Ramone Samuels
{{Short description|South African rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2016}}
{{Use South African English|date=April 2016}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Ramone Samuels
| image =
| fullname = Ramone Christie Samuels
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|11|03|df=y}}
| birth_place = Somerset West, South Africa
| height = {{height|m=1.83}}
| weight = {{cvt|105|kg|lb stlb}}
| nickname =
| occupation =
| school = Paul Roos Gymnasium, Stellenbosch
| university =
| relatives = Damian Willemse (brother)
| position = Flanker / Number eight / Hooker
| currentclub = {{Rut|Stormers}} / {{Rut|Western Province}}
| youthyears1 = 2010–2013
| youthclubs1 = {{Rut|Western Province}}
| youthyears2 = 2014–2015
| youthclubs2 = {{Rut|Golden Lions}}
| years1 = 2015–2016
| clubs1 = {{Rut|Golden Lions XV}}
| apps1 = 18
| points1 = 25
| years2 = 2016
| clubs2 = {{Rut|Lions}}
| apps2 = 3
| points2 = 0
| years3 = 2016
| clubs3 = {{Rut|Golden Lions}}
| apps3 = 3
| points3 = 0
| years4 = 2017-18
| clubs4 = {{Rut|Stormers}}
| apps4 = 32
| points4 = 15
| years5 = 2017–19
| clubs5 = {{Rut|Western Province}}
| apps5 = 13
| points5 = 10
| amatyears1 = 2014
| amatteam1 = {{Rut|UJ}}
| amatapps1 = 0
| amatpoints1 = 0
| repyears1 = 2012
| repteam1 = South Africa Schools
| repcaps1 = 0
| reppoints1 = 0
| repyears2 = 2017
| repteam2 = South Africa 'A'
| repcaps2 = 2
| reppoints2 = 0
| clubupdate = 13 July 2018
| repupdate = 24 May 2018
}}
Ramone Christie Samuels (born 3 November 1994 in Somerset West, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player for the {{Rut|Stormers}} in Super Rugby and {{Rut|Western Province}} in the Currie Cup.{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=51298 | name=Ramone Samuels | date=27 April 2016}} He can play as a flanker, number eight or hooker.
Rugby career
=Youth rugby / Western Province=
Samuels attended Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch and a he earned a provincial call-up to represent {{Rut|Western Province}} at the 2010 Under-16 Grant Khomo Week in Upington, scoring a try in their 28–7 victory over the Golden Lions{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=19100 | homeid=8178 | awayid=8179 | leagueid=780 | hometeam=WP | homescore=28 | awayscore=7 | awayteam=Lions | matchdate=14 June 2010 | date=27 April 2016}}
He also represented Western Province at the premier South African high schools competition, the Under-18 Craven Week, on two occasions – at the 2011 tournament in Kimberley and the 2012 tournament in Port Elizabeth. He scored a try in their 2012 match against the {{Rut|SWD Eagles}}{{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=27 April 2016}} and was also included in the South Africa Schools squad after the competition, although he didn't feature in any of their three matches during the Under-18 International Series.
He joined the Western Province Rugby Institute after high school and played for {{Rut|Western Province U19}} in the 2013 Under-19 Provincial Championship. He played in eleven of their twelve matches during the competition, initially playing as a hooker, but starting their final six matches as an eighth man. He scored a try in their match against {{Rut|Sharks U19}},{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=108844 | homeid=14484 | awayid=14504 | leagueid=1424 | hometeam=DHL Western Province | homescore=19 | awayscore=25 | awayteam=The Sharks U19 | matchdate=17 August 2013 | date=27 April 2016}} two tries in their 45–36 win over {{Rut|Leopards U19}}{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=108934 | homeid=14514 | awayid=14484 | leagueid=1424 | hometeam=Leopards | homescore=36 | awayscore=45 | awayteam=DHL Western Province | matchdate=6 September 2013 | date=27 April 2016}} and a fourth for the season in a victory over {{Rut|Border U19}},{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=109024 | homeid=14494 | awayid=14484 | leagueid=1424 | hometeam=Border | homescore=7 | awayscore=36 | awayteam=DHL Western Province | matchdate=27 September 2013 | date=27 April 2016}} but his side had a poor season, finishing in fifth position and failing to qualify for the semi-finals, despite being the defending champions.
=Golden Lions=
Prior to the 2014 season, Samuels moved to Johannesburg to join the {{Rut|Golden Lions}}. He was named in their squad for the 2014 Vodacom Cup, but didn't make any appearances in the competition. He did feature in nine matches for the {{Rut|Golden Lions U19}} side in the 2014 Under-21 Provincial Championship in the second half of the season though, scoring a try in a 113–3 victory over {{Rut|Border U19}}{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=120884 | homeid=18514 | awayid=18464 | leagueid=1834 | hometeam=Golden Lions U21 | homescore=113 | awayscore=3 | awayteam=Border U21 | matchdate=16 August 2014 | date=27 April 2016}} to help them finish in third spot on the log. He played off the bench in their semi-final match against trans-Jukskei rivals {{Rut|Blue Bulls U19}},{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=121154 | homeid=18454 | awayid=18514 | leagueid=1834 | hometeam=Blue Bulls U21 | homescore=23 | awayscore=19 | awayteam=Golden Lions U21 | matchdate=17 October 2014 | date=27 April 2016}} but could not prevent the side from Pretoria winning 23–19 to eliminate Samuels' side from the competition.
He got his first taste of first class rugby in 2015, when he represented the {{Rut|Golden Lions XV}} in the 2015 Vodacom Cup competition. He made his debut by playing off the bench in a 53–3 victory over the {{Rut|Welwitschias}} in Windhoek,{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=140164 | homeid=24314 | awayid=24324 | leagueid=2304 | hometeam=FNB Welwitschias | homescore=3 | awayscore=53 | awayteam=Xerox Golden Lions | matchdate=6 March 2015 | date=27 April 2016}} his first of nine appearances as a reserve in the competition. In his sixth match – against the {{Rut|Leopards}} in Johannesburg, he scored his first try in first class rugby, scoring within seconds of appearing from the bench to help his side to a 63–10 victory.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=140554 | homeid=24324 | awayid=24304 | leagueid=2304 | hometeam=Xerox Golden Lions | homescore=63 | awayscore=10 | awayteam=Leopards XV | matchdate=25 April 2015 | date=27 April 2016}} Despite being named in the Golden Lions' senior squad for the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division, he reverted to the Under-21 squad, where he started nine of their matches in Group A of the 2014 Under-21 Provincial Championship and came on as a replacement in one more match. He scored a try in each of their matches against {{Rut|Eastern Province U21}} – helping them secure a 73–14 win in Port Elizabeth{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=146964 | homeid=27024 | awayid=27034 | leagueid=2544 | hometeam=EP Kings U21 | homescore=14 | awayscore=73 | awayteam=Golden Lions U21 | matchdate=8 August 2015 | date=27 April 2016}} and a 40–24 win in Johannesburg{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=147264 | homeid=27034 | awayid=27024 | leagueid=2544 | hometeam=Golden Lions U21 | homescore=40 | awayscore=24 | awayteam=EP Kings U21 | matchdate=5 September 2015 | date=27 April 2016}} – as the golden Lions finished in fourth place to secure the final semi-final berth. Samuels ended on the losing side in the semi-finals of the competition for the second season in a row as {{Rut|Western Province U21}} won 43–20 in Cape Town.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=147234 | homeid=26994 | awayid=27034 | leagueid=2544 | hometeam=Western Province U21 | homescore=43 | awayscore=20 | awayteam=Golden Lions U21 | matchdate=17 October 2015 | date=27 April 2016}}
In 2016, Samuels was included in the {{Rut|Golden Lions XV}} squad for the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series. He made his first ever first class start in their first opening match of the competition, a 23–27 defeat to the {{Rut|Border Bulldogs}}{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=158114 | homeid=30804 | awayid=30854 | leagueid=2824 | hometeam=Xerox Golden Lions XV | homescore=23 | awayscore=27 | awayteam=Border | matchdate=8 April 2016 | date=27 April 2016}} and also started in a their match against the {{Rut|Welwitschias}} in Windhoek a week later, scoring a try in a 66–12 win.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=158184 | homeid=30844 | awayid=30804 | leagueid=2824 | hometeam=Windhoek Draught Welwitschias | homescore=12 | awayscore=66 | awayteam=Xerox Golden Lions XV | matchdate=16 April 2016 | date=27 April 2016}} He was then called up to the {{Rut|Lions}} Super Rugby squad and named on the bench for their match against the {{Rut|Southern Kings}} in Round Nine of the 2016 Super Rugby season.{{cite news | url=http://www.supersport.com/rugby/super-rugby/news/160421/Injuries_force_Lions_changes | title=Injuries force Lions changes | work=SuperSport | date=21 April 2016 | access-date=25 April 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425120400/http://www.supersport.com/rugby/super-rugby/news/160421/Injuries_force_Lions_changes | archive-date=25 April 2016}} He made his Super Rugby debut by coming on as a replacement for Akker van der Merwe in the 63rd minute of the match.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=155124 | homeid=29954 | awayid=29974 | leagueid=2714 | hometeam=Southern Kings | homescore=10 | awayscore=45 | awayteam=Emirates Lions | matchdate=23 April 2016 | date=27 April 2016}}
=Stormers / Western Province=
At the start of 2017, Samuels moved to Cape Town, where he joined the {{Rut|Stormers}} Super Rugby team and the {{Rut|Western Province}} Currie Cup team.{{cite press release | url=http://thestormers.com/five-new-faces-at-dhl-newlands-this-season | title=Five new faces at DHL Newlands this season | publisher=Stormers | date=13 January 2017 | access-date=13 January 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113110547/http://thestormers.com/five-new-faces-at-dhl-newlands-this-season | archive-date=13 January 2017 | url-status=live}}
Personal life
Samuels is the older brother of Damian Willemse, also a professional rugby union player (Samuels' birth was registered under his mother's maiden name).{{cite news | url=https://www.netwerk24.com/Sport/Rugby/wp-broers-wil-goue-beker-huis-toe-bring-20171027 | title=WP-broers wil Goue Beker huis toe bring | work=Netwerk24 | date=28 October 2017 | access-date=29 October 2017 | language=af}} Both brothers were members of the {{Rut|Western Province}} squad that won the 2017 Currie Cup Premier Division.
References
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Samuels, Ramone}}
Category:South African rugby union players
Category:Rugby union players from Somerset West
Category:Rugby union number eights
Category:Lions (United Rugby Championship) players