Dries Swanepoel

Dries Swanepoel

Personal information
Full name	Andries Ebenaezer Swanepoel
Born	19 February 1993 Delareyville, South Africa
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	97 kg (15 st 4 lb)
School(s) attended	Grey College, Bloemfontein
University	University of Pretoria
Club information
Playing position	Centre
Current club	Blue Bulls / Bulls
Youth career
2005–06	Leopards
2009–11	Free State
2012–13	Blue Bulls
Amateur team(s)
Years	Team
2014–	UP Tuks	7	(15)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Pts)^†
2013–	Blue Bulls	18	(50)
2016–	Bulls	2	(0)
Representative team(s)^‡
2011	S.A. Schools		()
2013	S.A. Under-20	4	(5)
* Senior club appearances and points correct as of 2 May 2016. † Appearances (Points). ‡ Representative team caps and points correct as of 29 April 2014.

Andries Ebenaezer Swanepoel (born 19 February 1993 in Delareyville) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing Super Rugby with the Bulls and Currie Cup rugby with the Blue Bulls.^[1] His regular position is centre.

Career

Youth

Swanepoel played for the Leopards at primary school level, representing them at the 2005 and 2006 Under-13 Craven Week competitions. He then went to Grey College in Bloemfontein, where he played schoolboy rugby next to future Springbok Jan Serfontein^[2] He represented the Free State Cheetahs at Under-16 level at the 2009 Grant Khomo Week and at Under-18 level at the 2011 Craven Week. This led to his inclusion in the South African Schools side in 2011, where he also acted as vice-captain.^[3]

In 2012, he moved to Pretoria to join the Blue Bulls. He made four starts for them in the 2012 Under-19 Provincial Championship competition, scoring three tries. In 2013, he earned a call-up to the S.A. Under-20 side that played in the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship.^[4] After making substitute appearances against the United States^[5] and England,^[6] he started the final pool match against France^[7] – scoring a first-minute try to help them top their pool – and the semi-final loss to Wales.^[8]

He returned to domestic action at the end of the year, scoring five tries in fourteen appearances for the Blue Bulls U21 side in the 2013 Under-21 Provincial Championship. He scored a try in the final, but it wasn't enough to help the Blue Bulls secure the title, losing 30–23 to Western Province U21.^[9]

He played for university side UP Tuks during the 2014 Varsity Cup, scoring six tries in six starts.

Blue Bulls

Swanepoel's first class debut came in the 2013 Vodacom Cup competition. He started in their match against Griquas in Kimberley^[10] It took him just eleven minutes to score his first senior try, setting Blue Bulls on their way to a 40–32 win. He made a further five appearances in the competition, scoring a total of six tries, the joint seventh-highest in the competition.^[11]

References

1. "SARU Player Profile Dries Swanepoel". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
2. "Serfontein and Swanepoel: SA’s next great centre pairing?". Arena Sport. 15 March 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
3. "SA Schools and SA Academy Teams Announced". Rugby15. 16 July 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
4. "Steenkamp leads powerful SA U20 JWC squad". South African Rugby Union. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
5. "Match Breakdown: South Africa vs USA". South African Rugby Union. 5 June 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
6. "Match Breakdown: South Africa vs England". South African Rugby Union. 9 June 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
7. "Match Breakdown: France vs South Africa". South African Rugby Union. 13 June 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
8. "Match Breakdown: South Africa vs Wales". South African Rugby Union. 18 June 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
9. "Match Breakdown: DHL Western Province vs Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
10. "Match Breakdown: GWK Griquas vs Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 9 March 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
11. "SA Rugby Try Scorers – 2013 Vodacom Cup". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.