![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | 28 October 1982 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Place of birth | Kroonstad, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 89 kg (14 st 0 lb; 196 lb) [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | Errie Claassens | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Michael Claassens (born 28 October 1982 in Kroonstad, Free State) is a former South African rugby union player that played professional rugby between 2003 and 2018. He made in excess of 350 senior appearances, including eight test matches for the South Africa national team.
He made his first class debut in 2003 for the Free State Cheetahs, making 64 appearances for the Bloemfontein-based side between 2003 and 2006. He also played Super Rugby for the Cats in 2005 and the Cheetahs in 2006 and 2007. He joined Bath in the Premiership in England for the 2007–08 season, where he stayed for six seasons. He then had two seasons at Toulon in the Top 14 before returning to South Africa to finish his career at the Durban-based Sharks. [2]
He is the brother of Errie Claassens, also a professional rugby union player.
Matthew John Hamilton Stevens is a retired rugby union player who played club Rugby in England, South Africa and France and won 44 caps for England between 2004 and 2012. Born in Durban, South Africa, to English parents, he played both prop positions, and most of his England appearances were at tighthead. Now based in Cape Town, Stevens is a hospitality expert and property developer.
Bryan Gary Habana OIS is a South African former professional rugby union player. Playing mainly as a wing, he is widely considered to be one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He played for the Golden Lions, the Blue Bulls and Western Province in South Africa, for the Bulls and the Stormers in Super Rugby, and for Toulon in the French Top 14, and won 124 caps for the South Africa national team.
Ruan Pienaar is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays either as a scrum-half or as a fly-half for the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup.
Juanne Hugo Smith is a South African former professional rugby union player who represented South Africa in international test rugby, the Cheetahs in the Super Rugby competition, and the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup. He mainly played as a blindside flanker, although he has also played number eight.
Mahlatse Chiliboy Ralepelle, is a former rugby union player for the Sharks in Super Rugby and in the Currie Cup. His usual position is at hooker.
Christoffel Johannes van der Linde is a South African former professional rugby union player and currently the scrum coach at French Top 14 side Montpellier. He played first class rugby between 2002 and 2015 in South Africa, Ireland, England and France and also made 75 test matches for South Africa, which included winning the 2007 Rugby World Cup. His usual playing position was prop.
Herman Meyer Bosman is a South African former professional rugby player, who last played for the Stade Français, in France. He is a flyhalf (10), but has recently showed great ability in the inside-center position. He has played for the national team of South Africa, the Springboks on 3 occasions in test matches between 2005 and 2006. He played his last test to date on 15 July 2006 against Australia in Brisbane. Throughout his career, Bosman won three Currie Cup trophies, two outright and drawing another in 2006, also finishing as runner-up twice with the Sharks.
Steven Robert Sykes is a South African former rugby union player. He played for Oyonnax in the French Top 14. His regular position was lock.
Christiaan Rudolph Liebenberg is a South African professional rugby union player who played as a hooker. He started his career at the Sharks in 2002 before joining Griquas the following year. He made 64 appearances for the Kimberley-based side between 2003 and 2006 and also played Super Rugby for the Cheetahs in 2006. He then played the remainder of his career in Cape Town, where he played domestic rugby for Western Province and Super Rugby for the Stormers. He also had a short spell at French Top 14 side Toulon in 2009.
Coenraad Victor Oosthuizen, nicknamed 'Coenie' or 'Shrek', is a professional rugby union player for Sale Sharks in the English Premiership. He previously represented the Free State Cheetahs and Sharks in the Currie Cup, the Cheetahs and Sharks in Super Rugby and also was chosen for the Springboks squad in 2010, 2011 and 2012, making his test debut in the first test against England in Durban in 2012.
Darron Paul Nell is a South African professional rugby union player who most recently with the Eastern Province Kings. His usual positions are flanker and number 8.
Errie Claassens is a former South Africa rugby union player. Errie is the brother of Toulon player Michael Claassens who plays at scrum half and has represented the Free State Cheetahs and the Springboks.
Ethienne Reynecke is a South African rugby union player. His primary position is hooker.
Andries Stephanus Ferreira is a South African rugby union player for the US Carcassonne in the Pro D2. His regular playing position is lock.
Ronald John Cooke is a South African rugby union player, who most recently played domestically for the Eastern Province Kings. His usual position is centre or wing.
Timothy Gregory Swiel is an English-born South African rugby union player for Edinburgh. His regular position is fly-half.
Christian Francois Schoeman is a South African rugby union player. His regular position is fly-half.
Ockert Jacobus Jacques du Toit is a South African professional rugby union player for Zebre Parma in the United Rugby Championship, and previously for Bath in Premiership Rugby. His regular position is hooker.
Johannes Voges 'Aranos' Coetzee is a Namibian rugby union player for the Cheetahs in the Pro14 and the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup. His regular position is prop.
The 2022–23 EPCR Challenge Cup was the 9th edition of the EPCR Challenge Cup, an annual second-tier rugby union competition for professional clubs. Including the predecessor competition, the original European Challenge Cup, this is the 27th edition of European club rugby's second-tier competition.