Leighton Eksteen
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use South African English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Leighton Eksteen
| image =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|09|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = Riversdale, South Africa
| height = {{height|m=1.70}}
| weight = {{cvt|67|kg|lb stlb}}
| nickname =
| occupation =
| school = Hoërskool Outeniqua, George
| university =
| relatives =
| position = Fullback / Fly-half / Scrum-half
| currentclub = VVA Saracens
| youthyears1 = 2012–2015
| youthclubs1 = {{Rut|SWD Eagles}}
| years1 = 2014–2019
| clubs1 = {{Rut|SWD Eagles}}
| apps1 = 71
| points1 = 398
| years2 = 2016
| clubs2 = {{Rut|Southern Kings}}
| apps2 = 5
| points2 = 0
| years3 = 2019–present
| clubs3 = VVA Saracens
| apps3 = 1
| points3 = 0
| clubupdate = 30 July 2019
}}
Leighton Eksteen (born 15 September 1994 in Riversdale, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player for VVA Podmoskovje in the Professional Rugby League in Russia.{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=117851 | name=Leighton Eksteen | date=29 May 2016}} He is a utility back that can play as a fullback, fly-half or scrum-half.
Playing career
=Youth rugby and SWD Eagles=
In 2012, Eksteen was selected to represent the George-based {{Rut|SWD Eagles}} at the premier South African rugby union competition for high schools, the Under-18 Craven Week, held in Port Elizabeth, scoring a try in their 33–39 defeat to Western Province.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=112931 | homeid=13861 | awayid=13821 | leagueid=1401 | hometeam=WP | homescore=39 | awayscore=33 | awayteam=SWD | matchdate=12 July 2012 | date=20 May 2016}}
He joined the SWD Academy after leaving school and made four appearances for the {{Rut|SWD U19}}s in the 2013 Under-19 Provincial Championship. He made just four appearances for them in the competition – three starts and one appearance off the bench – but was their top scorer in the competition with 76 points. That placed him as the third-highest points scorer in Group B of the competition.{{SA Rugby Top Scorers | id=1424 | comp=2013 Absa Under 19 Competition | date=5 May 2016}} He scored six tries in his four appearances, which included a hat-trick in their match against the {{Rut|Pumas U19}}s, which saw him score 30 of his side's points in a 55–12 victory.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=109304 | homeid=14534 | awayid=14554 | leagueid=1424 | hometeam=SWD | homescore=55 | awayscore=12 | awayteam=Steval Pumas | matchdate=13 September 2013 | date=20 May 2016}} The SWD U19 side qualified for the semi-finals of the competition, but Eksteen didn't feature in their 24–29 defeat to the {{Rut|Falcons U19}} in their semi-final match.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=113654 | homeid=14584 | awayid=14534 | leagueid=1424 | hometeam=Valke | homescore=29 | awayscore=24 | awayteam=SWD | matchdate=4 October 2013 | date=20 May 2016}}
He was included in the {{Rut|SWD U21}} squad that participated in the 2014 Under-21 Provincial Championship. However, he just in just two matches against {{Rut|Limpopo Blue Bulls U21}}{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=128814 | homeid=22384 | awayid=22324 | leagueid=1834 | hometeam=Limpopo BB U21 | homescore=17 | awayscore=20 | awayteam=SWD U21 | matchdate=16 August 2014 | date=20 May 2016}} and {{Rut|Griffons U21}} – scoring 21 points through one try and eight conversions in the latter match{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=128844 | homeid=22324 | awayid=22334 | leagueid=1834 | hometeam=SWD U21 | homescore=66 | awayscore=20 | awayteam=Griffons U21 | matchdate=22 August 2014 | date=20 May 2016}} – before being joining the {{Rut|SWD Eagles}}' senior squad for the 2014 Currie Cup First Division. He made his first class debut as the SWD Eagles' starting fly-half in a 19–24 defeat to the {{Rut|Falcons}} in Kempton Park.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=133254 | homeid=23054 | awayid=23004 | leagueid=2154 | hometeam=Valke | homescore=24 | awayscore=19 | awayteam=SWD Eagles | matchdate=6 September 2014 | date=20 May 2016}} After also starting their 31–22 victory over the {{Rut|Border Bulldogs}} in George,{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=133284 | homeid=23004 | awayid=23044 | leagueid=2154 | hometeam=SWD Eagles | homescore=31 | awayscore=22 | awayteam=Border Bulldogs | matchdate=12 September 2014 | date=20 May 2016}} he scored his first senior points in their next match, scoring a try shortly before half-time in a 24–35 defeat at home to the {{Rut|Boland Cavaliers}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=133314 | homeid=23004 | awayid=23024 | leagueid=2154 | hometeam=SWD Eagles | homescore=24 | awayscore=35 | awayteam=Boland Cavaliers | matchdate=20 September 2014 | date=20 May 2016}} He appeared as a replacement in their 42–27 victory over the {{Rut|Griffons}} in Welkom in their final match of the regular season,{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=133344 | homeid=23034 | awayid=23004 | leagueid=2154 | hometeam=Down Touch Griffons | homescore=27 | awayscore=42 | awayteam=SWD Eagles | matchdate=27 September 2014 | date=20 May 2016}} as well as in their 43–45 defeat to the same opposition in the semi-finals a week later.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=133374 | homeid=23034 | awayid=23004 | leagueid=2154 | hometeam=Down Touch Griffons | homescore=45 | awayscore=43 | awayteam=SWD Eagles | matchdate=3 October 2014 | date=20 May 2016}} With the senior side's season over, he rejoined the Under-21 side that reached the final of Group B of the Under-21 Provincial Championship, starting the match and scoring his side's only points as the {{Rut|Eastern Province U21}}s won the match 46–3.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=129054 | homeid=22364 | awayid=22324 | leagueid=1834 | hometeam=EP Kings U21 | homescore=46 | awayscore=3 | awayteam=SWD U21 | matchdate=17 October 2014 | date=20 May 2016}}
Despite still being eligible to represent SWD at Under-21 level in 2015, he exclusively played for the senior side. He played off the bench in all eight of their 2015 Vodacom Cup matches. Eksteen scored one try in their defeat to {{Rut|Western Province}}{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=140764 | homeid=24384 | awayid=24354 | leagueid=2304 | hometeam=DHL Western Province | homescore=27 | awayscore=19 | awayteam=SWD Eagles | matchdate=9 May 2015 | date=20 May 2016}} as his side finished in fourth position on the Southern Section log to qualify for the quarter finals, where they lost to the {{Rut|Golden Lions}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=140804 | homeid=24324 | awayid=24354 | leagueid=2304 | hometeam=Xerox Golden Lions | homescore=29 | awayscore=21 | awayteam=SWD Eagles | matchdate=16 May 2015 | date=20 May 2016}} He appeared in all six of their matches during the 2015 Currie Cup qualification series – showing his versatility as he twice started as a scrum-half, twice started as a fullback and twice played off the bench – and again contributed a single try during the competition, in a 19–13 victory over the {{Rut|Border Bulldogs}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=141214 | homeid=24714 | awayid=24754 | leagueid=2324 | hometeam=SWD Eagles | homescore=19 | awayscore=13 | awayteam=Border | matchdate=10 July 2015 | date=20 May 2016}} However, that was his side's only victory in the competition as they finished bottom of the log and qualifying to play in the 2015 Currie Cup First Division competition. Eksteen was handed the kicking duties during this competition and it coincided with a big turnaround in fortunes, as the SWD Eagles won four out of their five matches, to finish in third spot on the log to qualify for the semi-finals. Eksteen contributed 102 points in these five matches to not only be the SWD Eagles' top scorer in the competition, but also the overall top scorer, ahead of champions {{Rut|Leopards}}' Adriaan Engelbrecht.{{SA Rugby Top Scorers | id=2334 | comp=2015 Absa Currie Cup First Division | date=5 May 2016}} His best points haul during the competition came in a 47–40 victory over the {{Rut|Griffons}} in the semi-final, as he scored one try, two conversions and six penalties to contribute 27 points{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=154334 | homeid=29614 | awayid=29584 | leagueid=2334 | hometeam=Down Touch Griffons | homescore=40 | awayscore=47 | awayteam=SWD Eagles | matchdate=3 October 2015 | date=20 May 2016}} and help the SWD Eagles reach their first final since 2010. He kicked ten points in the final, but it was not enough, as the Leopards ran out 44–20 winners.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=154354 | homeid=29624 | awayid=29584 | leagueid=2334 | hometeam=Leopards | homescore=44 | awayscore=20 | awayteam=SWD Eagles | matchdate=8 October 2015 | date=20 May 2016}}
=Southern Kings=
At the start of 2016, Eksteen was one of two SWD Eagles players that joined the {{Rut|Southern Kings}}' Super Rugby squad for a trial period as they prepared for the 2016 Super Rugby season.{{cite press release | url=http://www.eprugby.co.za/new-recruits-as-southern-kings-2016-season-starts/ | title=New recruits as Southern Kings 2016 season starts | publisher=Eastern Province Kings | date=4 January 2016 | accessdate=5 January 2016 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128225943/http://www.eprugby.co.za/new-recruits-as-southern-kings-2016-season-starts/ | archivedate=28 January 2016 | df=dmy-all }}
= VVA Podmoskovye =
In 2019, Eksteen joined the Russian team VVA Podmoskovye (ex. VVA Saracens).{{Cite web|last=Крылов|first=Владислав|title=Экстин Лейтон - Регби Клуб "ВВА - Подмосковье"|url=https://vva-podmoskovie.ru/component/k2/item/408-ekstin-lejton.html|access-date=2021-10-19|website=vva-podmoskovie.ru|language=ru-ru}} In the Russian Rugby Cup 2021, he became the top scorer of the tournament, gaining 36 points.{{Cite web|title=Лейтон Экстин - лучший бомбардир Кубка России 2021|url=https://rugger.info/news/44030|access-date=2021-10-19|website=rugger.info|language=ru}}
=Statistics=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%; width:90%" | |||||||||
| colspan=100% | First class career | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="width:10%;" rowspan=2 | Season
! style="width:12%;" rowspan=2 | Teams ! colspan=2 | Currie Cup First Division ! colspan=2 | Currie Cup qualification ! colspan=2 | Vodacom Cup ! colspan=2 | Total | |||||||||
| style="width:6%;" | Apps
! style="width:6%;" | Pts ! style="width:6%;" | Apps ! style="width:6%;" | Pts ! style="width:6%;" | Apps ! style="width:6%;" | Pts ! style="width:6%;" | Apps ! style="width:6%;" | Pts | |||||||||
| 2014 | style="text-align:left;" | {{Rut|SWD Eagles}} | 5 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 5 |
| 2015 | style="text-align:left;" | SWD Eagles | 7 | 102 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 21 | 112 |
| 2014–present || style="text-align:left;" | SWD Eagles Total || 12 || 107 || 6 || 5 || 8 || 5 || 26 || 117 | |||||||||
| 2014–present || style="text-align:left;" | Career Total || 12 || 107 || 6 || 5 || 8 || 5 || 26 || 117 |
References
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eksteen, Leighton}}
Category:South African rugby union players
Category:People from Hessequa Local Municipality
Category:Rugby union scrum-halves
Category:Rugby union fly-halves
Category:Rugby union fullbacks
Category:Southern Kings players
Category:Rugby union players from the Western Cape
Category:VVA Podmoskovye players
Category:Expatriate rugby union players in Russia