Johan Grobbelaar
{{Short description|South African rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Use South African English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Johan Grobbelaar
| image =
| fullname = Cornelis Johannes Grobbelaar
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|12|30|df=y}}
| birth_place = Paarl, South Africa
| height = {{height|m=1.82}}
| weight = {{cvt|98|kg|lb stlb}}
| school = Paarl Gymnasium
| university =
| relatives =
| position = Hooker
| currentclub = {{Rut|Bulls}} / {{Rut|Blue Bulls}}
| youthyears1 = 2015
| youthclubs1 = {{Rut|Western Province}}
| youthyears2 = 2016–2018
| youthclubs2 = {{Rut|Blue Bulls}}
| years1 = 2017–present
| clubs1 = {{Rut|Blue Bulls}}
| apps1 = 24
| points1 = 40
| years2 = 2018
| clubs2 = {{Rut|Blue Bulls XV}}
| apps2 = 5
| points2 = 15
| years3 = 2018–present
| clubs3 = {{Rut|Bulls}}
| apps3 = 72
| points3 = 125
| repyears1 = 2015
| repteam1 = South Africa Schools
| repcaps1 = 3
| reppoints1 = 5
| repyears2 = 2017
| repteam2 = South Africa Under-20
| repcaps2 = 5
| reppoints2 = 20
| clubupdate = 23 July 2022
| repupdate = 15 July 2018
}}
Cornelis Johannes Grobbelaar (born 30 December 1997) is a South African rugby union player for the {{Rut|Bulls}} in the United Rugby Championship and the {{Rut|Blue Bulls}} in the Currie Cup.{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=165514 | name=Johan Grobbelaar | date=15 July 2018}} His regular position is hooker.
Rugby career
Grobbelaar was born and grew up in Paarl. He attended and played rugby for Paarl Gymnasium and was selected for the {{Rut|Western Province}} squad for the 2015 Under-18 Craven Week tournament. His team won the main match at the tournament held in Stellenbosch, beating {{Rut|Eastern Province}} 95–0 in the final. After the Craven Week tournament, Grobbelaar was selected for the South Africa Schools squad that participated in the 2015 Under-18 International Series. He started all three of their matches; he scored a try in their 42–11 win over Wales in their first match{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=153794 | homeid=29524 | awayid=29534 | leagueid=2694 | hometeam=South Africa U18 | homescore=42 | awayscore=11 | awayteam=Wales U18 | matchdate=7 August 2015 | date=31 March 2016}} and helped his team to wins over France{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=153874 | homeid=29524 | awayid=29554 | leagueid=2694 | hometeam=South Africa U18 | homescore=12 | awayscore=5 | awayteam=France U18 | matchdate=11 August 2015 | date=31 March 2016}} and England{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=153844 | homeid=29524 | awayid=29544 | leagueid=2694 | hometeam=South Africa U18 | homescore=23 | awayscore=16 | awayteam=England U18 | matchdate=15 August 2015 | date=31 March 2016}} in the other two.
After school, he moved to Pretoria to join the {{Rut|Blue Bulls}} academy. He played for them at Under-19 level in 2016, and the following year he was selected in the South Africa Under-20 squad for the 2017 World Rugby Under 20 Championship. He started all five matches at the tournament, helping his side to a 23–23 draw against France,{{cite web | url=http://sarugby.online/tournaments/match/id/2545 | title=U20 World Rugby Championship – Match 4, Pool Stage | work=South African Rugby Union | date=31 May 2017 | accessdate=15 July 2018}} a 38–14 victory over Georgia{{cite web | url=http://sarugby.online/tournaments/match/id/2590 | title=U20 World Rugby Championship – Match 11, Pool Stage | work=South African Rugby Union | date=4 June 2017 | accessdate=15 July 2018}} and a 72–14 win over Argentina (a match in which Grobbelaar scored two of South Africa's eleven tries){{cite web | url=http://sarugby.online/tournaments/match/id/2597 | title=U20 World Rugby Championship – Match 15, Pool Stage | work=South African Rugby Union | date=8 June 2017 | accessdate=15 July 2018}} as South Africa topped Pool C to qualify for the semi-finals. A 22–24 defeat to England in the semi-finals ended their hopes of winning the competition,{{cite web | url=http://sarugby.online/tournaments/match/id/2766 | title=U20 World Rugby Championship – Match 23, Semi Final | work=South African Rugby Union | date=13 June 2017 | accessdate=15 July 2018}} but they bounced back in the third-place play-off to beat France 37–15, with Grobbelaar scoring a further two tries.{{cite web | url=http://sarugby.online/tournaments/match/id/2771 | title=U20 World Rugby Championship – Match 29, 3rd Place Play Off | work=South African Rugby Union | date=18 June 2017 | accessdate=15 July 2018}}
He made his domestic first class debut shortly after his return to South Africa, coming on as a replacement in the {{Rut|Blue Bulls}}' 54–22 victory over the {{Rut|Golden Lions}} in their 2017 Currie Cup Premier Division Round Three match.{{cite web | url=http://sarugby.online/tournaments/match/id/2696 | title=Currie Cup Premier Division – Match 9, Log | work=South African Rugby Union | date=5 August 2017 | accessdate=15 July 2018}} He became a regular on the Blue Bulls' replacement bench during the season, making a total of ten appearances. He also scored three tries during the season, in matches against {{Rut|Western Province}},{{cite web | url=http://sarugby.online/tournaments/match/id/2701 | title=Currie Cup Premier Division – Match 14, Log | work=South African Rugby Union | date=12 August 2017 | accessdate=15 July 2018}} the {{Rut|Golden Lions}}{{cite web | url=http://sarugby.online/tournaments/match/id/2716 | title=Currie Cup Premier Division – Match 30, Log | work=South African Rugby Union | date=16 September 2017 | accessdate=15 July 2018}} and the {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}}.{{cite web | url=http://sarugby.online/tournaments/match/id/2724 | title=Currie Cup Premier Division – Match 37, Log | work=South African Rugby Union | date=6 October 2017 | accessdate=15 July 2018}}
In 2018, Grobbelaar was included in the {{Rut|Bulls}} squad for their final match of the 2018 Super Rugby season against trans-Jukskei rivals the {{Rut|Lions}},{{cite press release | url=http://thebulls.co.za/news/new-halfbacks-and-captain-as-vodacom-bulls-close-out-season-against-emirates-lions | title=New halfbacks and captain as Vodacom Bulls close out season against Emirates Lions | publisher=Bulls | date=12 July 2018 | accessdate=15 July 2018 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715110325/http://thebulls.co.za/news/new-halfbacks-and-captain-as-vodacom-bulls-close-out-season-against-emirates-lions | archivedate=15 July 2018 | url-status=live}} and he made his Super Rugby debut by coming on as a second half replacement.{{cite web | url=https://sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/match-centre/?season=2018&competition=205&match=518196 | title=Lions 38-12 Bulls | work=SANZAAR | date=14 July 2018 | accessdate=15 July 2018}}
Honours
- Super Rugby Unlocked winner 2020
- Currie Cup winner 2020–21
- Pro14 Rainbow Cup runner-up 2021
- United Rugby Championship runner-up 2021–22
- Selected in the United Rugby Championship "Dream Team" for the 2021–22 season.
- Bulls URC Players' Player of the Year 2022 [https://ewn.co.za/0001/01/01/bulls-captain-marcell-coetzee-scoops-franchise-mvp-award]
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.sarugby.co.za/match-centre/player-detail/?playerId=9245a60c-7d4b-4009-a63f-f291541c8ce1&teamId=e976cfc2-f80b-4c1a-8472-838cd54f0fbc Johan Grobbelaar] at Springboks
- {{Sports links}}
{{Bulls squad}}
{{Blue Bulls squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grobbelaar, Johan}}
Category:South African rugby union players
Category:Rugby union players from Paarl
Category:Bulls (rugby union) players
Category:South Africa Under-20 international rugby union players