Tim Swiel

Tim Swiel
Personal information
Full name Timothy Gregory Swiel
Born (1993-06-04) 4 June 1993
Taunton, England
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 85 kg (13 st 5 lb)
School(s) attended Bishop's College, Dulwich College
University University of South Africa
Club information
Playing position Fly-half / Full-back
Current club Harlequins
Youth career
2009–13 Western Province
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Pts)
2013 Western Province 9 (19)
2014– Sharks (Currie Cup) 8 (53)
2014– Sharks 6 (38)
2014–15Harlequins 10 (75)
2015– Harlequins 1 (2)
Representative team(s)
2011 S.A. Schools ()

* Senior club appearances and points correct as of 19 November 2015.
† Appearances (Points).

‡ Representative team caps and points correct as of 18 October 2014.

Timothy Gregory Swiel (born 4 June 1993 in Taunton) is an English-born South African rugby union player, currently playing for Harlequins in the Aviva Premiership. His regular position is fly-half.[1]

Career

Youth

He attended Bishops College in Cape Town and played in their first side in 2010 and 2011. As part of an exchange programme, Swiel also played for English school side Dulwich College during the 2010–11 season.[2]

He represented Western Province at Under-16 level at the 2009 Grant Khomo Week and at Under-18 level at the 2010 Academy Week and 2011 Craven Week tournaments, leading to his inclusion in the S.A. Schools side in 2011.[3]

He also played for the Western Province U21 team in the 2012 Under-21 Provincial Championship – scoring 81 points to finish joint seventh in the scoring charts[4] – and 2013 Under-21 Provincial Championship competitions.

Western Province

His senior debut came during the 2013 Vodacom Cup competition, coming on as a substitute in Western Province 17–17 draw against Boland Cavaliers in Ceres.[5] Seven more appearances followed in that competition.

He was then included in the Western Province's Currie Cup squad for the 2013 Currie Cup Premier Division competition and made his Currie Cup debut against the Golden Lions, which also ended in a draw, the final score being 31–31.[6]

Sharks

He joined the Sharks at the conclusion of the 2013 Currie Cup Premier Division season.[7] He played in five matches for the Sharks XV in the 2014 Vodacom Cup competition, finishing as top-scorer for his team with 53 points.[8]

Swiel was also included in the Sharks squad for the 2014 Super Rugby season. He made his Super Rugby debut, replacing Patrick Lambie in the sixth minute of the Sharks' match against the Bulls in Pretoria.[9] He scored his first points in Super Rugby just three minutes after coming on, converting a Willem Alberts try. A month later, Swiel made his first start in Super Rugby in their home match against the Cheetahs.[10] He made his second start the following week, where he scored all his side's points in a 18–34 defeat to the Highlanders.[11] Swiel made a total of six appearances during the season and scored 38 points as his side finished top of the South African Conference before losing to the Crusaders in the semi-final.

In September 2014, Swiel made his Currie Cup debut, playing off the bench in their match against Griquas.[12] He started their next match against the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein[13] and also played against the Eastern Province Kings.[14] In addition to his three Currie Cup appearances, he also played for the Sharks U21 side on six occasions during the 2014 Under-21 Provincial Championship, scoring 38 points.

Harlequins

In October 2014, English Premiership side Harlequins signed Swiel as short-term injury cover for Ben Botica.[15]

He made his debut for Harlequins in their LV= Cup match against Saracens, coming on as a second-half substitute. He made his starting debut a week later against the Newport Gwent Dragons in the same competition. After making his Premiership debut against Bath, he also made his debut in the European Rugby Champions Cup, playing in both legs against Irish side Leinster, as they finished third and failed to qualify for the knockout stage.

He made a total of ten appearances for Harlequins during his loan spell – starting five of those matches – and scored 75 points before returning to the Sharks before Round Three of the 2015 Super Rugby season.[16]

In April 2015, Harlequins announced that Swiel would return to the club on a full-time deal for the 2015–16 season.[17]

Representative rugby

In addition to being included in the S.A. Schools side in 2011, he was also included in a S.A. Under-20 training squad,[18] but later ruled himself out of selection for the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship. Under IRB rules, playing for the S.A. Under-20 team would have made him ineligible to play for another international team, but as a British passport holder, Swiel wanted to keep his options open and did not yet want to commit his long-term international future to South Africa.[19]

References

  1. "SARU Player Profile Tim Swiel". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  2. "Oliver Kebble and Tim Swiel Play Super Rugby". Dulwich College. 26 February 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  3. "South African Schools Too Slick For France u-18". Schools Rugby Tribune. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  4. "SA Rugby Top Scorers – 2012 ABSA Under 21 Competition". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  5. "Match Breakdown: Regent Boland Cavaliers vs DHL Western Province". South African Rugby Union. 9 March 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  6. "Match Breakdown: MTN Golden Lions vs DHL Western Province". South African Rugby Union. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  7. "WP junior flyhalf to join Sharks" (Press release). Western Province. 1 November 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  8. "SA Rugby Top Scorers – 2014 Vodacom Cup". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  9. "Match Breakdown: Vodacom Bulls vs Cell C Sharks". South African Rugby Union. 22 March 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  10. "Match Breakdown: Cell C Sharks vs Toyota Cheetahs". South African Rugby Union. 19 April 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  11. "Match Breakdown: Cell C Sharks vs Highlanders". South African Rugby Union. 25 April 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  12. "Match Breakdown: Cell C Sharks vs GWK Griquas". South African Rugby Union. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  13. "Match Breakdown: Toyota Free State Cheetahs vs Cell C Sharks". South African Rugby Union. 13 September 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  14. "Match Breakdown: Cell C Sharks vs Eastern Province Kings". South African Rugby Union. 27 September 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  15. "Harlequins sign Tim Swiel from The Sharks" (Press release). Harlequins. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  16. "It's Rugby Player Profile Tim Swiel". It's Rugby. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  17. "Swiel returns to Harlequins on full-time contract" (Press release). Harlequins. 8 April 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  18. "Theron happy with first SA U20 hit-out". Rugby15. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  19. "Rooi gesigte in Kaap oor Roux en Leinster". Media24 (in Afrikaans). Beeld. 3 March 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
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