Andries Strauss

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Andries Strauss

| image =

| fullname = Andries Jacobus Strauss

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1984|03|05}}

| birth_place = Pretoria, South Africa

| height = {{height|m=1.86}}

| weight = {{cvt|97|kg|lb stlb}}

| nickname =

| occupation =

| school = Grey College

| university =

| relatives = Richardt Strauss (brother)
Adriaan Strauss (cousin)

| position = Centre

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 = 2003–2005

| youthclubs1 = {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}}

| years1 = 2004–2005

| clubs1 = {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}}

| apps1 = 8

| points1 = 10

| years2 = 2006–2010

| clubs2 = {{Rut|Sharks}}

| apps2 = 22

| points2 = 5

| years3 = 2006–2010

| clubs3 = {{Rut|Sharks (Currie Cup)|CC=y}}

| apps3 = 80

| points3 = 80

| years4 = 2011–2012

| clubs4 = {{Rut|Cheetahs}}

| apps4 = 18

| points4 = 15

| years5 = 2011–2012

| clubs5 = {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}}

| apps5 = 18

| points5 = 20

| years6 = 2013

| clubs6 = {{Rut|Southern Kings}}

| apps6 = 14

| points6 = 0

| years7 = 2013

| clubs7 = {{Rut|Eastern Province Kings}}

| apps7 = 0

| points7 = 0

| years8 = 2014–2016

| clubs8 = Edinburgh

| apps8 = 49

| points8 = 10

| repyears1 = 2003

| repteam1 = South Africa Schools

| repcaps1 =

| reppoints1 =

| repyears2 = 2004

| repteam2 = South Africa Under-19

| repcaps2 =

| reppoints2 =

| repyears3 = 2004

| repteam3 = South Africa Under-21

| repcaps3 = 2

| reppoints3 = 0

| repyears4 = 2007

| repteam4 = South Africa Sevens

| repcaps4 =

| reppoints4 =

| repyears5 = 2010

| repteam5 = South Africa

| repcaps5 = 1

| reppoints5 = 0

| clubupdate = 21 June 2016

| repupdate = 23 February 2013

}}

Andries Strauss born 5 March 1984 in Pretoria, South Africa is a former rugby union player that played as a centre.{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=20494 | name=Andries Strauss | date=29 May 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_3623.html | title=It's Rugby Player Profile Andries Strauss | work=It's Rugby | access-date=14 November 2013}}

Career

=Free State Cheetahs=

After playing for the Free State Under-20 side in 2003, he was included in the senior side for the 2004 Vodacom Cup competition and made his debut for them in a match against the {{Rut|Falcons}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=10317 | homeid=4679 | awayid=4680 | leagueid=341 | hometeam=Cheetahs | homescore=91 | awayscore=24 | awayteam=Falcons | matchdate=20 March 2004 | date=21 June 2016}} He made his Currie Cup debut for the team later in 2004 against the {{Rut|SWD Eagles}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=10441 | homeid=4702 | awayid=4699 | leagueid=339 | hometeam=Cheetahs | homescore=32 | awayscore=15 | awayteam=Eagles | matchdate=11 September 2004 | date=21 June 2016}} He remained with the Bloemfontein-based side until the end of the 2005 season, before moving to Durban to join the {{Rut|Sharks}}.

=Sharks=

He made his Super Rugby debut in the {{Rut|Sharks}}', starting in opening match of the 2006 Super 14 season against the {{Rut|Chiefs}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=12543 | homeid=5553 | awayid=5561 | leagueid=407 | hometeam=The Sharks | homescore=30 | awayscore=21 | awayteam=Chiefs | matchdate=11 February 2006 | date=21 June 2016}} He quickly established himself as a regular, starting twelve of the Sharks' matches during the season.

He represented the teams at all levels – playing for the {{Rut|Sharks}} at Super Rugby level in 2006, 2008 and 2009, domestically for the {{Rut|Sharks (Currie Cup)}} in the Currie Cup between 2006 and 2010 and for the {{Rut|Natal Wildebeest}} in the 2007 and 2008 Vodacom Cup competitions, making in excess of one hundred appearances for the team at those various levels.

=Return to the Cheetahs=

In August 2010, Strauss signed a deal with the Cheetahs for the 2011 Super 15 season, due to the departure of Cheetahs centre Meyer Bosman who joined the Sharks the next season.{{cite web | url=http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/CurrieCup/More-signings-for-Cheetahs-20100817 | title=More signing for Cheetahs | publisher=Sport24 | date=17 August 2010 | access-date=14 November 2013}} In 2011 and 2012 Strauss made almost 40 appearances for the Cheetahs in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup and also played with his cousin Adriaan Strauss during this time.

=Kings=

He joined the {{Rut|Southern Kings}} for the 2013 Super Rugby season.{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyweek.com/news/article.asp?id=36451 |title=Southern Kings snap up Strauss for Super Rugby |date=13 September 2012 |publisher=rugbyweek.com |access-date=13 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120919225504/http://rugbyweek.com/news/article.asp?id=36451 |archive-date=19 September 2012 |df=dmy }} He made his Kings debut in their first-ever Super Rugby match in 2013, a 22–10 victory over Australian side the {{Rut|Force}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=113661 | homeid=15231 | awayid=15111 | leagueid=1491 | hometeam=Southern Kings | homescore=22 | awayscore=10 | awayteam=Force | matchdate=23 February 2013 | date=21 June 2016}} He started thirteen of their sixteen matches during the season – most of them as captain following an injury to regular captain Luke Watson. However, Strauss broke his hand towards the end of the campaign and missed the 2013 Super Rugby promotion/relegation play-offs, which saw the {{Rut|Lions}} gain entry into the 2014 Super Rugby season at the Kings' expense. He also missed the entire 2013 Currie Cup First Division season with the same injury.

=Edinburgh=

He signed for Scottish side Edinburgh Rugby at the start of 2014, tying him to the club until 2016.{{cite press release | url=http://www.edinburghrugby.org/news/14/01/05/stalwart-super-rugby-centre-signs-2016 | title=Stalwart Super Rugby centre signs to 2016 | work=Edinburgh Rugby | date=5 January 2014 | access-date=5 January 2014}} His first points for the club came during a Pro12 encounter with Cardiff Blues the following November.{{cite web|url=http://www.edinburghrugby.org/edinburgh-rugby/player/andries-strauss |title=Edinburgh Rugby (Andries Strauss) | Edinburgh Rugby |access-date=2014-12-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221111944/http://www.edinburghrugby.org/edinburgh-rugby/player/andries-strauss |archive-date=21 December 2014 |df=dmy }}

=Representative rugby=

In November 2010, after an injury to stand-in full-back and centre Zane Kirchner, Strauss received a call-up to play for the Springboks to face a star-studded Barbarians side at Twickenham in a non-test match.{{cite web | url=http://www.espn.co.uk/southafrica/rugby/story/130338.html | title=Andries Strauss drafted in by Springboks | publisher=ESPN | date=30 November 2010 | access-date=14 November 2013}}{{cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/9257459.stm | title=Barbarians 26–20 South Africa | publisher=BBC | date=4 December 2010 | access-date=14 November 2013}} Although it was a non-test match, this thus far, is his only appearance for the national team.

At youth level, he played for the South Africa Under-21 side, playing two matches for them in the 2004 Under 21 Rugby World Championship. He also represented the South Africa Sevens side during the 2006–07 IRB Sevens World Series competition.