Gerrie Labuschagné
{{Short description|South African rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use South African English|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Gerrie Labuschagné
| image =
| fullname = Gerhardus Jacobus Labuschagné
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|12|05|df=y}}
| birth_place = Springs, South Africa
| height = {{height|m=1.94}}
| weight = {{cvt|95|kg|lb stlb}}
| nickname =
| occupation =
| school = Hoërskool Die Anker, Brakpan
| university = University of the Free State
| relatives =
| position = Utility back
| currentclub = {{Rut|Houston SaberCats}}
| youthyears1 = 2014–2016
| youthclubs1 = {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}}
| years1 = 2015–2016
| clubs1 = {{Rut|Free State XV}}
| apps1 = 5
| points1 = 4
| years2 = 2017
| clubs2 = {{Rut|Golden Lions XV}}
| apps2 = 2
| points2 = 20
| years3 = 2017
| clubs3 = {{Rut|Pumas}}
| apps3 = 1
| points3 = 0
| years4 = 2018–2020
| clubs4 = Yamaha Júbilo
| apps4 = 10
| points4 = 30
| years5 = 2021
| clubs5 = {{Rut|Pumas}}
| apps5 = 1
| points5 = 3
| years6 = 2022–
| clubs6 = {{Rut|Houston SaberCats}}
| apps6 = 24
| points6 = 28
| clubupdate = 26 June 2023
}}
Gerhardus Jacobus Labuschagné (born 5 December 1995) is a South African rugby union player who plays for the Houston SaberCats in Major League Rugby (MLR). He previously played for Yamaha Júbilo in the Japanese Top League.{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=146444 | name=Gerrie Labuschagné | date=9 December 2016}} He is a utility back that can play as a fullback, centre, wing or fly-half.
Rugby career
=Youth rugby and Free State XV=
Labuschagné was born in Springs and went to high school in nearby Brakpan. However, he was never selected to represent his local {{Rut|Falcons}} team at any provincial schoolboy tournaments. After high school, he moved to Bloemfontein, where he was included in the {{Rut|Free State U19}} squad.{{SA Rugby Squad | teamid=21134 | team=Free State U19 | compid=2064 | comp=2014 Absa Under 19 Competition | accessdate=9 December 2016}} In July 2014, a video went viral of Labuschagné successfully kicking a penalty from 80m out during a training session at the University of the Free State.{{cite news | url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/rugby/incredible-80m-kick-at-goal-cheetahs-under19-winger-gerrie-labuschagne-stuns-with-longrange-effort/news-story/9cdd88e14ab15a87f892218491620eb6 | title=Incredible 80m kick at goal: Cheetahs under-19 winger Gerrie Labuschagne stuns with long-range effort | work=Courier Mail | date=29 July 2014 | accessdate=9 December 2016}}{{cite news | url=http://en.espn.co.uk/blogs/rugby/story/235239.html | title=Cheetahs winger lands 80-metre penalty kick | work=ESPN Scrum | date=30 July 2014 | accessdate=9 December 2016}} He made nine starts in the 2014 Under-19 Provincial Championship, appearing in the right wing, fullback and outside centre position during the season and scoring six points with the boot{{SA Rugby Top Scorers | id=2064 | comp=2014 Absa Under 19 Competition | date=9 December 2016}} during a season that saw his team finish in second position,{{SA Rugby Log | id=2064 | comp=2014 Absa Under 19 Competition | date=9 December 2016}} before losing their semi-final match 22–29 to eventual champions, {{Rut|Western Province U19}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=127294 | homeid=21134 | awayid=21124 | leagueid=2064 | hometeam=Free State U19 | homescore=22 | awayscore=29 | awayteam=Western Province U19 | matchdate=18 October 2014 | date=9 December 2016}}
Labuschagné was included in the {{Rut|Free State XV}} squad that played in the 2015 Vodacom Cup competition.{{SA Rugby Squad | teamid=24364 | team=Toyota Free State XV | compid=2304 | comp=2015 Vodacom Cup | accessdate=9 December 2016}} He made his first class debut on 18 April 2015, starting as the right wing in their 50–45 victory over the {{Rut|Eastern Province Kings}} in Round Four of the competition.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=140524 | homeid=24364 | awayid=24414 | leagueid=2304 | hometeam=Toyota Free State XV | homescore=50 | awayscore=45 | awayteam=EP Kings | matchdate=18 April 2015 | date=9 December 2016}} He made two more starts – against the {{Rut|Border Bulldogs}} in East London{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=140614 | homeid=24404 | awayid=24364 | leagueid=2304 | hometeam=Border Bulldogs | homescore=10 | awayscore=14 | awayteam=Toyota Free State XV | matchdate=24 April 2015 | date=9 December 2016}} and against {{Rut|Western Province}} in Bloemfontein{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=140684 | homeid=24364 | awayid=24384 | leagueid=2304 | hometeam=Toyota Free State XV | homescore=29 | awayscore=30 | awayteam=DHL Western Province | matchdate=2 May 2015 | date=9 December 2016}} – but failed to score any points for his team. He played at Under-21 level in the second half of the season, following up a start for the {{Rut|Free State U21}} in their victory over the {{Rut|Sharks U21}} team{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=146434 | homeid=27004 | awayid=27014 | leagueid=2544 | hometeam=Sharks U21 | homescore=15 | awayscore=27 | awayteam=Free State U21 | matchdate=24 July 2015 | date=9 December 2016}} with three appearances as a replacement. The first of those came against {{Rut|Eastern Province U21}} during the regular season of the Under-21 Provincial Championship,{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=147274 | homeid=27024 | awayid=27014 | leagueid=2544 | hometeam=EP Kings U21 | homescore=15 | awayscore=33 | awayteam=Free State U21 | matchdate=11 September 2015 | date=9 December 2016}} as the team finished second on the log to qualify for the title play-offs.{{SA Rugby Log | id=2544 | comp=2015 Absa Under 21 Competition | date=9 December 2016}} He also came on as a replacement in their 27–22 victory over {{Rut|Sharks U21}} in the semi-final,{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=147244 | homeid=27014 | awayid=27004 | leagueid=2544 | hometeam=Free State U21 | homescore=27 | awayscore=22 | awayteam=Sharks U21 | matchdate=17 October 2015 | date=9 December 2016}} and in the final against {{Rut|Western Province U21}}, which the side from Cape Town convincingly won 52–17.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=147254 | homeid=26994 | awayid=27014 | leagueid=2544 | hometeam=Western Province U21 | homescore=52 | awayscore=17 | awayteam=Free State U21 | matchdate=24 October 2015 | date=9 December 2016}}
Labuschagné was included in the {{Rut|Cheetahs}} wider training group for the 2016 Super Rugby season,{{cite web | url=http://www.fscheetahs.co.za/PlayersSR_edit.aspx | title=Vodacom Super Rugby – Toyota Cheetahs 2016 Wider Group | work=Cheetahs | accessdate=29 February 2016 | url-status=live | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160229140353/http://www.fscheetahs.co.za/PlayersSR_edit.aspx | archivedate=29 February 2016}} but made no appearances in that competition. Instead, he once again represented the Free State XV, this time in the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series that effectively replaced the Vodacom Cup. He made two starts; a start at inside centre in a 35–15 win against the {{Rut|Eastern Province Kings}}{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=158534 | homeid=30864 | awayid=30764 | leagueid=2824 | hometeam=EP Kings | homescore=15 | awayscore=35 | awayteam=Toyota Free State XV | matchdate=20 May 2016 | date=9 December 2016}} was followed by a start at fullback against the other team form the Eastern Cape, the {{Rut|Border Bulldogs}}. Labuschagné scored his first senior points in this match, kicking two conversions in a 22–18 victory.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=160114 | homeid=30854 | awayid=30764 | leagueid=2824 | hometeam=Border | homescore=18 | awayscore=22 | awayteam=Toyota Free State XV | matchdate=22 July 2016 | date=9 December 2016}} He was once again in action for the {{Rut|Free State U21}} team in the 2016 edition of the Under-21 Provincial Championship, playing in all six of their matches during the regular season. The team finished in fourth spot on the log{{SA Rugby Log | id=2884 | comp=2016 SA Rugby U21 Provincial Champs | date=9 December 2016}} to qualify for a semi-final, but Labuschagné did not feature in their 23–26 defeat to Western Province.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=167474 | homeid=32084 | awayid=32104 | leagueid=2884 | hometeam=WP U21 | homescore=26 | awayscore=23 | awayteam=Free State U21 | matchdate=14 October 2016 | date=9 December 2016}} However, the 46 points he scored during the regular season – through tries against {{Rut|Leopards U21}}{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=162774 | homeid=32094 | awayid=32104 | leagueid=2884 | hometeam=Leopards U21 | homescore=26 | awayscore=43 | awayteam=Free State U21 | matchdate=6 August 2016 | date=9 December 2016}} and {{Rut|Eastern Province U21}},{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=162954 | homeid=32104 | awayid=32134 | leagueid=2884 | hometeam=Free State U21 | homescore=44 | awayscore=45 | awayteam=EP U21 | matchdate=15 September 2016 | date=9 December 2016}} fifteen conversions and two penalties – made him his side's top scorer during the competition, and fifth overall.{{SA Rugby Top Scorers | id=2884 | comp=2016 SA Rugby U21 Provincial Champs | date=9 December 2016}}
References
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{Houston SaberCats squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Labuschagne, Gerrie}}
Category:South African rugby union players
Category:Sportspeople from Springs, Gauteng
Category:Rugby union fly-halves
Category:Rugby union fullbacks
Category:Free State Cheetahs players
Category:Pumas (Currie Cup) players
Category:Shizuoka Blue Revs players
Category:Houston SaberCats players
Category:South African expatriate rugby union players in Japan
Category:21st-century South African sportsmen
Category:South African expatriate rugby union players in the United States