Date of birth | 25 September 1997 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Place of birth | Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 194 cm (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 110 kg (17 st 5 lb; 240 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | St Joseph's College, Nudgee | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Reece Hewat (born 25 September 1997) is a South African-born Australian rugby union player who plays for Section Paloise in the Top 14 competition. His position of choice is loose forward.
Originally from South Africa, Hewat spent his formative years there before relocating to Queensland, Australia. His mother is Australian, and his father is of English origin from South Africa. [1]
His rugby journey began at St Joseph's College, Nudgee, where he honed his skills in junior rugby. Excelling in the local scene, he joined the North Brisbane Rugby Club, showcasing both skill and leadership.
In 2016, he joined the Queensland Reds, competing in Super Rugby. [2] Under coach Nick Stiles, he made his debut for the Reds, aiming to bring fresh energy to the team after a series of disappointing performances.
Between 2016 and 2018, he played both in Super Rugby with the Queensland Reds (only featuring in one match) and with Brisbane City in the National Rugby Championship, playing six matches. [3]
He played sparingly due to two major injuries, undergoing a double shoulder operation that kept him off the field for 9 months. Upon his return, during his first training session, he suffered a knee ligament injury, sidelining him for another 9 months. These setbacks led to him falling out of favor with the Queensland Reds coach.
As he was set to join England, his agent informed him of an opportunity to become a JIFF (player developed through the French system) in France. [1]
Choosing between the academies of Stade Toulousain and Stade Aurillacois, he opted for the latter and made his way to Cantal. His best friend, Emmanuel Meafou chose Toulouse.
His French journey began with Stade Aurillacois in the 2018-2019 season. While he initially played with the U20 team, he quickly transitioned to the professional squad. Despite a slow start, he became a key player for Stade Aurillacois in subsequent seasons. In the summer of 2021, he made another significant move, signing with Section Paloise in the Top 14. [4]
Hewat's adaptation to the French rugby style took time, but by the 2022-2023 season, he had become a prominent figure in the forward pack for Section Paloise. His contributions led to a contract extension until June 2026. [5] Notably, in January 2023, his defensive prowess was highlighted with a tackle success rate of 96%, the highest in the Top 14. [6]
Hewat's leadership qualities were evident early in his career as he captained the Australian Schoolboys rugby union team. In 2017, he played a significant role in the World Rugby U20 Championship with the Australia national under-20 rugby union team, where he served as captain, playing in 5 matches and scoring 1 try.
Section Paloise, often referred to simply as Section or Pau, is a professional rugby union club based in Pau, France. They are participants in the Top 14, France's premier rugby division, and also compete in the EPCR Challenge Cup.
Stade du Hameau is a versatile stadium and sports convention center located in Pau, France. The construction started in 1948 and the stadium has been owned by the city of Pau since 1983, when it was transferred from the French army. The primary use of this stadium is for rugby union matches, serving as the home ground for the French club Section Paloise.
Peter Hewat is a former Australian rugby union player now coaching in Japan's Top League for Ricoh Black Rams. He previously played for the NSW Waratahs Central Coast Rays London Irish and Suntory Sungoliath. On 12 April 2010, it was confirmed that Hewat was leaving London Irish to go play in Japan.
Romeo Ștefan Gontineac is a Romanian rugby union coach and former player who played as a centre. He currently coaches Aurillac.
Jesse Mogg is an Australian rugby union player who plays for the French Top 14 club Montpellier. His usual position is at full-back, though he can also play as a winger. Mogg previously played four seasons with the Brumbies in Super Rugby. He was capped for the Australian national team in 2013.
Beka Gorgadze is a Georgian rugby union player who plays as a flanker. Gorgadze currently plays for Section Paloise in the Top 14 and the Georgia national team.
Guram Papidze in Tbilisi, Georgia is a Georgian rugby union player. He plays as Prop for Section Paloise in Top 14.
Sébastien Piqueronies is a French rugby union player and coach. He is currently the head coach of Top 14 club Pau.
Hugo Auradou is a France rugby union player who plays as a lock for Pau in the Top 14 competition and the France national under-20 team. He made his Top 14 debut with his club on 22 December 2022.
Axel Desperes is a France rugby union player who plays as a Fly-half for Pau in the Top 14 competition and the France national under-20 team. He made his Top 14 debut with his club on 28 January 2022.
Thomas Souverbie is a France rugby union player who plays as a Scrum-half or Fly-half for Pau in the Top 14 competition and the France national under-20 team. He made his Top 14 debut with his club on 28 January 2022.
Lucas Rey is a France rugby union player who plays as a hooker for Section Paloise in the Top 14 competition. He made his Top 14 debut with his club on 21 May 2016.
Thibault Debaes is a French rugby union player who plays as a Fly-half for Section Paloise in the Top 14 competition and the France national under-20 team. He made his Top 14 debut with his club on January 28, 2022.
Geoffrey Lanne-Petit is a French rugby union player and coach. He began his rugby career at Section Paloise, later becoming the attack and transition coach for the club after retiring as a player.
Clément Laporte is a French rugby union player who plays as a full back or wing for Section Paloise in the Top 14 competition. He made his Top 14 debut with his club on September 30, 2017.
Thibaut Hamonou is a French rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Section Paloise in the Top 14 competition. He made his Top 14 debut with his club on October 9, 2021.
Mickaël Capelli is a French rugby union player who plays as a lock for Pau in the Top 14 competition and the France national under-20 team. He made his Top 14 debut with his club in October 2016.
Thomas Carol is a French rugby union player who plays as a wing for Pau in the Top 14 competition and the France 7's team. He made his Top 14 debut with his club on 9 October 2021.
Nathan Decron is a France rugby union player who plays as a centre for Pau in the Top 14 competition. He won the Rugby Europe Under-18 Championship in 2015 with the France national under-18 rugby union team.