Bjorn Basson

Bjorn Basson
Personal information
Full nameBjorn Alberic Basson
Born11 February 1987
King William's Town, South Africa
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight87 kg (13 st 10 lb)
School(s) attendedDale College
RelativesLogan Basson (brother),
Cody Basson (brother)
Club information
Playing positionWing, Full-back
Current clubBlue Bulls / Bulls
Youth career
2005–06Border Bulldogs
2007Griquas
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Pts)†
2008–10Griquas56(235)
2009–10Cheetahs9(30)
2011–Bulls68(120)
2011–Blue Bulls19(85)
Representative team(s)‡
2008–09Emerging Springboks4(5)
2009Highveld XV1(0)
2010–13South Africa11(15)
* Senior club appearances and points correct as of 1 April 2015.

† Appearances (Points).

‡ Representative team caps and points correct as of 24 March 2015.

Bjorn Alberic Basson (born 11 February 1987 in King William's Town) is a South African professional rugby union player[1] who plays as wing or full-back for the Bulls in Super Rugby and the South Africa national rugby union team.

Career

Griquas and Cheetahs

After playing for the Border U19 side in 2005 and 2006, he then moved to Kimberley to join Griquas. He made his debut in the 2008 Vodacom Cup competition, starting the match against former side Border Bulldogs in East London and scoring a try to help Griquas to a 15–5 win.[2] He played in eight matches, scoring five tries.[3] His first-ever Currie Cup season in 2008 saw him score a further six tries in eleven matches.[4]

As a Griquas player, he could also play Super Rugby for the Cheetahs. He was included in the Cheetahs in the 2009 Super 14 season, scoring one try in five appearances. He also scored one try in his three appearances for Griquas in the 2009 Vodacom Cup. He started twelve matches for Griquas in the 2009 Currie Cup Premier Division, as well as one substitute appearance and scored six tries to once again feature in the top ten try scorers list.[5]

2010 was Basson's most prolific season of all. He scored five tries in just four starts for the Cheetahs in the 2010 Super 14 season, six tries in his seven matches in the 2010 Vodacom Cup for Griquas, finishing joint third overall try scorer in the competition.[6] and two tries in a compulsory friendly match against SWD Eagles prior to the 2010 Currie Cup Premier Division season[7]

He then broke the record for the most number of tries scored in a single Currie Cup season, scoring no less than 21 for Griquas in the 2010 Currie Cup Premier Division.[8]

Bulls

Basson signed a two-year contract with the Blue Bulls Company on 19 September 2010. He later extended his contract, signing on until October 2016.[9]

In 2011, Basson was the joint top try scorer in the 2011 Super Rugby season with eleven tries for the Bulls, along with Sean Maitland and Sarel Pretorius.[10]

Representative rugby

Emerging Springboks

In 2008, Basson was chosen to represent the Emerging Springboks team, which went on to win the 2008 IRB Nations Cup in Romania.[11]

During the 2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa, he twice played against the Lions; once for the Royal XV[12] and again for the Emerging Springboks.[13]

South African national team

Basson was selected for the Springboks tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2010. He made his test debut on 5 June 2010 against Wales in Cardiff.[14]

On 15 November 2010 he and Chiliboy Ralepelle were suspended and sent home from the Northern Hemisphere tour after testing positive for a banned substance after the game against Ireland on 6 November 2010. Both players tested positive for methylhexaneamine, a "non-specified stimulant" on the prohibited substances list of WADA.[15]

Basson played in two tests during the 2012 mid-year series for the Springboks: their 36–27 win over England[16] and their 14–14 draw with England.[17]

Honours

References

  1. ↑ "SA Rugby Profile: Bjorn Basson". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  2. ↑ "Match breakdown: Border vs Wildeklawer Griquas". South African Rugby Union. 22 February 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  3. ↑ "2008 Vodacom Cup Top Try Scorers". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  4. ↑ "2008 Currie Cup Premier Division Top Try Scorers". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  5. ↑ "2009 Currie Cup Premier Division Top Try Scorers". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  6. ↑ "2010 Vodadom Cup Top Try Scorers". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  7. ↑ "Match breakdown: SWD vs GWK Griquas". South African Rugby Union. 2 July 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  8. ↑ "Basson breaks record". Times Live. 9 October 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  9. ↑ "Basson to keep running with the Bulls" (Press release). Bulls. 27 November 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  10. ↑ "2011 Super Rugby Top Try Scorers". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  11. ↑ "2013 Emerging Springboks IRB Nations Cup squad". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  12. ↑ "Match breakdown: Royal XV vs British & Irish Lions". South African Rugby Union. 30 May 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  13. ↑ "Emerging Springboks vs British & Irish Lions". South African Rugby Union. 23 June 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  14. ↑ "Match breakdown: Wales vs South Africa". South African Rugby Union. 5 June 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  15. ↑ "South Africa pair Ralepelle and Basson fail drug tests". BBC Sport. 15 November 2010. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
  16. ↑ "Match Breakdown: South Africa vs England (2nd test)". South African Rugby Union. 16 June 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  17. ↑ "Match Breakdown: South Africa vs England (3rd test)". South African Rugby Union. 23 June 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2013.

External links