Dane van der Westhuyzen

Dane van der Westhuyzen
Personal information
Full nameDane Robert van der Westhuyzen
Born16 August 1992
Queenstown
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight105 kg (16 st 7 lb)
School(s) attendedSt Andrew's College
Club information
Playing positionHooker
Current clubLeopards
Youth career
2005Border Bulldogs
2010Eastern Province Country Districts
2012–13Eastern Province Kings
Amateur team(s)
YearsTeam
2015NMMU Madibaz7(0)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Pts)†
2013–14Eastern Province Kings14(0)
2015–Leopards0(0)
* Senior club appearances and points correct as of 14 April 2015.
† Appearances (Points).

Dane Robert van der Westhuyzen is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with the Leopards.[1] His regular position is hooker.

Career

Youth

He played for Border Bulldogs at the Under-13 Craven Week in 2005 and for Eastern Province Country Districts at the Under-18 Academy Week in 2010.

He then joined the EPRU Academy and played for the Eastern Province U21 side in the 2012 Under-21 Provincial Championship, starting all eight of his side's matches as they made it to the final of the competition, scoring one try against Griquas U21 en route.[2] Van der Westhuyzen started the final, helping them to beat SWD U21 24–10.[3]

He was equally as involved for the U21s in the 2013 Under-21 Provincial Championship – this time round also captaining the side – making eight appearances as the team progressed all the way to the final. He scored a try in the final against Boland U21 in a 59–19 victory[4] to help them win their second consecutive title, although they once again fell short in the promotion play-off, losing 23–21 to Border U21.[5]

Eastern Province Kings

He was included in the senior squad for the 2013 Vodacom Cup and was also included in the Kings squad for a match against the Lions as they warmed up for the 2013 Super Rugby season.[6] He made his first class debut in the Vodacom Cup in their match against Argentine invitational side, Pampas XV,[7] and made a total of six appearances in the competition, all from the bench.

He made his first appearance in the Currie Cup competition in the opening fixture of the 2013 Currie Cup First Division season, when he appeared as a substitute in the match against the Pumas.[8] He made two starts in their matches against the Griffons[9] and the Leopards[10] and a further appearance off the bench against the Falcons.[11]

Despite initially being released at the end of the 2013 season, he was later offered a one-year contract extension for 2014.[12] He made four appearances in the 2014 Vodacom Cup competition and was included in their squad for the 2014 Currie Cup Premier Division, but failed to make any appearances for the side and was again released at the end of the season.[13]

Leopards

He then joined Port Elizabeth-based university side NMMU Madibaz for the 2015 Varsity Cup competition, making 7 appearances as his side finished second-bottom on the log, before making the move to Potchefstroom to join the Leopards.

References

  1. ↑ "SARU Player Profile Dane van der Westhuyzen". sarugby.net. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  2. ↑ "Match Breakdown: Eastern Province KIngs vs GWK Griquas". South African Rugby Union. 5 October 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  3. ↑ "Match Breakdown: Eastern Province Kings vs SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 13 October 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  4. ↑ "Match Breakdown: EP Kings vs Boland". South African Rugby Union. 11 October 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "Match Breakdown: Border vs EP Kings". South African Rugby Union. 19 October 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "Wounded Kings' test of depth". Rugby365.com. Rugby365.com. 7 February 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  7. ↑ "Match Breakdown: Eastern Province Kings vs ICBC Pampas XV". South African Rugby Union. 9 March 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "Steval Pumas vs Eastern Province Kings". South African Rugby Union. 29 June 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  9. ↑ "Match Breakdown: Down Touch Griffons vs Eastern Province Kings". South African Rugby Union. 6 July 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  10. ↑ "Match Breakdown: Eastern Province Kings vs Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 12 July 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "Match Breakdown: Valke vs Eastern Province Kings". South African Rugby Union. 2 August 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  12. ↑ "Welkom in groot rugby, Dane". Media24 (in Afrikaans). Beeld. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  13. ↑ "Dane se kontrakpyn" (in Afrikaans). Die Burger. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.