| Full name | Petrus Johannes Juandré Kruger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 6 September 1985 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Cape Town, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.99 m (6 ft 6+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 114 kg (17 st 13 lb; 251 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Paul Roos Gymnasium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Stellenbosch University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Professional Rugby Player & Business Person | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Juandré Kruger (born 6 September 1985) is a South African professional Rugby union footballer, contracted to Rugby Club Toulon in the French Top 14. His preferred position is at Lock although he has also played in the back row.
He is widely regarded as one of the best up-and-coming second-row forward prospects in South African rugby. [1] He started his career off at Western Province, representing them in the 2007 Vodacom Cup. From there he moved to Blue Bulls, competing for them in the 2008 Vodacom Cup. He also featured for the Blue Bulls in the 2008 Currie Cup, at times being preferred to Springbok internationals Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha. [1] Kruger was an unused replacement in the Final of the 2008 Currie Cup, against the Sharks. [2]
Kruger then made the move to Northampton Saints. [1] He enjoyed a successful partnership with Ignacio Fernández Lobbe. In his first season at the club, he won the ECC. [3] In his second and final season, he featured in the Heineken Cup, [4] played in a Guinness Premiership Semi Final [5] and won the Anglo-Welsh Cup. [6]
Kruger re-joined the Blue Bulls in 2010. [7]
In 2013 Kruger made the move with his family to Paris joining Top 14 club Racing 92 [8]
On 2 June 2012, Juandré Kruger was called up to the Springbok squad for the first time for the inbound series against England. [9] This was his first National selection. On 6 June, it was announced by Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer that Kruger would start at lock (number 5) for the first test of the series against England in Durban on 9 June 2012 . This would mark Kruger's debut for South Africa. [10] With South Africa running out 22-17 victors in the first test Kruger had made a good start to the series. He played all three matches. In the second game South Africa won 36-27 thanks to a late try from Pietersen but were held to a 14–14 draw in the final test.
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John Philip Botha, more commonly known as Bakkies Botha, is a South African former professional rugby union player who played as a lock. He was a member of the South Africa team that won the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France in addition to winning two Tri Nations titles in 2004 and 2009. Botha played for RC Toulonnais in the Top 14, the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup and the Bulls in Super Rugby. Botha was a member of the Toulon squad which won the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Heineken Cup/European Rugby Champions Cup Finals. He became widely associated with fellow international lock Victor Matfield for their highly successful onfield partnership with the Springboks.
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