Netherlands international Vikas Meijer’s journey into rugby union

By Peter Ryan

“Oh, I don’t know where we’re going, but I know we’ll find our way.” In Old Man Grace, Scottish singer-songwriter Nathan Evans sings of life’s journey and the importance of treasuring each moment.

For athletes, it is a familiar truth: the delicate balance between striving to prove themselves and pausing to savour the now.

This sentiment may resonate with athletes like Vikas Meijer, a rising talent with his eyes set firmly on making his mark in rugby.

The beginning

Meijer’s rugby journey began at an early age, and his talent was evident to see.

At just 12 years old, he entered into a pathway that shaped a new generation of Dutch talent.

Rugby has been synonymous with the fly-half. It’s more than a game to him; it’s a way of life. Meijer speaks on what rugby means to him.

“It means life to me. From a young age, I’ve actually played a lot of rugby already and was always in a team that wanted to push forward and always try for high standards.

“That made me go to a college with an academy back home. That made us train seven times a week when we were between the ages of 12 and 18.

“I’ve actually grown up playing it, and it made me thrive and even want to play more.

“Next to that, rugby makes friends for life. I’ve been to South Africa, on a gap year, playing with 40 boys at the Stellenbosch Rugby Academy. You meet people from all over the world.

“Not only is rugby something I want to pursue, but it’s also brought loads of friends into my life, and that brotherhood really comes alive then.”

You can tell rugby means a great deal to Meijer, so it comes as no surprise that he’s already played for some fantastic teams.

Delta

At the start of the 2022/23 season, he competed in the Rugby Europe Super Cup with Delta. He took on European opponents and got his first taste of high-tier competition.

The Dutch international put in some fantastic performances for the franchise. A prime example of this is the match against the Brussels Devils.

Meijer’s boot was unerring: four penalties and 12 points against the Belgian side, a calm display of accuracy under fire. After impressing in the Netherlands, he made the move to the rugby-proud nation of Wales.

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Cardiff Met

In 2023, Meijer arrived at Cardiff Met. He rapidly became a consistent presence within the squad.

Juggling books and a ball, he pursues a Economics degree while steering Cardiff Met from fly-half.

His impact at the historic institution was clear to see, as he won the Fresher of the Year award.

Meijer runs out for the university on both fronts in BUCS Super Rugby and the Welsh Premiership. By February 2025, Meijer had left his mark with over 70 points in BUCS Super Rugby, scored through tries, conversions, and penalties, a testament to his all-round influence. Meijer has also made his presence felt in the Welsh domestic leagues.

Key performance for Cardiff Met

In February 2024, Cardiff Met stormed to a 40-6 win over Penallta to stay top of the Championship East. Reminiscent of the Brussels Devils clash just over a year prior, his accurate goal-kicking was on full display.

Cardiff Met secured an abundance of tries, and Meijer coolly converted the majority of them.

His move to Cardiff Met has been fruitful, and it’s clear the university has played a vital role in his development.

“I would say its been very crucial, especially because it’s a very competitive team. We have 12 university teams, 400 rugby players, and many of the boys aspire to play professionally. They see this almost as a second chance after academy rugby.

“Being able to play in a performance team for Cardiff Met brought that consistency in my game. I think that’s been very important for me in my development, next to understanding the game a bit better and improving my decision-making.”

Moving away

Moving away is a massive deal.

“Yet, in rugby, going to a new environment can help take your game to the next level. Meijer’s move to Wales shows his commitment to improving as a competitor. He talks about his move to Wales.

“Having that professional set-up in Wales now has been nice. Also, it always rains here. But it suits my game well. Being a big outside half and having my kicking game in place, it’s really come from consistency in my kick training, whether it was raining or not.

“So yeah, that’s been really good.”

Not only has he produced for clubs and universities, but he has also appeared on international stages.

International rugby

Every rugby player aspires to represent their nation—the ultimate honour. Meijer has progressed through the age-grade teams.

U20s is where he really stood out. In 2023, the Netherlands U20s made history by winning the Rugby Europe Under-20 Championship; throughout that campaign, he was captain.

The stage was Prague, the moment a final that demanded composure. From inside centre, Meijer answered with 16 points from the boot to seal a 26-16 victory over Belgium and lift the crown.

At the age of 19, he earned his first international cap. Fast forward to 2025, he is a regular in the match-day squad.

Pulling the strings in the Dutch backline, the fly-half was a part of a team that got big wins over Switzerland and Germany. Listening to him talk, you can tell how much playing for the Netherlands means to him.

“It was really special. It’s something I still don’t have words for. Being able to just run out for your country, even though we’re playing in a tier two nation, just means the world to me.

“I always wanted to play for the Netherlands and, hopefully, play for a professional team on the side. But I always stick to the Netherlands to see if we can grow rugby in the country, improve the level of Rugby Netherlands, and push for a World Cup as a goal.”

Talented

A player with a lot of talent, it will be interesting to see how far he and the Netherlands can go.

“For now, I would love to sign a contract soon and just pursue rugby on a professional basis. I’m trying to do everything I can now, so I can go and play somewhere next year., so I’m hoping to pursue professional rugby once uni is finished.

“That’s a big goal for me.”

The objective is clear: to become a professional rugby player. With experiences beyond his years and a fire that burns for the game, Meijer stands ready to transform passion into profession and etch his name into rugby’s story.

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