| Full name | Samantha Leigh Els | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 26 May 1999 [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 181 cm (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 87 kg (192 lb; 13 st 10 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Samantha Leigh Els (born 26 May 1999) is a South African rugby union player. In 2023, she made her debut for the South Africa women's national rugby union team. She is the daughter of South African golfer Ernie Els.
From Herolds Bay in the southern Cape, Els graduated in Human Biology from Stanford University. In 2013, she acted as her father Ernie Els' caddy at the Masters Tournament Par 3 Contest at Augusta National Golf Club. [2] She also accompanied him as he captained the International Team in the 2019 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia. [3]
Although her father was not keen on her playing rugby initially, [4] Els plays as a lock forward. [5]
She plays club rugby for New York Rugby Club. In 2022, she played international rugby for the USA in 2022. In August 2023, she was invited to a training camp for the South Africa women's national rugby union team for the first time. [6] The following month, 19 September 2023, she made her debut for South Africa. [7] [8]
Els is one of two children to parents Ernie and wife Liezl. Her brother, Ben was diagnosed with autism as a child. Subsequently, the family set up the Els for Autism Foundation. [9] For her autism advocacy, she was awarded the Autism Science Foundation's (ASF) Caryn Schwartzman Spirit Award in 2022. [10]
Theodore Ernest Els is a South African professional golfer. A former World No. 1, he is nicknamed "The Big Easy" due to his physical stature along with his fluid golf swing. Among his more than 70 career victories are four major championships: the U.S. Open in 1994 at Oakmont and in 1997 at Congressional, and The Open Championship in 2002 at Muirfield and in 2012 at Royal Lytham & St Annes. He is one of six golfers to twice win both the U.S. Open and The Open Championship.
The South Africa national rugby union team, commonly known as the Springboks, is the country's national team governed by the South African Rugby Union. The Springboks play in green and gold jerseys with white shorts, and their emblem is the Springbok, a native antelope and the national animal of South Africa. The team has represented South African Rugby Union in international rugby union since 30 July 1891, when they played their first test match against a British Isles touring team. Currently, the Springboks are the reigning World Champions, having won the World Cup a record four times. South Africa are the only team to have won half of the Rugby World Cups they have participated in, and are also the second nation to win the World Cup consecutively.
Jaco van der Westhuyzen is a South African former professional rugby union footballer who played fly-half or fullback.
The following lists events that happened during 1978 in South Africa.
Louis Johannes Koen is a South-African rugby union player who played for the Springboks, until 2003, when he moved abroad following the World Cup.
Krynauw Otto is a South African former professional rugby union player who played as a lock.
Johannes Lodewikus 'Wikus' van Heerden is a South African former rugby union player who played as a flanker. He finished his career playing for the Lions in Super Rugby, and the Golden Lions in the national Currie Cup competition. Van Heerden also won 14 caps for the South Africa national team, the Springboks. Before his move to the Bulls, he was the captain of the Cats.
This is a list of events in South African sport in 2005.
Jan Nathaniel du Plessis is a former South African rugby union player, who played as a prop for Montpellier in the French Top 14 and the Lions in Super Rugby. He played for the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup and the Cheetahs in Super Rugby until 2007, when he joined Durban-based side the Sharks, where he played until 2015. He won 70 caps for South Africa between 2007 and 2015.
Johannes Jacobus Strydom was a South African rugby union player who played as a lock. He earned 21 caps for the South Africa national rugby union team between 1993 and 1997.
Pieter Stephanus du Toit is a South African professional rugby union player and two-time winner of World Rugby Player of the Year. Du Toit plays as a lock or a flanker for the South Africa national team and the Toyota Verblitz in Japan Rugby League One. After winning the 2019 Rugby World Cup with South Africa, he was awarded the 2019 World Rugby Player of the Year, an award he won for a second time in 2024. He was awarded man of the match in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand. Known for his stamina, tackling ability and high work rate, he is considered to be one of the greatest players of his generation.
Eben Etzebeth is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship and the South Africa national rugby team. He made his international debut for the Springboks in 2012 and has since won 130 caps, making him the Springboks' most capped player. His regular playing position is as a tighthead lock. He is widely regarded as one of the best locks in the history of the game.
Damian de Allende is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the South Africa national team and Japanese club Saitama Wild Knights. His usual position is either centre or wing. He was a member of the Springboks team that won a record-equalling third Rugby World Cup in 2019 and he was a member of the Springboks team that won a record-setting fourth Rugby World Cup in 2023. De Allende is a part of a few elite players to have won two world cup titles.
Franco John Mostert is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for Honda Heat and the South Africa national team. His usual position is lock. He was one of the members of the winning Springboks in the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan as well as the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
The 2004 South Africa rugby union tour of Argentina and Europe was a series of matches played by the Springboks during November and December 2004 in Great Britain, Ireland, and Argentina.
Salmaan Moerat is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the Stormers in United Rugby Championship and Western Province in the Currie Cup and in the Rugby Challenge. His regular position is lock.
Liske Lategan is a South African rugby sevens player.
Nadine Roos is a South African rugby union and sevens player.
Elizabetha "Libbie" Magdalena Janse van Rensburg is a South African rugby union and sevens player.
