Paul Delport

{{Short description|South African rugby union player}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}

{{Use South African English|date=April 2024}}

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Paul Delport

| image =

| caption =

| full_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|10|13|df=yes}}

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height =

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| school = South African College Schools

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| position = Scrum-half

| superyears1 = 2004–05

| super1 = Lions

| superapps1 =

| superpoints1 =

| superyears2 = 2006–07

| super2 = Stormers

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| superpoints2 =

| ru_sevensnationalyears1 = 2003–13

| ru_sevensnationalteam1 = South Africa

| ru_sevensnationalcomp1 =

| medals =

{{MedalSport|Men's rugby sevens}}

{{MedalCountry|{{RSA}}}}

{{MedalCompetition|Commonwealth Games}}

{{MedalBronze|2010 Delhi|Team competition}}

}}

Paul Delport (born 13 October 1984) is a South African rugby union coach and former player.

Biography

A South African College Schools product, Delport is a former scrum-half who captained South Africa at Under-19 and Under-21 level.{{cite news |last1=Ralarala |first1=Sibusiso |title=Novices and Newcomers - Paul Delport |url=https://www.news24.com/News24/Novices-and-Newcomers-Paul-Delport-20040720 |work=News24 |date=20 July 2004}} His early career was impacted by a Epstein–Barr virus diagnosis in 2006, which caused him to contract meningitis, hepatitis, glandular fever and inflammation of the brain.{{cite news |last1=Meenaghan |first1=Gary |title=From death's door to Dubai |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/from-death-s-door-to-dubai-1.524415 |work=The National |date=4 December 2009 |language=en}}

Delport played rugby for the Lions and Stormers before deciding to focus on rugby sevens.{{cite news |title=Delport calls time on career |url=https://www.news24.com/sport/delport-calls-time-on-career-20141017 |work=News24 |date=17 October 2014}} He competed on the South Africa national rugby sevens team between 2003 and 2013 and was in the side that won the 2008–09 IRB Sevens World Series title. The following season, Delport replaced Mzwandile Stick as sevens captain.

From 2018 to 2022, Delport served as coach of the South Africa women's national rugby sevens team.{{cite news |last1=Hemmonsbey |first1=Keanan |title=Paul Delport quits as Bok Women's Sevens coach |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-10-12-paul-delport-quits-as-bok-womens-sevens-coach-citing-sa-rugbys-unwillingness-to-invest-in-player-development/ |work=Daily Maverick |date=12 October 2022 |language=en}}

References