South African · Cradock, South Africa · Born 14 April 1958Danie Gerber is widely regarded as South Africa's greatest-ever centre, his international career limited by the country's sporting isolation during apartheid.
Daniël Mattheus Gerber was born on 14 April 1958 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and initially excelled at football and cricket before discovering he possessed a rare natural talent for rugby, progressing through South Africa's schools system to represent the national schools side. He went on to play for Eastern Province, Western Province, and Orange Free State across a long domestic career. Gerber developed into one of the most electrifying centres the game has ever seen, renowned for his blistering pace and sidestepping ability that regularly left defenders tackling each other — most memorably against Ireland in 1981, when his footwork caused two Irish defenders to collide attempting to stop him. He scored an extraordinary 158 tries in 261 first-class matches, the highest strike rate ever recorded by a centre. Gerber's international career, spanning from 1980 to 1992, was severely limited by South Africa's sporting isolation during the apartheid era, restricting him to just 24 Test caps despite a career lasting over a decade. Even so, he scored 19 international tries, an extraordinary 79.2 percent try-scoring ratio that remains the best in the sport's history among players with more than 20 caps. Gerber was named South African Player of the Year in 1984 and is widely regarded as the greatest centre — and by many the greatest player of any position — in Springbok history. He was inducted into both the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 2007 and the South African Rugby Hall of Fame in 2019.
Regarded as the greatest Springbok centre ever
How They Played
Gerber was an attacking centre with exceptional pace and finishing ability, rare qualities for players in his position during that era. He possessed strong running lines and the vision to exploit gaps in defensive systems, making him a constant threat in the backline.
Lasting Impact
Gerber is remembered as one of the finest centres in South African rugby history, with his try-scoring record from the centre position remaining remarkable even decades later.
Career Honours
- International Rugby Hall of Fame inductee (2007)
- prolific first-class try-scoring record
| Club | Period | Apps | Tries | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Province | 1980–1992 | 181 | 24 | #13 |
 South Africa | — | 24 | 19 | — |
South African Athletes