Jarrod Saffy
Encyclopedia
Jarrod Saffy is an Australian professional rugby union
player. He played league for St George Illawarra Dragons
(NRL
), before switching to rugby to the train with the Melbourne Rebels
in preparation for the 2011 Super Rugby season.
as a 15-year-old and continued playing rugby union
at St Joseph's, Hunters Hill
. He represented the Australian Schoolboys, Australian under 21s and the Australian Sevens in rugby union as well as spending some time playing for the NSW Waratahs Academy and Sydney University Football Club
.
As he has played sevens for Australia he is tied to them in Rugby Union.
to progress faster and made his debut in first grade in rugby league in the final round 26 match of 2006 for the Wests Tigers
. He made seven first grade appearances for the Tigers in 2007. Saffy plays rugby league at second-row
and also at prop-forward.
He played in the Dragons' 2010 NRL Grand Final
-winning team, and thus became the second South African-born player to win a premiership.
He is eligible to represent Lebanon
as well as his native South Africa
and he is also eligible to represent Australia in Rugby League.
Super Rugby franchise. In October he commenced training with the Rebels for the new team's in the 2011 Super Rugby debut. He was expected to play at either blindside flanker or No. 8. In May 2011, South African born, Saffy was named in the Rebels' squad to travel to Pretoria
and Bloemfontein
for the Rebels' "challenging double-header" against the Bulls and Cheetahs
.
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. He played league for St George Illawarra Dragons
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
(NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
), before switching to rugby to the train with the Melbourne Rebels
Melbourne Rebels
The Melbourne Rebels are a professional rugby union team based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They made their debut in SANZAR's Super Rugby tournament in 2011. They are the first privately owned professional rugby union team in Australia...
in preparation for the 2011 Super Rugby season.
Early career
Saffy moved to AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
as a 15-year-old and continued playing rugby union
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...
at St Joseph's, Hunters Hill
St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill
St Joseph's College is a Roman Catholic, Secondary, day and boarding school for boys. It is located in Hunters Hill, a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
. He represented the Australian Schoolboys, Australian under 21s and the Australian Sevens in rugby union as well as spending some time playing for the NSW Waratahs Academy and Sydney University Football Club
Sydney University Football Club
Sydney University Football Club, founded in 1863 , is the oldest club now playing rugby union in Australia, and as such is nicknamed "The Birthplace of Australian Rugby" or simply "The Birthplace".The club are the current NSWRU Premiers.The club was a member of the inaugural Sydney club competition...
.
As he has played sevens for Australia he is tied to them in Rugby Union.
Rugby League
Saffy switched to rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
to progress faster and made his debut in first grade in rugby league in the final round 26 match of 2006 for the Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
. He made seven first grade appearances for the Tigers in 2007. Saffy plays rugby league at second-row
Rugby league positions
A rugby league football team consists of thirteen players on the field, with four substitutes on the bench. Players are divided into two general categories: "forwards" and "backs"....
and also at prop-forward.
He played in the Dragons' 2010 NRL Grand Final
2010 NRL Grand Final
The 2010 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2010 NRL season. Played on Sunday, 3 October at Sydney's ANZ Stadium, the match was contested by the St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Sydney Roosters. It was the first time the two sides met in a grand final. They...
-winning team, and thus became the second South African-born player to win a premiership.
He is eligible to represent Lebanon
Lebanon national rugby league team
The Lebanon national rugby league team is the representative side of Lebanon in rugby league football. They are nicknamed "The Cedars" after the Lebanon Cedar tree, which is also on the Lebanese flag. The team has been participating in international competition since 1998 and has quickly became one...
as well as his native South Africa
South Africa national rugby league team
The South Africa national rugby league team are a growing force in rugby league football, South Africa competes sporadically against other international nations because of their location and their absence from any major international competitions. They are ranked twenty-third in the world...
and he is also eligible to represent Australia in Rugby League.
Melbourne Rebels
In April 2010 Saffy became the first NRL player to sign with the Melbourne RebelsMelbourne Rebels
The Melbourne Rebels are a professional rugby union team based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They made their debut in SANZAR's Super Rugby tournament in 2011. They are the first privately owned professional rugby union team in Australia...
Super Rugby franchise. In October he commenced training with the Rebels for the new team's in the 2011 Super Rugby debut. He was expected to play at either blindside flanker or No. 8. In May 2011, South African born, Saffy was named in the Rebels' squad to travel to Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
and Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
for the Rebels' "challenging double-header" against the Bulls and Cheetahs
Central Cheetahs
The Central Cheetahs, known for sponsorship reasons as the Toyota Cheetahs, is a South African rugby union team that entered the Super Rugby competition in 2006. The franchise area encompasses the Free State and Northern Cape. In terms of Currie Cup unions, the Cheetahs draw from Free State...
.