Danie sitting at a table.He could have asked for final tickets i suppose.So my claim to fame is watching a Currie Cup Final with Danie.Such a humble nice man.When I told my friends afterwards they were pissed off.Danie Gerber and Andre Joubert is some of the nicest humble rugby players I have met.

[@jeffm.3575]

Yes. Andre Joubert filled up often at my Dad's petrol station in Durban. He said the same thing about Andre.

[@nicolaasjansevanrensburg7543]

Yes fully agree- humble guys/even the" lem"( honiball)- was humble/ even that they were famous boks 🎉

[@CaptainKurkpropZA27]

Despatchers is nice ouens 😁en om te dink Danie se eerste liefde was sokker

[@joevil6259]

Still my favorite Springbok ever

[@philipriekert8711]

Danie and Errol, unbelievable control and craft in the midfield.Thanks for a wonderful video.

[@billbonnington7916]

Pace, power, step, kick, hands, this man had the lot. Best I have seen, remember him from when England toured SA back in the day before the probably should have, and he ran us ragged.

[@Johan-fv7ch]

So many truly great Springbok players in that era: Gerber, Tobias, Botha, Du Plessis, Mordt, Louw, Stofberg, Serfontein, Pienaar, but yes DG was in a class of his own.

[@CaptainKurkpropZA27]

These names alone give me hoendervleis

[@naasduplessis855]

I'd like to show this to anyone who thinks Springbok rugby cannot involve backline play. What I also like about Danie Gerber was his no-nonsense attitude after scoring tries. Each time after scoring he just gets up, gives the ball to the fly-half and quickly jogs back to the halfway line to get on with business.

[@onlylove-fn3zg]

Hy het met sy hart gespeel

[@andredevos9133]

the greatest centre ever

[@cliftonboyz1959]

Andre de Vos great to watch...what about his defence?

[@nielrossouw7831]

@@cliftonboyz1959 Not the greatest defender but the amount of tries he scored/created made up for it.

[@Carlo42]

I think Philippe Sela and Mike Gibson would give him a contest for that title.

[@aaminahbardien7437]

9216

[@aaminahbardien7437]

@@cliftonboyz1959 83ZV

[@SupremeBros2012]

Pound for pound, my favorite Springbok player of all time

[@marcuscruize3317]

He was pure class... Love the way he runs back after scoring a try, ready to score again

[@andreweber4476]

Best ewer I went to Auckland for a holiday and when I visit Eden Park I saw Danie in the holl of fame and the people there have more respect for Him that South Africans why I had the honer to meet him in Mooinooi Golf Club 2022

[@paulboccuti1141]

This is the first time i ever saw anything about Danny Gerber and what I came to make a comment on is his hustling back after every try. Like you said he is ready to go again and again and again.

[@the_katman2181]

Errol Tobias doesn't always get the recognition he deserves. Maybe it's because he played in the era of Naas Botha, but he was a proper playmaker at 10. Great runner of the ball, great distributer, and even better decision-maker. So many of Gerber's tries here were set up by a good Tobias decision.

[@nic0072]

Yes, you can see he had lots of ball sense. Quick too.

[@MainDuiker]

This was such an era. Danie scores, Naas taps him on the ass as he passes by. Danie runs like a dream and Naas invented the modern kicking game. Legendary.

[@BrasserieT-y6y]

The Greatest CTB in world rugby history! Incredible1

[@jacqueshughes3085]

What a machine. So sad that SA wasn't allowed to play in the 87 and 91 world cups. Gerber would have been brilliant in the RWC.

[@guswilliams9603]

So sad South Africa was governed by apartheid lol

[@maxgrey435]

Danie Gerber - I'm a kiwi but to me, he was the best centre in World rugby, Dynamite on two feet and an absolute pleasure to watch. An All Black team would be proud to have him.

[@TheGIT13]

I'm English and Danie Gerber is my favourite player of all time.

[@gcombrinck]

I'm South African born, and just like you can appreciate Danie Gerber, I can appreciate Christian Cullen, Jeff Wilson and Dan Carter as three of the best and most beautiful to watch players to have ever touched a rugby ball.

[@maxgrey435]

@@gcombrinck yes, those three were brilliant...but Danie gerber had the "X" factor

[@kerryholmes5586]

The best 13 hands down but I'm a biased South African! My childhood hero whom I got to meet and chat with for a couple of hours three years ago.

[@maxgrey435]

@@kerryholmes5586 lucky you...5 mins in his presence would be like a lifetime. Legend!

[@hannouys3155]

Best ever until this day. I doubt we'll see such a prolific individual ever again. Always where the ball is and so gifted with the ability to make something out of the most impossible situations. Will always be my favorite player of all time.

[@karlholdo831]

My favourite Rugby centre and Springbok of all time.

[@karearea1965]

Respect where respect is due...what speed and power. Even today, he would be an amazing centre.

[@MegaSpiritualWarrior]

Beautiful rugby, great player Danie Gerber. Naas Botha's passing was pretty good too.

[@johnritchie4801]

MegaSpiritualWarrior Naas Botha never got the credit he deserved for his ability to run the ball

[@mikezog1030]

True, Naas is known for being "the boot" but he had some pretty sharp playmaking too.

[@bobsumner1667]

My favourite back ever.

[@lm_b5080]

great to see Errol Tobias with Danie Gerber for the Barbarians

[@mikezog1030]

What strikes me is how quickly the ball came back in the old days. What has changed and why does it take so long to come back from a ruck now?

[@stephenpaul7499]

Holy shit he's fast!

[@albieduplessis6783]

Believe it or not but he says he was never the fastest guy in any of the teams he played in

[@nic0072]

Who was faster? I can only think of Jaco Reinach, who was the SA 400m champ and also held the SA record for many years.

[@albieduplessis6783]

Not sure. It's something I heard Danie Gerber himself saying once in some interview

[@warken1985]

1:26 - Not many people have the stepping talent to make the opposition tackle each other!! HAHAHA

[@RealRugby]

Warren Kent very few players could step like Gerber. He was brilliant

[@arthurbrown2768]

Flash Mobs

[@theruckinmaul1460]

What more interesting, after ran 50 meters sprint, stepping right and left 4 times, beat 5 defenders, get a try and he just casually ran to the centre of the field like nothinghappened, such gas and tank he has!

[@kpm25]

Real Rugby ..Christian Cullen...

[@nic0072]

Yes, incredible stamina. The closest I have seen, was Jaco Reinach, Bok winger who was also the SA 400m record holder for ages. Gerber would have made a great 400m athlete.

[@expressoevangelism80]

As a frustrated English supporter I have longed for centre who could run the angles with the power of Gerber. Surely there must be one out the somewhere? I know we had a near miss, but he always got injured. DOH⁉️

[@CaptainKurkpropZA27]

"After scoring a try get back in position & think of scoring the next try, we can celebrate in the locker room boys" - Danie Gerber, to all the showboats celebrating after scoring a try

[@anthonydenniston7813]

What a player brilliant

[@williestoltz5145]

Doring van despatch sal altyd in my oe die beste wees

[@andriekos80]

Can you imagine having Ma'a Nonu and Gerber in a team. Who would stop them? Honestly who would you pick against them?

[@tristansolero2159]

I am curious how Errol Tobias (fly half), a black player managed to negoitiate the apartheid era in a Springbok colours. Must have been a helluva guy and player to be integrated that well back then.

[@philipriekert8711]

Errol was the best flyhalf in South Africa at the time. A great Springbok that did our Country proud.

[@johnclay9051]

South Africans weren’t “racist”! The world gave them that title. For the ignorant: in SA whites played Rugby and blacks Soccer. White South Africans value merit above all else: colour doesn’t matter when you’re competent and don’t carry “chips on shoulders”, the best man or girl for the job.

[@achmatgalant5668]

Stop talking crap please. You are an adult

[@kings.r.d4009]

@@johnclay9051lol, spoken like a person who lived in privilege. I on the other hand, and many South Africans of colour can have the total opposite answer to this question, where we’ve seen racism in sport through experience and being a spectator. But it’s good to have two different perspectives from two different walks of life. 😊

[@kings.r.d4009]

@@johnclay9051saying white South Africans value merit over anything else is quite funny but also has some truth to it, but as a black South African you had to be out of this weorld exceptional to have a look in, where as some of the white South Africans could just have the surname, good school and dad knowing the right people to get a look in, then groomed to be a better player. I’ve seen it, just sharing my experiences.

[@efpasordersinquiries4890]

Legend Ounthou jy Bella Nopolli "down town Gabreiel Straat"

[@jamesritchie2167]

Best ever!

[@valeriabotes693]

Was my hero

[@lonwabomdaka5509]

Danie Gerber Rugby Superman his my next door neighbour

[@joupastoor1977]

I think one of the reasons why Naas Botha was seen as one of South Africa's best kickers was due to the fact that 85% of Danie Gerber's tries were scored right underneath or very close to the posts... just saying...

[@RealRugby]

Jou Pastoor A man that knows his rugby... people just remember Naas as a kicking flyhalf because he kicked so well. He was a very very good running flyhalf who could put his backs into gaps

[@joupastoor1977]

Real Rugby I agree 100%... and that's why Naas will always be seen as one of the best... he had a knack for creating gaps which also made Danie look good on the other hand...

[@DefaultGatewayable]

I thought Naas was best known in SA for his drop goals? Mostly in provincial rugby?

[@joupastoor1977]

Hanno Van Onselen just one of his great atributes...

[@jaynedavis3655]

Ewert Visser could he tackle?

[@georgetanga6757]

Such a shame that politics got in the way of one of the best rugby talents of all time. The rugby world missed out.

[@peeps977]

Banggat Naas Botha

[@onosaiprime361]

Danie is way better than ODriscoll fact.

[@howzit5406]

The support lines...

[@dirkpretorius4314]

I remember and loved his rugby. National hero. I remembered the hardship he suffered after a heart attack. I remembered when he had to run for his life to get away from attackers who would probably have killed him if they could catch up with him. But sadly, I also remembered another side. We were all standing at a car dealership in a small Mpumalanga village/town. The Car service desk. Everyone waiting patiently for his car to be finished. In comes Danie: "Don't these people know who I am?". Angry because he has to wait in the queue. That did not sit well with all of us in that queue. In South Africa you wait your turn. Everyone has pressing issues. You stand in line. I hope future politicians and sportsmen take note of our mentality.

[@cliffardgerber3830]

Kak man

[@dirkpretorius4314]

@@cliffardgerber3830 Snotkop. Tel jou woorde.

[@dirkpretorius4314]

@@cliffardgerber3830 Snotkop! Tel jou woorde.

[@strekk1486]

Reminds me of O'Driscoll

[@tiaanlotter6618]

Just imagine Sa playing in the first two WC the All Black not half a chance

[@nic0072]

1987 RWC in NZ. Would have been incredibly hard to beat them there.

[@dermotosullivan3065]

Imagine what he would have done if his top-flight career hadn't been minimised by the anti-apartheid ban.

[@MartinGideon-x4g]

No way we had Wilfred Henni Andre Stubbs Aroon Peterson en nog baai se name

[@russellboreham4494]

Add my assertion that he was alongside John Gainsford the best ever...with Conrad Smith in third!?

[@paullouw4524]

If it wasn't for the sport boycott against SA.With Danie Gerber playing more test agains the All Blacks the Springboks wins against the Kiwis would look 60% better

[@micoangelo6523]

Japie mulder was the same built as danie gerber both strong centres for south africa

[@micoangelo6523]

@C G yeah gerber was a beast

[@TheBliksempie]

Japie had too much of a chip on his shoulder. What made Danie exceptional is that played most of his career in a losing side (EP and Dispatch) and learned how to play on the back foot and the front foot, Japie couldn't turn pressure into attack.

[@nic0072]

@@TheBliksempie Met Japie and Dalton at a bar just after the 1995 world cup. Japie one of the nicest guys I've ever met. Would rather not say much about Bullet apart from being a huge windgat.

[@stuartfraser1856]

He'd certainly have benefited from the surprise in opposition defences when Naas Botha actually passed rather than attempting a drop goal 🤣

[@redpilled9595]

This guy plays rugby on easy mode

[@jasonhiggins593]

He ain't no jpr William's or brain o'driscoll get it right an um not even going mention nonu an bunch

[@jaynedavis3655]

jason higgins shake ya head man, you got shit in ya eyes 👀

[@christoduplessis8177]

What an idiot, Nonu played inside centre, JPR was great but nowhere near Gerber and BOD can dream, Gerber wasn't just the best outside centre ever, he was arguably the best runner with the rugby ball ever!

[@ronansavage7918]

Christo du Plessis I watched a lot of games were gerber played in and I have to say he wasn’t even the best centre of his time he is very overrated in my opinion.

[@achmatgalant5668]

He is the best 13 of all time. He would have been the best 10,12,14,11 and 15 if he had played there no lies

[@jacqueshughes3085]

Doos.

[@apenisasauroutu7082]

Have seen some grest outside centers odriscoll, j.little, herbert,stanley,bunce,sella,c.smith,radradra etc but after seeing DH 4 the first time in this video he is altogether in a different stratosphere of hes own, If the Boks weren't suspended in the 80s and early 90s a legend could have been witnessed more worldwide like here in Fiiji. Luckily there's KZbin for missed greatness

[@tonygoodwin2834]

I would have loved to see van Der Westhuisen, Mark Ella, Tim Horan, Danie Gerber, Jonah Lomu, David Campese, Serge Blanco in one backline - tries galore

[@garywhitehead3165]

Why was he not picked for the 95 world cup? Even at 36, still the best out there.

[@danielcoetzee955]

Danie Gerber had the greatest acceleration to get off the mark and to top it off, he had all that speed and power to pull away from any opponent trying to catch him. Danie Gerber, an absolute Legend in Rugby. He is Simply The Best there were in centres

[@saiahau9024]

I have never heard of this dude before until now.Sella of France, O'Driscoll of Ireland Frank Bunce of the ABs but none came close to this guy. For a moment I thought this dude Danie was on something hhhh. Best ever Centre

[@dirkcrafford1814]

He really was that good.

[@barrythebloke592]

His work off the ball was outstanding - the quality of his support play and his lines of running were outstanding. Extraordinary acceleration, beautifully balanced running and wonderful stepping ability. Good enough to play now - no argument! The Springbok back line was exceptionally talented in his era but he still stood out.

[@the_katman2181]

The linking between Tobias and Gerber, whether for the Boks or the Baabaas, was just magic. Can watch that all day.

[@rhunter8459]

Yes me too, i feel Errol Tobius doesn't get enough credit... Had a great insight and engineerd alot of the 'pre dot down' links.

[@jaksdt]

Say what you want about Naas, he had the gift of putting Danie into space with his passing. Lethal combination.

[@zsifk3212]

One of my brother's claims to fame is that he played inside centre with Danie Gerber at Craven Week in 75.

[@hartley9958]

As a kiwi i admired this guy probably thee best centre there ever was...

[@nielrossouw7831]

Cheers from a South African. Many great centres from around the world but he was something special.

[@bmac63]

agree.. myself a kiwi admired Gerber..pace & power..great to watch

[@russellbrodie9149]

Darnie Gerber is my favorite centre even though I am a kiwi he is my favorite rugby player. His electrying pace and sidestepping at speed is brilliant and it's the way rugby use to be played

[@jksinorbit]

Danie was the best centre I have ever seen. Period. There are truly not many players that played in the preprofessional era that would have had the power and speed to match the modern day athletes but Gerber would have... and then some.

[@jeremyrogers4839]

His work off the ball was incredible. Always 'there'. World class!

[@lennymettie1015]

Best rugby centre of all time. They play for pride then - no fancy contracts.

[@igolfjtweetler4097]

Best back I have seen. O'Driscoll in the modern game closest.

[@nic0072]

I'll judge BOD and Horan from a smaller centre point of view. Same type of players. Of the 2, I would rate Horan the better player.

[@seruvakawaletabua1031]

Jason Little had similar balance but this DG guy is different class.

[@kelvinlewis4065]

Great player !!..I remember him ..He was class apart ....(Welsh fan ) ..respect .

[@riverwolf654]

hello from Ireland.....Ive never seen anyone run like him. The SA backline try on 20,21 is sublime

[@nielrossouw7831]

He stepped and outran wings. What more could you ask for?

[@francescococciolone3257]

Grandissimo giocatore!!! A L'Aquila lo ricordiamo bene quando nel 1994 con lui si vinse lo scudetto contro il Milan di Berlusconi!!!

[@the_katman2181]

The Danie Gerber of the early to mid eighties would walk into any Bok team, no matter which era. He had it all.

[@asitis1673]

Any team....

[@onosaiprime361]

Including the allblacks.. from a kiwi.

[@dieontwerper8083]

"Die Doring" had dangerous pace like no other centre I've ever seen! What a great player and legend!

[@rhunter8459]

Definately for me the best in terms of Standard. He rocked all oppostion and became the benchmark for attacking Centre play henceforth. LEGEND

[@cheetahcheetah3756]

one of 7 children. lived in a railtrack house, they never owned a vehicle. he started playing age 13. when asked what position he plays, he said I hav no idea. coach put him at flyhalf, when kicked at the 1st time he ran left, then right, then backwards, then right through and scored. he never looked back. only played 24 tests, so sad, never earned a cent.

[@gregcruse4647]

It's as if he is playing a different sport entirely. An astonishing player

[@welshcaesar]

Gerber and Sella best 2 centres ever.

[@Zh87119]

Back in the day when rugby was played. Most talented player

[@JOATMOFA]

My 2 *BEST* rugby players *EVER* : Springbok - Danie Gerber All Black - Jonah Lomu

[@CevaQ]

One of the greatest centres to ever grace a rugby field.

[@alexanderjoubert1119]

O yes,o yes!!!

[@torrentialdownpour1208]

He's a monster Centre glad I watched

[@drommie4396]

Poetry in motion-pure genius-those were the days !!

[@jamesritchie2167]

Daniel was way better than any All Black. Even today he would crush the show pony All Blacks.

[@lockk132]

Really, any number of A.Bs backs whom could do the same back....regardless is the best centre of all time no contention there

[@ronansavage7918]

lachlan kearse gerber was a bloody good player but extremely overrated in my opinion and there aremany centres I would put over him.

[@achmatgalant5668]

Like who? Can you name at least 5

[@bensmit6441]

@@ronansavage7918 Oh poop....at that time ,era and leather ball he probably was top 5...if not the best. Come on dude..watch the history

[@saudabrahams]

Great centre but what about Errol Tobias. He created lots of the tries on display here

[@peterbooysen6638]

agreed bro!!!

[@replenishmode6835]

Imagine Danie playing sevens.

[@ay613]

He would destroy everyone.

[@tonydefresnaye7027]

Oh Danie .....thanks so much for great memories. A strong indictment on superb skills to be inducted into the Rugby Hall Of Fame.

[@nielrossouw7831]

Danie Gerber! The one centre rhat made team mates tackle each other!

[@EugeneClarke-ql7sv]

I remember seeing him play for wp and styling myself on his play I never reached provincial level but everybody that knows rugby tells me this guy was a beast

[@afrikabruintjies407]

No words...no words...good vision..great pace..daunting step.burners...burners...burners.every south african schoolboy school girl should watch this video.

[@tobolee6385]

The size and power backrower and the speed of a sprinter ..side step of both feet and a eye for the gap ...brilliant . He was 6ft tall . .rare combination ..

[@guyreid8692]

Danie and Joost stand out for me. Very few players in the world in that class

[@andrewtomlinson18]

I can probably name six great centres and their all called Diane Gerber.

[@janniemeyer9951]

Friends with his nephew Quintin, himself a junior Bok. Sad that Danie such a great player have to live a hard life now. We owe him a lot.

[@mitchmillar613]

Great to see the 1981 tour tries by Danie Gerber. Do you have the three that Ray Mordt scored?

[@nevillewilson5942]

Best center I have ever seen in all my days of playing and watching rugby ! What a great memory of Danie at his best !

[@Trajan2401]

That's a big call.Philippe Sella,Frank Bunce,Tana Umaga,Will Carling,Tim Horan,Sonny Bill Williams,Scott Gibbs,Jeremy Guscott,Bryan ODriscoll,Mike Gibson,John Dawes,Bruce Robertson and others were also very good.

[@christoduplessis8177]

At 28:29 the commentator says in Afrikaans that that is his 150th first class rugby try. That is crazy for any position, but for a centre 😬💪

[@182Warren]

wow ...just noticed Danie passed more to Naas than anybody , usually after he scored under the poles he would pass ball back to Naas waiting on the 22.

[@Broonzied]

Philippe, Brian & Tim were all great but Danie was my favourite. Nobody better.

[@thomasVA9707]

Danie was my first rugby hero, I was a very bad skinny beentjies no 12 that never wanted to change my position because of him