Fabian Booysen
{{short description|South African rugby union player|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Use South African English|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox rugby union biography
| name = Fabian Booysen
| image =
| fullname = Fabian Connal Frazer Booysen
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|03|21|df=y}}
| birth_place = Caledon, South Africa
| height = {{height|m=1.90}}
| weight = {{convert|103|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}}
| nickname =
| occupation =
| school = Hoërskool Florida, Roodepoort
| university = University of Johannesburg
| relatives =
| position = Flanker / Number eight
| currentclub =
| youthyears1 = 2009–2013
| youthclubs1 = {{Rut|Golden Lions}}
| years1 = 2012–2017
| clubs1 = {{Rut|Golden Lions XV}}
| apps1 = 19 {{refn | group=note | name="Appearances discrepancy" | According to the SA Rugby Annual 2013, Booysen also came on as a hooker replacement in the 2012 Vodacom Cup match against the Blue Bulls.{{cite book | title=SA Rugby Annual 2013 | year=2013 | pages=258 | isbn=978-0-620-54685-0| last1=Heath | first1=Duane | last2=Grieb | first2=Eddie }} However, according to the South African Rugby Union website,{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=103751 | homeid=11341 | awayid=11391 | leagueid=1211 | hometeam=Vodacom Blue Bulls | homescore=49 | awayscore=10 | awayteam=MTN Golden Lions | matchdate=24 March 2012 | date=31 March 2016}} it was François du Toit, whose regular position is hooker. This potential appearance has been excluded from Booysen's appearance stats.}}
| points1 = 25
| years2 = 2012–2017
| clubs2 = {{Rut|Golden Lions}}
| apps2 = 26
| points2 = 10
| years3 = 2016
| clubs3 = {{Rut|Lions}}
| apps3 = 2
| points3 = 0
| years4 = 2018
| clubs4 = {{Rut|SWD Eagles}}
| apps4 = 3
| points4 = 0
| amatyears1 = 2013–2014
| amatteam1 = {{Rut|UJ}}
| amatapps1 = 9
| amatpoints1 = 0
| repyears1 = 2010
| repteam1 = South Africa Schools
| repcaps1 = 2
| reppoints1 = 0
| repyears2 = 2012
| repteam2 = South Africa Under-20
| repcaps2 = 5
| reppoints2 = 0
| repyears3 = 2013
| repteam3 = South African Universities
| repcaps3 = 1
| reppoints3 = 0
| clubupdate = 13 July 2018
| repupdate = 16 April 2018
}}
Fabian Connal Frazer Booysen (born 21 March 1992) is a South African professional rugby union player who last played for the {{Rut|SWD Eagles}} in the Currie Cup and Rugby Challenge competitions.{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=37545 | name=Fabian Booysen | date=29 May 2016}} His regular position is flanker or number eight.
Career
=2009–2010 : Craven Week and South Africa Under-18=
Booysen attended Hoërskool Florida in Roodepoort, which is in the catchment area of the {{Rut|Golden Lions}}. He was selected to represent them at the premier high school rugby union competition in South Africa, the Under-18 Craven Week in both the 2009 tournament held in East London and the 2010 tournament in Welkom. He scored one try in each of their matches against the {{Rut|Blue Bulls}}{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=19398 | homeid=8151 | awayid=8149 | leagueid=779 | hometeam=Lions | homescore=23 | awayscore=20 | awayteam=Blue Bulls | matchdate=30 June 2010 | date=31 March 2016}} and the {{Rut|Pumas}}{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=19413 | homeid=8151 | awayid=8159 | leagueid=779 | hometeam=Lions | homescore=28 | awayscore=11 | awayteam=Pumas | matchdate=3 July 2010 | date=31 March 2016}} in the 2010 event and was selected in a South Africa Under-18 High Performance squad after the tournament and Booysen represented South Africa in victories over France{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=19418 | homeid=8307 | awayid=8308 | leagueid=789 | hometeam=South Africa | homescore=25 | awayscore=5 | awayteam=France | matchdate=16 July 2010 | date=31 March 2016}} and England.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=19420 | homeid=8307 | awayid=8310 | leagueid=789 | hometeam=South Africa | homescore=23 | awayscore=17 | awayteam=England | matchdate=23 July 2010 | date=31 March 2016}}
=2011 : Under-19=
Booysen joined the Golden Lions Academy after finishing school and made ten appearances for the {{Rut|Golden Lions U19}} side during the 2011 Under-19 Provincial Championship, scoring one try in a 25–37 defeat to their trans-Jukskei rivals the {{Rut|Blue Bulls U19}}{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=20316 | homeid=8558 | awayid=8566 | leagueid=808 | hometeam=Lions | homescore=25 | awayscore=37 | awayteam=Blue Bulls | matchdate=24 September 2011 | date=31 March 2016}} and helping his side finish second on the log to qualify for the semi-finals. He played off the bench in their 32–27 semi-final victory over {{Rut|Western Province U21}}s,{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=102811 | homeid=8558 | awayid=8567 | leagueid=808 | hometeam=Lions | homescore=32 | awayscore=27 | awayteam=Western Province | matchdate=22 October 2011 | date=31 March 2016}} as well as in the final, where they became champions by beating the Blue Bulls U21s 20–19.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=102611 | homeid=8558 | awayid=8566 | leagueid=808 | hometeam=Lions | homescore=20 | awayscore=19 | awayteam=Blue Bulls | matchdate=29 October 2011 | date=31 March 2016}}
=2012 : Vodacom Cup and South Africa Under-18=
Booysen made his first class debut on 10 March 2012 by coming on as a late replacement for the {{Rut|Golden Lions}} in their 2012 Vodacom Cup match against the {{Rut|Leopards}} in Potchefstroom, finishing the match on the losing side as the Leopards triumphed 23–16.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=103611 | homeid=11381 | awayid=11391 | leagueid=1211 | hometeam=Leopards | homescore=23 | awayscore=16 | awayteam=MTN Golden Lions | matchdate=10 March 2012 | date=31 March 2016}}{{refn | group=note | name="Appearances discrepancy"}}
Booysen was then selected in the South Africa Under-20 squad for the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship, which was hosted in South Africa for the first time. He started their first match as the hosts got off to a bad start, losing 19–23 to Ireland in Pool B of the competition.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=109211 | homeid=13091 | awayid=13031 | leagueid=1171 | hometeam=South Africa | homescore=19 | awayscore=23 | awayteam=Ireland | matchdate=4 June 2012 | date=31 March 2016}} He played off the bench as South Africa recovered to beat Italy 52–3 in their second match{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=109261 | homeid=13091 | awayid=13041 | leagueid=1171 | hometeam=South Africa | homescore=52 | awayscore=3 | awayteam=Italy | matchdate=8 June 2012 | date=31 March 2016}} and started their 28–15 victory over previously-unbeaten England{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=109151 | homeid=13091 | awayid=13021 | leagueid=1171 | hometeam=South Africa | homescore=28 | awayscore=15 | awayteam=England | matchdate=12 June 2012 | date=31 March 2016}} to finish top of the log and qualify for the semi-finals. He started their semi-final match as they easily dispatched Argentina, winning 35–3,{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=109331 | homeid=13071 | awayid=13091 | leagueid=1171 | hometeam=Argentina | homescore=3 | awayscore=35 | awayteam=South Africa | matchdate=17 June 2012 | date=31 March 2016}} as well as the final, which South Africa won 22–16 against New Zealand{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=109391 | homeid=12981 | awayid=13091 | leagueid=1171 | hometeam=New Zealand | homescore=16 | awayscore=22 | awayteam=South Africa | matchdate=22 June 2012 | date=31 March 2016}} to win the competition for the first time and ending New Zealand's four-year reign as champions.{{cite web | url=http://www.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/story/166052.html | title=Junior Boks end Baby Blacks' rein | publisher=ESPN Scrum | date=22 June 2012 | access-date=22 April 2014}}
Booysen returned to domestic action for the {{Rut|Golden Lions U21}}s and made eight appearances during the 2012 Under-21 Provincial Championship. The Golden Lions finished in fifth spot on the log, failing to qualify for the semi-finals.
=2013–2014 : Under-21 and UJ=
Booysen started the 2013 season representing university side {{Rut|UJ}} in the 2013 Varsity Cup. He made five appearances for the side as they finished third on the log to qualify for the semi-finals, where they suffered a 24–61 defeat to eventual champions {{Rut|UP Tuks}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=105794 | homeid=10644 | awayid=10624 | leagueid=1084 | hometeam=FNB UP-Tuks 1 | homescore=61 | awayscore=24 | awayteam=FNB UJ | matchdate=25 March 2013 | date=31 March 2016}}
Booysen made his first domestic senior start in the 2013 Vodacom Cup, suffering a 19–30 defeat to the {{Rut|Griffons}}{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=104064 | homeid=11654 | awayid=11684 | leagueid=1164 | hometeam=Down Touch Griffons | homescore=30 | awayscore=19 | awayteam=MTN Golden Lions | matchdate=5 April 2013 | date=31 March 2016}} in a competition that the Golden Lions would eventually go on to win, beating the {{Rut|Pumas}} 42–28 in the final.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=107764 | homeid=11644 | awayid=11684 | leagueid=1164 | hometeam=Steval Pumas | homescore=28 | awayscore=42 | awayteam=MTN Golden Lions | matchdate=17 May 2013 | date=31 March 2016}}
His performances in the 2013 Varsity Cup didn't go unnoticed and Booysen was named in a South African Universities team that played a one-off match against {{nrut|Namibia}} in Windhoek.{{SA Rugby Article | id=1898234 | title=SA Universities squad named to face Namibia | date=25 April 2013 | access-date=6 June 2016 | url=http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?id=1898234&fullview=true | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160607182933/http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?id=1898234&fullview=true | url-status=dead | archive-date=7 June 2016}} The South African Universities side ran out 50–39 winners.{{cite web | url=http://www.namibian.com.na/indexx.php?archive_id=107804&page_type=archive_story_detail&page=1495 | title=Welwitschias playing catch up | work=The Namibian | date=6 May 2013 | access-date=14 August 2015}}
Booysen made twelve appearances for the {{Rut|Golden Lions U21}}s during the 2013 Under-21 Provincial Championship, contributing one try in their 76–7 victory over {{Rut|Border U21}} in their final round-robin match{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=110824 | homeid=15274 | awayid=15284 | leagueid=1434 | hometeam=MTN Golden Lions U21 | homescore=76 | awayscore=7 | awayteam=Border | matchdate=12 October 2013 | date=31 March 2016}} as they finished fourth to qualify for the semi-finals. He started their semi-final match against {{Rut|Western Province}}, which required extra time to separate the teams, with Western Province eventually prevailing 44–41.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=110834 | homeid=15244 | awayid=15274 | leagueid=1434 | hometeam=DHL Western Province | homescore=44 | awayscore=41 | awayteam=MTN Golden Lions U21 | matchdate=19 October 2013 | date=31 March 2016}}
Booysen's playing time in 2014 was limited to four appearances off the bench for {{Rut|UJ}} during the 2014 Varsity Cup, which saw his side struggle, finishing second last and requiring a relegation play-off series victory over {{Rut|UKZN Impi}} to remain in the competition.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=121174 | homeid=18674 | awayid=18684 | leagueid=1854 | hometeam=FNB UJ | homescore=42 | awayscore=8 | awayteam=FNB UKZN | matchdate=7 April 2014 | date=31 March 2016}} He was named in the Golden Lions' Vodacom Cup and Currie Cup squads, but failed to appear in any of their matches.
=2015 : Vodacom Cup and Currie Cup=
Booysen returned to first class action in the 2015 Vodacom Cup, making a single appearance in their 63–10 victory over the {{Rut|Leopards}} in Johannesburg.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=140554 | homeid=24324 | awayid=24304 | leagueid=2304 | hometeam=Xerox Golden Lions | homescore=63 | awayscore=10 | awayteam=Leopards XV | matchdate=25 April 2015 | date=31 March 2016}} The Golden Lions reached the semi-final of the competition, where they lost to the {{Rut|Pumas}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=140844 | homeid=24324 | awayid=24334 | leagueid=2304 | hometeam=Xerox Golden Lions | homescore=20 | awayscore=43 | awayteam=Steval Pumas | matchdate=22 May 2015 | date=31 March 2016}}
Booysen was named in the Golden Lions' squad for the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division and was included in the starting line-up for the Golden Lions' Round Two match against the Pumas.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=144704 | homeid=26624 | awayid=26594 | leagueid=2494 | hometeam=Xerox Golden Lions | homescore=44 | awayscore=27 | awayteam=Steval Pumas | matchdate=14 August 2015 | date=31 March 2016}}
Notes
{{reflist|group=note}}