Izak van der Westhuizen
| Full name | Izak Petrus van der Westhuizen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 23 January 1986 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Kimberley, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 111 kg (17 st 7 lb; 245 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Diamantveld High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University of the Free State | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Izak Petrus van der Westhuizen (born 23 January 1986 in Kimberley) is a former South African rugby union player whose regular position was lock.[1] He is on the Free State Cheetahs coaching staff and the head coach of the Free State XV in the Rugby Challenge.
Career[edit]
Youth[edit]
Van Der Westhuizen represented Kimberley-based side Griquas at the Under-18 Craven Week in 2004 and also represented them in the Under-20 competition later in the same year.
Van Der Westhuizen then moved to Bloemfontein, where he joined the Free State Cheetahs. He represented them at Under-19 level in 2005 and at Under-21 level in 2006 and 2007.
Free State Cheetahs and Cheetahs[edit]
Van der Westhuizen made his first class debut during the 2007 Vodacom Cup, starting in Free State's opening match of the season against the Border Bulldogs in East London.[2] Three substitute appearances followed in their next three matches before he made another start against the SWD Eagles, scoring his first (and only) try in his senior career.[3]
Van Der Westhuizen became a regular in the Free State's Vodacom Cup side, making a total of 30 appearances in this competition between 2007 and 2011.
Van Der Westhuizen made one appearance for the Currie Cup side in 2008 – a pre-season compulsory friendly against the Leopards[4] – but it wasn't until the 2009 season that he made his Currie Cup debut for the Free State Cheetahs, coming on as a substitute against the Sharks.[5]
In 2010, he was also included in the Cheetahs squad for the 2010 Super 14 season.[6] His Super Rugby debut came in their Round 9 match against the Brumbies in Canberra.[7]
He made a total of 79 appearances for the Free State Cheetahs in the domestic Vodacom Cup and Currie Cup competitions and 25 appearances for the Cheetahs in Super Rugby.
Griffons[edit]
Van der Westhuizen also spent some time on loan at Welkom-based side the Griffons, making twelve appearances for them during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
Edinburgh[edit]
At the conclusion of the 2012 Currie Cup Premier Division season, he joined Scottish Pro12 side Edinburgh on a two-year contract.[8]
Despite an injury-plagued first season, where he made just 6 appearances, Van der Westhuizen recovered to become a regular for Edinburgh during the 2013–14 Pro 12 and 2013–14 Heineken Cup competitions, making a total of 29 appearances.
Eastern Province Kings[edit]
On 10 March 2014, Edinburgh announced that Van der Westhuizen would join the Eastern Province Kings prior to the 2014 Currie Cup Premier Division season on a three-year deal,[9] subject to a medical. However, since Van der Westhuizen suffered three concussions since the start of 2014, a specialist advised that he should not play any rugby for six month to a year. He did not pass the medical at the Eastern Province Kings and the contract was subsequently cancelled.[10]
External links[edit]
- "SA Rugby Player Profile – Izak van der Westhuizen". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- "itsrugby.co.uk profile".
References[edit]
- ^ "SA Rugby Player Profile – Izak van der Westhuizen". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border 15–23 Free State". South African Rugby Union. 23 February 2007. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – SWD 24–30 Free State". South African Rugby Union. 24 March 2007. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Platinum Leopards 19–40 Vodacom FS Cheetahs". South African Rugby Union. 13 June 2008. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Free State Cheetahs 12–21 Sharks". South African Rugby Union. 31 July 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Squad – Vodacom Cheetahs : 2010 Vodacom Super 14". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Brumbies 61–15 Vodacom Cheetahs". South African Rugby Union. 10 April 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
- ^ Reid, Alasdair (22 May 2012). "Edinburgh sign South African lock Izak van der Westhuizen". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- ^ "Van der Westhuizen to join the Kings" (Press release). Edinburgh Rugby. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
- ^ "Kings cast big Izak aside". Rugby365. 17 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- 1986 births
- Living people
- Cheetahs (rugby union) players
- Edinburgh Rugby players
- South African expatriate rugby union players in Scotland
- Free State Cheetahs players
- Griffons (rugby union) players
- Rugby union locks
- Rugby union players from Kimberley, Northern Cape
- South African rugby union coaches
- South African rugby union players
- University of the Free State alumni