Jaco Pretorius

{{ Infobox rugby biography

| image =

| birth_name = Jaco Christiaan Pretorius

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|12|10|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Johannesburg, South Africa

| height = {{height|m=1.83}}

| weight = {{cvt|94|kg|lb stlb}}

| ru_position = Outside centre

| amatyears1 =

| amatteam1 =

| superyears1 = 2001—2008

| super1= Lions

| superapps1 = 29

| superpoints1 = 35

| superyears2 = 2008—2011

| super2 = Bulls

| superapps2 = 30

| superpoints2 = 5

| ru_provinceyears1 = 2006—2009

| ru_province1 = Golden Lions

| ru_provinceapps1 = 22

| ru_provincepoints1 = 80

| ru_provinceyears2 = 2009—2011

| ru_province2 = Blue Bulls

| ru_provinceapps2 = 26

| ru_provincepoints2 = 35

| repyears1 = 2006-2007

| repteam1 = Springboks

| repcaps1 = 2

| reppoints1 = 0

| ru_sevensnationalyears1 = 2006

| ru_sevensnationalteam1 = Springboks Sevens

| ru_sevensnationalcomp1 =

}}

Jaco Pretorius (born 10 December 1979) is a retired South African rugby union outside centre.{{cite web|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/southafrica/rugby/player/15420.html|title=JACO PRETORIUS South Africa|date=n.d.|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2021-07-24}}{{cite web|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/southafrica/rugby/story/91444.html|title=Pretorius wins Bulls debut against Reds|date=2009-02-11|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2021-07-24}}

Biography

Pretorius was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1979. He began playing for the Lions in 2001 and served as the Springboks Sevens captain in 2006.{{cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/enlarged-sa-sevens-squad-20061026|title=Enlarged SA Sevens squad|date=2006-10-26|publisher=News24|access-date=2021-07-24}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/rugby/story/_/id/15383155/springbok-sevens-gear-wellington|title=Springbok Sevens gear themselves up for Wellington|date=2006-02-01|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2021-07-24}}{{cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/lions-sevens-bok-at-flyhalf-20060816|title=Lions Sevens Bok at flyhalf|date=2006-08-16|publisher=News24|access-date=2021-07-24}}{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/6052042.stm|title=Boks name four new caps for tour|date=2006-10-20|publisher=BBC|access-date=2021-07-24}} In 2007, he was part of the Emerging Springboks team that won the IRB Nations Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.superxv.com/4724-emerging-springboks-clinch-irb-nations-cup/|title=Emerging Springboks clinch IRB Nations Cup|date=2007-06-27|publisher=Super XV|access-date=2021-07-24}}{{cite web|url=https://www.world.rugby/news/18047/pretorius-nations-cup-an-eye-opener|title=Pretorius: Nations Cup an eye-opener|date=2007-06-20|publisher=World Rugby|access-date=2021-07-24}}

He played two games for Barbarian F.C. in 2008{{cite web|url=https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/barbarians-jaco-pretorius-and-tom-guest-during-the-gartmore-news-photo/527073010|title=Rugby Union - Gartmore Challenge - England vs. Barbarians|date=2008|publisher=Getty Images|access-date=2021-07-24}} before signing a three-year deal with the Bulls;{{cite web|url=https://www.planetrugby.com/bulls-snag-lions-star/|title=Bulls snag Lions star|date=2008-11-19|publisher=Planet Rugby|access-date=2021-07-24}} his debut game was February 14 against the Queensland Reds. The team won the Currie Cup and the Super 14 Final the following year.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/rugby/report?gameId=99531&league=270555|title=Bulls lift Currie Cup in thriller|date=2009-10-31|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2021-07-24}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rugbydump.com/news/the-bulls-blitz-the-chiefs-to-win-the-2009-super-14-final/|title=The Bulls blitz the Chiefs to win the 2009 Super 14 final|date=2009-05-31|publisher=Rugby Dump|access-date=2021-07-24}} They also won the 2010 Super 14 Final, though Pretorius was forced to sit out two games into the season due to a fractured eye socket.{{cite web|url=https://www.superxv.com/jaco-pretorius-derick-kuun-ruled-out-for-bulls/|title=Jaco Pretorius & Derick Kuun ruled out for Bulls|date=2010-04-05|publisher=Super XV|access-date=2021-07-24}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/rugby/report?gameId=105469&league=242041|title=Superb Bulls secure back-to-back titles|date=2010-05-29|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2021-07-24}}{{cite web|url=https://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/bulls-off-to-the-perfect-start-613268|title=Bulls off to the perfect start|date=2010-02-14|publisher=IOL|access-date=2021-07-24}} In 2011, after fourteen years of playing rugby, Pretorius announced he would be retiring due to a back injury.{{cite web|url=http://www.rugby15.co.za/back-injury-forces-jaco-pretorius-to-retire/|title=Back injury forces Jaco Pretorius to retire|date=2011|publisher=Rugby 15|access-date=2021-07-24}}{{cite news|url=http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Pretorius-hangs-up-his-boots-20111025 |title=Pretorius hangs up his boots|date=25 October 2011}}