Ben Pienaar
Encyclopedia
Ben Pienaar is a rugby union
player for Leicester Tigers
in the Aviva Premiership.
Born in South Africa
, Pienaar previously played for Langley School, Loddon
before moving to Gresham's School
and for England Schools,
He represented Norfolk
from U-14s to U-16s, then was capped by England at U-16 and U-19 level.
Outside rugby, Pienaar is also a past Junior National Champion at judo
.
Following injury and suspension of the more established number eights at Tigers, Pienaar had an opportunity for a run in the first team earning the praise of the coaches in the process. Pienaar was added to Tigers Heineken Cup
squad for the knock-out stages of the 2008–09 competition.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player for Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
in the Aviva Premiership.
Born in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Pienaar previously played for Langley School, Loddon
Langley School, Loddon
Langley School is an independent coeducational boarding school situated in the market town of Loddon in South Norfolk, England. The school was founded in 1910 and is a member of the HMC....
before moving to Gresham's School
Gresham's School
Gresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school in Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
and for England Schools,
He represented Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
from U-14s to U-16s, then was capped by England at U-16 and U-19 level.
Outside rugby, Pienaar is also a past Junior National Champion at judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
.
Following injury and suspension of the more established number eights at Tigers, Pienaar had an opportunity for a run in the first team earning the praise of the coaches in the process. Pienaar was added to Tigers Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
squad for the knock-out stages of the 2008–09 competition.