As Kingston Park Stadium gears up for the big Falcons Legends game tomorrow night, former Springbok Stefan Terblanche was among the first players to arrive at the stadium.

A respected Fullback, capped 37 times for the Springboks, Terblanche has done plenty in his career to earn his place in the Legends line up for the Southern Hemisphere.

Be it his then South African record equalling try scoring exploits, against Ireland in 1998 or his one try per two test scoring ratio, he has impressed both at home in South Africa with the Sharks or in the UK with Ospreys and Ulster.

Having retired from the game at the end of the 2011/2012 season with an appearance in the Heineken Cup Final, Terblanche is now firmly entrenched in the world of Legends rugby, as the Exective Director of South African Rugby Legends association.

It is an organisation that focuses on young players in disadvantaged communities who have traditionally been excluded from structured rugby training and grassroots level competition with the hope of giving them the skills and confidence they need to succeed both on and off the field.

“We try not to play too many games but every now and then we do get involved in every now and then. We do a lot of events from coaching clinics and rugby development but occasionally, we get involved in exhibition matches like this.”

“There is a World cup every year in Bermuda in November with the rugby classics and we went there last year for the first time.”

With exhibition matches like tonight’s Legends game an occasional treat for former greats of the game, it would be easy to assume they exist purely as an avenue for old friends to reunited and enjoy a few days in each other’s company.

But throwing into the mix the competitive instincts of former professionals, Terblanche says it doesn’t take a lot for that to come back to the fore

“I think we say it’s the social side but do you know what? Guys are competitive when they get on that field and you want to try and do what you did five, six years ago, sometimes even longer but you just can’t quite do it anymore.”

“You can still see the gap, everything is still there mentally but you just can’t quite get the speed and the acceleration is not quite there. It’s great to get on the field, but your body is sore for a week after!”

Having spent close to three years with first the Ospreys and then Ulster, Terblanche is no stranger to Northern Hemisphere rugby.

“I think coaching here in the UK, certainly where I played was some of the best I’ve had in my career and just the way the look after the players, they give them rest when needed and I think we South African’s can learn a lot from the way the Northern Hemisphere teams manage their players.“

However, having also played in both the 1999 and 2003 Rugby World Cups, the former Sharks man is hopeful that his countrymen can overturn their Northern hemisphere opponents at St James’ Park this Saturday.

“I think our forwards might just have the upper hand in terms of their size and driving the line out, but there are some exciting Scottish backs. I shouldn’t say this as a South African but I hope that Finn Russell can play because he is such a good player and I want the best Scottish team out there for the Springboks to play.

“I’m very much looking forward to it. Scotland is one of my favourite countries and watching the Springboks play at a football stadium like St James’ Park and experience that atmosphere, where there will be fantastic support for Scotland as we’re just across the border.

“South Africa didn’t play well at all against Japan, they slowly but surely getting better, the played a lot better against Samoa and on Saturday it will be a great test against a Scotland side that has come such a long way in the way they play.”

Tomorrow’s game will see Terblanche’s Southern Hemisphere XV take on a team of Falcons Legends in a special game kicking off at 7.45pm at Kingston Park Stadium.

Tickets for the game are available to buy now [online][1], in person from the Kingston Park Stadium Box Office or by calling the Falcons’ 24 hour Ticket Hotline on 0871 226 6060 starting from £10 for adults and costing just £5 for juniors.

[1]: http://www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk/Pages/Tickets/info