Brendon Groenewald
{{Short description|South African rugby union player}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox rugby union biography
| name = Brendon Groenewald
| image =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1991|05|27}}
| birth_place = Johannesburg, South Africa
| height = {{height|m=1.97}}
| weight = {{convert|115|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}}
| nickname =
| occupation =
| school = Glenwood High School, Durban
| university = Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein
| relatives =
| position = Flanker / Number eight / Lock
| currentclub = Durban Collegians
| youthyears1 = 2007–2009
| youthclubs1 = {{Rut|Sharks (Currie Cup)}}
| youthyears2 = 2010–2011
| youthclubs2 = {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}}
| youthyears3 = 2012
| youthclubs3 = {{Rut|Sharks (Currie Cup)}}
| years1 = 2011
| clubs1 = {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}}
| apps1 = 8
| points1 = 10
| years2 = 2012
| clubs2 = {{Rut|Sharks (Currie Cup)|CC=y}}
| apps2 = 2
| points2 = 0
| years3 = 2014
| clubs3 = {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}}
| apps3 = 1
| points3 = 0
| amatyears1 = 2013–present
| amatteam1 = Durban Collegians
| amatapps1 = 4
| amatpoints1 = 15
| clubupdate = 30 March 2015
| repupdate = 26 August 2014
}}
Brendon Groenewald (born 27 May 1991 in Johannesburg, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with KwaZulu-Natal club side Durban Collegians.{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=43316 | name=Brendon Groenewald | date=29 May 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://worldartists.pl.privatelabel.co.za/page/clients/flyhalf/1644665-Brendon-Groenewald | title=World Artists Player Profile Brendon Groenewald | publisher=World Artists | access-date=26 September 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204182216/http://worldartists.pl.privatelabel.co.za/page/clients/flyhalf/1644665-Brendon-Groenewald | archive-date=4 February 2015 | url-status=dead }} He is a utility forward that can play as a lock, flanker or number eight.
Career
=School rugby=
At high school level, Groenewald represented KwaZulu-Natal in provincial youth weeks in three consecutive years – he played for them at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week in 2007, the Under-18 Academy Week competition in 2008 and the Under-18 Craven Week competition in 2009.
=Free State Cheetahs=
In 2010, he moved to Bloemfontein, where he joined the {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}} academy. He made just seven starts for the {{Rut|Free State U19}} side during the 2010 Under-19 Provincial Championship before he was promoted to the {{Rut|Free State U21}} side, for whom he made five appearances in 2010 and scoring three tries, including two in their match against {{Rut|Boland U21}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=18819 | homeid=8033 | awayid=8030 | leagueid=769 | hometeam=Free State | homescore=109 | awayscore=0 | awayteam=Boland | matchdate=24 September 2010 | date=1 July 2016}}
He made his first class debut in 2011; he was included in the {{Rut|Free State XV}} squad for the 2011 Vodacom Cup and was included in the run-on side for their opening match of the season against the {{Rut|Falcons}}. It proved to be a memorable debut, as he also scored his first senior try in the final minutes of the match as his side ran out 55–19 winners.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=19908 | homeid=8461 | awayid=8472 | leagueid=802 | hometeam=Toyota Free State Cheetahs | homescore=55 | awayscore=19 | awayteam=Valke | matchdate=25 February 2011 | date=1 July 2016}} He started their first five matches of the competition (scoring one more try against Namibian side {{Rut|Welwitschias}}){{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=20067 | homeid=8476 | awayid=8461 | leagueid=802 | hometeam=Welwitschias | homescore=13 | awayscore=29 | awayteam=Toyota Free State Cheetahs | matchdate=19 March 2011 | date=1 July 2016}} and played off the bench in their next two matches, as well as the quarter-final, where the Free State XV were knocked out by eventual winners, Argentinean side {{Rut|Pampas XV}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=20540 | homeid=8474 | awayid=8461 | leagueid=802 | hometeam=Pampas XV | homescore=41 | awayscore=34 | awayteam=Toyota Free State Cheetahs | matchdate=29 April 2011 | date=1 July 2016}}
He returned to Under-21 action in the second half of 2011, scoring two tries in nine starts for the {{Rut|Free State U21}} side in the 2011 Under-21 Provincial Championship.
=Sharks / Durban Collegians=
In 2012, Groenewald returned to KwaZulu-Natal when he joined the {{Rut|Sharks (Currie Cup)}}. He made two appearances for them during the 2012 Vodacom Cup competition. Still eligible to play at Under-21 level, he played in all thirteen of the {{Rut|Sharks U21}}s' matches during the 2012 Under-21 Provincial Championship, scoring three tries as they reached the semi-final of the competition.
He played club rugby for Durban Collegians in the 2013 Moor Cup, helping them to second place in the league and went one better in the 2014 Moor Cup when he was the top try-scorer in the league{{cite web | url=http://152.111.11.6/argief/berigte/volksblad/2014/09/09/16/jtcaylib_31_0_628548355.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20140926105557/http://152.111.11.6/argief/berigte/volksblad/2014/09/09/16/jtcaylib_31_0_628548355.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=26 September 2014 | title=Caylib en Lappies reg vir CB-aksie | work=Volksblad | date=9 September 2014 | access-date=26 September 2014 | language=Afrikaans }} to help them win the title and qualify for the 2015 SARU Community Cup.
=Return to Free State Cheetahs=
His performances for Durban Collegians didn't go unnoticed and {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}} Rory Duncan brought him back to Bloemfontein as lock and loose-forward cover during the 2014 Currie Cup Premier Division season. Groenewald made his Currie Cup debut by coming off the bench in the Cheetahs' 37–20 victory over the {{Rut|Eastern Province Kings}} in Round Seven of the competition.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=119884 | homeid=18114 | awayid=18144 | leagueid=1784 | hometeam=Eastern Province Kings | homescore=22 | awayscore=37 | awayteam=Toyota Free State Cheetahs | matchdate=20 September 2014 | date=1 July 2016}}
=Durban Collegians=
In 2015, Groenewald returned to Durban to rejoin club side Durban Collegians prior to their 2015 SARU Community Cup campaign.
References
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Groenewald, Brendon}}
Category:South African rugby union players
Category:Rugby union players from Johannesburg
Category:Rugby union number eights
Category:Free State Cheetahs players
Category:Sharks (Currie Cup) players