Riaan Esterhuizen
| Full name | Riaan Etienne Esterhuizen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 8 August 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Stellenbosch, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 94 kg (207 lb; 14 st 11 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Hoërskool Brandwag, Uitenhage | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Nelson Mandela University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Professional Athlete & Entrepreneur | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Riaan Etienne Esterhuizen (born 8 August 1994) is a South African professional rugby union player who most recently played with the Eastern Province Kings.[1] His regular position is centre, but is comfortable serving as a utility back.
Rugby career[edit]
Youth[edit]
Esterhuizen followed the traditional pathway by playing representative rugby at schoolboy level from the age of seven. He captained his high school team on both the 15-man format as well as the sevens format. After high school he joined and captained the Border U19 team for their Provincial Championship campaign in 2013.[2] He moved to the Port Elizabeth-based Eastern Province Kings in 2014. He started six of the Eastern Province U21s' seven matches during the 2014 Under-21 Provincial Championship regular season, helping them finish top of the log to qualify for the semi-finals, winning all of their matches along the way.[3] He started their semi-final against Limpopo Blue Bulls U21, scoring a try in the first quarter of the match to help them to a 28–26 victory.[4] He also started the final against SWD U21 in Welkom, playing the first hour of a 46–3 victory to secure the Group B championship.[5] He remained in the starting lineup for their promotion play-off match against Border U21, where a 64–9 victory ensure Eastern Province would return to Group A of the competition in 2015.[6]
Esterhuizen remained part of the team for their 2015 season, playing in five of their first six matches in a disappointing season for his side struggling to adapt to the new level, winning just one match all season and finishing bottom of the log.[7]
He started the 2016 season by playing Varsity Cup rugby with the local university team, the NMU Madibaz. In his first year, he made three appearances for the team – starting two of those – and scored a try in their 26–35 defeat to CUT Ixias,[8] but experienced another disappointing season, as the team finished second-bottom on the log.[9] He played for the team until 2019, captaining the NMU Madibaz from 2018.
Eastern Province Kings[edit]
After the 2016 Varsity Cup, Esterhuizen was one of several youngsters that were included in the Eastern Province Kings senior squad that competed in the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series.[10] He made his first class debut in their second match of the season, coming on as a replacement against the Boland Cavaliers in an 18–37 defeat in Wellington.[11] After another appearance off the bench against the Border Bulldogs,[12] Esterhuizen made his first start in a 15–35 defeat to a Free State XV in Port Elizabeth.[13]
Springbok Sevens[edit]
Esterhuizen has had international success in the Sevens game. He was asked to join the Springbok Sevens Academy in 2014/15 and played two tournaments in Europe for the team before injuring his knee.
References[edit]
- ^ "SA Rugby Player Profile – Riaan Esterhuizen". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Squad – Border : 2013 Absa Under 19 Competition". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Results – 2014 Absa Under 21 Competition". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings U21 28–26 Limpopo BB U21". South African Rugby Union. 3 October 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings U21 46–3 SWD U21". South African Rugby Union. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border U21 9–64 EP Kings U21". South African Rugby Union. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Log – 2015 Absa Under 21 Competition". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB CUT 35–26 FNB NMMU MADIBAZ". South African Rugby Union. 28 March 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Log – 2016 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Squad – EP Kings : 2016 Currie Cup Qualifying". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Boland Cavaliers 37–18 EP Kings". South African Rugby Union. 16 April 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings 14–28 Border". South African Rugby Union. 23 April 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings 15–35 Toyota Free State XV". South African Rugby Union. 20 May 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2016.