Ruan Pienaar
Encyclopedia
Ruan Pienaar is a South African rugby union
footballer who plays either as a scrum-half or as a fly-half. He joined Ulster
for the 2010/2011 Magners League campaign.
He is the son of former Springbok fullback Gysie Pienaar. Ruan is regarded as a very skillful rugby player
. Besides being able to pass well, he can kick with both feet, and his vision and running style moved former Springbok coach Jake White
to compare him with Australian fly-half Stephen Larkham
, which is high praise indeed.
in the 2006 Tri-Nations against New Zealand and was a member of the successful 2007 World Cup
squad. As he has not played club rugby in South Africa since June 2010 it seemed unlikely that he would be called up again to play for the national team. SARU
has a policy of selecting foreign based players in exceptional circumstances only. However, on the 20th of June 2011 it was reported that Pienaar had been named in South Africa's 49-Man World Cup preliminary training squad.
, where he attended the prestigious Grey College
. He was selected for the Free State Craven Week
side in 2002.
Pienaar played for Natal Sharks
in the Currie Cup
, the Sharks in the Super 14
prior to joining Ulster.
On 27 May 2010 Ulster announced that they had signed the player on a two year contract. Pienaar will play in the Magners League and Heineken Cup
along with fellow Springbok Johann Muller, Robbie Diack, Pedrie Wannenburg
and BJ Botha
at the Belfast
based side. He made his Magners League debut on 1 October, scoring all of Ulster's 19 points in their victory over Glasgow Warriors
.
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...
footballer who plays either as a scrum-half or as a fly-half. He joined Ulster
Ulster Rugby
Ulster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Ulster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Belfast, representing the Irish province of Ulster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
for the 2010/2011 Magners League campaign.
He is the son of former Springbok fullback Gysie Pienaar. Ruan is regarded as a very skillful rugby player
Rugby player
Rugby player can refer to a participant in one of two different sports rugby union and rugby league. It can also refer to a participant in the sport of wheelchair rugby.*:Category:Rugby union players*:Category:Rugby league footballers...
. Besides being able to pass well, he can kick with both feet, and his vision and running style moved former Springbok coach Jake White
Jake White
Jake White is a rugby union coach and former coach of the South Africa national rugby union team, the Springboks. His most notable achievements as coach include leading the Springboks to victory in 2007 Rugby World Cup and the 2004 Tri Nations title...
to compare him with Australian fly-half Stephen Larkham
Stephen Larkham
Stephen Larkham is an Australian rugby union footballer currently playing for the Ricoh Black Rams in Japan. He is best known for his career with the Brumbies in Super Rugby, for whom he played from the inception of the professional Super 12 in 1996 through 2007, and his long tenure with the...
, which is high praise indeed.
International career
He made his debut for the SpringboksSouth Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
in the 2006 Tri-Nations against New Zealand and was a member of the successful 2007 World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
squad. As he has not played club rugby in South Africa since June 2010 it seemed unlikely that he would be called up again to play for the national team. SARU
Saru
Saru may refer to:*Saru River, river in Hokkaidō, Japan*Saru District, Hokkaidō, district in Japan*SARU or South African Rugby Union, the governing body for rugby union in South Africa*Saru, Estonia, village in Mõniste Parish, Võru County, Estonia...
has a policy of selecting foreign based players in exceptional circumstances only. However, on the 20th of June 2011 it was reported that Pienaar had been named in South Africa's 49-Man World Cup preliminary training squad.
Club career
Pienaar played his high school rugby in BloemfonteinBloemfontein
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...
, where he attended the prestigious Grey College
Grey College, Bloemfontein
Grey College is a public school for boys located in Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa, one of the 23 elite, historically significant and prestigious Milner Schools...
. He was selected for the Free State Craven Week
Craven Week
The Craven Week is an annual rugby union tournament organised for schoolboys in the Republic of South Africa. The tournament started in July 1964, and is named after the legendary Springbok rugby union player and coach Dr Danie Craven....
side in 2002.
Pienaar played for Natal Sharks
Natal Sharks
The Natal Sharks are a South African rugby union team that participate in the annual Currie Cup and Super Rugby tournaments. The Sharks home stadium is Kings Park. They draw most of their players from the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The Sharks are the current representative team of the Natal rugby...
in the Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
, the Sharks in the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
prior to joining Ulster.
On 27 May 2010 Ulster announced that they had signed the player on a two year contract. Pienaar will play in the Magners League and 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,...
along with fellow Springbok Johann Muller, Robbie Diack, Pedrie Wannenburg
Pedrie Wannenburg
Pedrie Wannenburg is a South African Rugby Union player who currently plays for Ulster in the RaboDirect Pro12. He previously represented the Bulls in the southern hemisphere Super 14 competition. As of 15 June 2010, he signed a deal with Irish club, Ulster Rugby...
and BJ Botha
BJ Botha
Brendon James Botha, better known as BJ Botha is a South African rugby union player. He is a prop for the Irish Province, Munster. He signed for Ulster on Thursday 14 August 2008 on a three year deal, and left the province in May 2011...
at the Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
based side. He made his Magners League debut on 1 October, scoring all of Ulster's 19 points in their victory over Glasgow Warriors
Glasgow Warriors
The Glasgow Warriors, formerly Glasgow Rugby, are one of two professional rugby union teams in Scotland, Edinburgh being the other. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12 and their home ground is Firhill Stadium, also the home of Partick Thistle Football Club.-History:Glasgow Rugby were created to...
.