At one stage in the 2008/09 season, Toulon were odds-on favourites to be relegated from France's Top 14.

They were at the foot of the table; there was panic at the club... That all changed, however, when the club's captaincy went to Springbok No.8 Joe van Niekerk, who — like Toulon — rose to the challenge in the face of adversity.

In the end, after an arduous 2008/09 French season, Toulon ended a very respectable ninth — well clear of the relegation quagmire. And, as a result, Van Niekerk is the toast of the town.

In fact, the 29-year-old was in such prolific form that he recently walked off with an Oscar — a French Player of the Year Award voted for by a panel of Midi Olympique journalists, based on the same points-scoring system as Australia's well-known John Eales medal.

You see, he is not just the toast of Toulon, but he is the toast of France, too.

Joe, however, simply laughs at such talk. He has been around for too long to believe what others say about him.

"It was a huge honour — winning the Oscar," he says in an interview on www.in-site.co.za. "Obviously, it's not why I play the game, and I certainly wouldn't have achieved anything without my teammates, but it's nice to be recognised after such a tough season."

His assessment of a "tough season" is something of an understatement. The 2008/09 season has been more than tough, but it is something that Big Joe believes could just be the making of him and Toulon - a club that is clearly very dear to his heart.

"Everyone accepted me here from the start," explains Joe, who played 20 successive, full 80-minute matches for Toulon after moving to France at the conclusion of the 2008 Tri-Nations. (His first game for them was off the bench; before playing a total of 1,600 minutes for Toulon in the 2008/09 season.)

"The club... its players, the spectators — everyone has made me feel so welcome. I guess coming in as an outsider probably helped me, but I arrived at the club with no baggage, having just earned my 50th Springbok cap [he is on 51 overall] and I was raring to go.

"I didn't arrive here with any pre-conceived ideas about how we could turn things around," he continues, "But, people that know me will know that I like to stay positive at all times and take the bull by its horns.

"Look, things weren't great at one stage; we were lying in 14th place (on the log) and the one coach had just been sacked... I think Tana (Umaga) returning to the playing ranks helped a lot, he has an amazing aura and that helped focus the team a lot, but if you ask me truthfully how we stayed in the Top 14; I think it was simply meant to be."

The on-field challenges aside, Van Niekerk has had a busy time of things since moving abroad. Life in France, as one would imagine, is quite different to that in South Africa.

"One thing I will say is, the French are not as relaxed as everyone makes them out to be! It's a myth if you ask me," says Joe. "Sure, the way of life is relaxing here, but the people aren't — they're an emotional nation, but it's something I've quite enjoyed.

"The language barrier made things that much harder upon arrival," he adds, "especially when, as captain, it came to dealing with the referees. The refs here don't like it when you talk back, so a simple nod does the trick and then you chat to your troops.

"The club, thankfully, has a full-time translator and I also go to French lessons twice a week. But with (new coach) Philippe Saint-André no doubt bound to conduct most of his team talks, etc in French, I am looking to improve all the time."

Van Niekerk, however, has no regrets about leaving South Africa, saying: "I feel invigorated; I've grown so much as a person.

"There is plenty of talk here about Frans Steyn making a move to Metro. If I could give him some advice, I'd say, 'Go on, do it, make the move'. He'll be living in Paris and experiencing a whole new culture — he will become a better person and, ultimately, a better player for it."

Of course, the 51-Test veteran admits to missing home — "especially my family and friends" — but he has just signed a new three-year deal with Toulon, which will also see him play alongside England World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson from next season.

"I had some very special times in South Africa — but with the good, came the bad," he says. "I guess it's only natural to have ups and downs in a professional sporting career, but I am absolutely loving this phase of my life. Including the 2008 Super 14, I played my 38th (and last) match of the 2008/09 season [of which he started 32] this past weekend, but I've never felt better.

"In many ways, the Top 14 is a bit like the IPL (cricket)," adds Van Niekerk. "There seems to be South Africans at every club, but the reason you notice them is because they're the good players on the park and also the guys standing out off the field. Maybe it's the way we were brought up, I don't know, but we South Africans seem to prosper in France and it's great being an SA representative over here and flying the flag!"

With his first season of French club rugby having come to an end, Joe will spend part of the summer in New York with his girlfriend — who is on a modelling assignment — but that will not stop him from finding a SuperSport or Sky feed in the 'Big Apple' in order to sample the upcoming three-Test series between the Springboks and the British & Irish Lions.

"I'm right behind the Boks," says Joe, "it should be an exciting series and I wouldn't miss it for the world — even if it means I have to walk New York flat to find a TV showing the games!

"We've got the team to beat them, there's no doubt about it, but that first Test will be crucial and it could just set the tone for the rest of the series."


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