Tackles and tailenders
Rudie van Vuuren, the Namibian doctor who played at both the cricket and rugby World Cups
An episode of the Amazing Sport Stories podcast, hosted by BBC World Service, titled "Tackles and tailenders" was published on September 23, 2024 and runs 15 minutes.
September 23, 2024 ·15m · Amazing Sport Stories
Summary
In 2003, Namibia's Rudie van Vuuren became the first - and, to date, only - man to have played at both the cricket and rugby World Cups. His feat was made all the more impressive by the fact that he was also working full-time as a doctor. His sporting career saw him take on stars like Sachin Tendulkar, Shoaib Akhtar and James Anderson; though Namibia rarely won, he still managed to find some small victories of his own. This is the story of a unique sporting life, and why he's still keeping company with big names away from the pitches.
Episode Description
In 2003, Namibia's Rudie van Vuuren became the first - and, to date, only - man to have played at both the cricket and rugby World Cups. His feat was made all the more impressive by the fact that he was also working full-time as a doctor. His sporting career saw him take on stars like Sachin Tendulkar, Shoaib Akhtar and James Anderson; though Namibia rarely won, he still managed to find some small victories of his own. This is the story of a unique sporting life, and why he's still keeping company with big names away from the pitches.
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