Ruan Pienaar
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| Date of birth | 10 March 1984 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Place of birth | Bloemfontein, South Africa | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Weight | 90 kg (198 lb; 14 st 2 lb) | ||
| School | Grey College | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Scrum-Half, Fly-half | ||
| Provincial/State sides | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2004–2010 2010– |
Natal Sharks Ulster |
32 30 |
(261) (166) |
| Super Rugby | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2005–2010 | Sharks | 57 | (140) |
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2006– | South Africa | 51 | (119) |
| correct as of 12 January 2012. | |||
Ruan Pienaar (born 10 March 1984 in Bloemfontein) is a South African rugby union footballer who plays either as a scrum-half or as a fly-half. He joined Ulster for the 2010/2011 Magners League campaign.[1]
He is the son of former Springbok fullback Gysie Pienaar. Ruan is regarded as a very skillful rugby player. Besides being able to pass well, he can kick with both feet, and his vision and running style moved former Springbok coach Jake White to compare him with Australian fly-half Stephen Larkham, which is high praise indeed.[2]
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[edit] International career
He made his debut for the Springboks in the 2006 Tri-Nations against New Zealand and was a member of the successful 2007 World Cup squad. As he has not played club rugby in South Africa since June 2010 it seemed unlikely that he would be called up again to play for the national team. SARU has a policy of selecting foreign based players in exceptional circumstances only. However, on the 20th of June 2011 it was reported that Pienaar had been named in South Africa's 49-Man World Cup preliminary training squad.[3]
[edit] Club career
Pienaar played his high school rugby in Bloemfontein, where he attended the prestigious Grey College. He was selected for the Free State Craven Week side in 2002.
Pienaar played for Natal Sharks in the Currie Cup, the Sharks in Super Rugby prior to joining Ulster.
On 27 May 2010 Ulster announced that they had signed the player on a two year contract.[4] Pienaar will play in the Magners League and Heineken Cup along with fellow Springbok Johann Muller, Robbie Diack, Pedrie Wannenburg and BJ Botha at the Belfast based side. He made his Magners League debut on 1 October, scoring all of Ulster's 19 points in their victory over Glasgow Warriors.[5] Pienaar has since signed a two year extension to his contract with Ulster which will keep him with the Belfast side until the end of the 2013-2014 season.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16013_6175239,00.html
- ^ "Is Ruan Pienaar the next Larkham?". Planet-Rugby.com. http://www.planet-rugby.com/Story/0,18259,3551_2664595,00.html. Retrieved 13 February 2008.
- ^ "South Africa name 49 World Cup hopefuls". bbc.co.uk. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/13845841.stm. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ^ "Ulster announce Ruan Pienaar signing". RTÉ Sport (Raidió Teilifís Éireann). 2010-05-27. http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2010/0527/pienaarr.html. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
- ^ "Ulster 19–17 Glasgow". BBC Sport (BBC). 2010-10-01. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/ulster/9044885.stm. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
[edit] External links
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