Personal Overview

 I was born in 1995, a significant year in the history of South African rugby! My very first gift, at the age of 2 days old, was a rugby ball, from my uncle. This is where it began…   I have been playing team rugby since the age of 5, starting at pre-school and continuing at Suikerbos Primary with oom Lukas and oom Kelvin:  one a Bull supporter and the other a Shark! I played rugby throughout my primary school years, and was in the A-side in each age group, winning the local league for three consecutive years. In Grade 5 to Grade 7, I was selected for the first team, and also for Bokkie-week in two years. Our provincial coaches for u/13 Bokkie-week were Hannes Grobler and David Mey. Our highest achievement as a team was reaching the semi-finals against the Bulls team, who went on to win the tournament that year.

I began my high school career at Vereeniging Tegniese Hoerskool (Bakkies Botha’s alma mater). In that year, playing against Hoerskool Hugenote, in Springs, I experienced a serious rugby accident, in which I fractured my back and pelvis. This took me out of rugby for that season. I then moved to a private school, Word of Life, to focus on my academics. Word of Life did not offer rugby as a sport, so once I was declared fit to play again, I continued my rugby career by playing for General Smuts High school with Mr. Andre Botha, as my coach. I later joined the Vereeniging Hoerskool u/16A team. At the same time, I played for the Tegniese Hoerskool (HTS) Rugby Club and we were the runners-up in the u/16 Southern Gauteng Club League.

In 2012, after having obtained my Cambridge IGCSE at Word of Life, I made the decision to move to a school that offered rugby as a sport.  I moved to Parktown Boys’ High School (PBHS), where, being a newcomer, I was put into the third team. In the second game, I was moved to the Second team where I played 8th man, and then asked to bench for the First team. I soon moved up to start for the First team where I have played at lock and or Flank when required. Since 2013, I have started in 85% of the games, been brought on as an impact player in 14% of the games, and have missed 1 game due to concussion. In the current season,in 2014 I have 100% starting and completion record for all games, starting at hooker, and sometimes being moved to lock for strategic reasons. I have been chosen to represent the Lions U/19A team at the PUK WEEK from 29th June to 3rd July 2014.

Previous Clubs

• 2014 - Lions U/19 A Team
• 2015 - Villagers
• 2016 - NNK
• 2016 - Western Province Academy
• 2017 - Vereeniging Rugby Club
• 2019 - Villagers FC

Coaching References

Andre Botha (Phoenix High)            (016) 422 0636; 084 500 5487
Coach Bafana (Lions)                      (011) 642 4531
David Mey (HTS Club)                     (016) 423 5158
Hannes Grobler: Vereeniging Gymnasium          (016) 421-3280; 071 674 7222
Kobus Mare (Gen Smuts High Coach)              (016) 421 4130; 083 564 3380
Mr Andrew van Zyl (PBHS Coach)            (011) 642 4531; 082 468 8276
Mr Troy Lee:Managing Director & Coach at WPRA          021 712 1559

Video Footage