Dirk Grobbelaar

Hendrik Grobbelaar (born 8 February 1992) is a South African rugby union player, who most recently played with the . His regular position is flanker or number eight.

Rugby career

2006: Limpopo

Grobbelaar was born in Benoni, but grew up in Mookgophong (known as Naboomspruit until 2006) in the Limpopo province. He was selected to represent Limpopo at the 2008 Under-16 Grant Khomo Week held in Ermelo, where he started two of their three matches.

2012–2016: Griffons

In 2012, he was included in the Welkom-based ' Under-21 squad for their Under-21 Provincial Championship campaign. He started all six of their matches in the number eight jersey, scoring a try against  in a 40–43 defeat, but could not help his side to a victory, as they lost all six matches to finish bottom of the log.

Grobbelaar made his first class debut in March 2013, coming on as a replacement in the ' 2013 Vodacom Cup match against the  in Polokwane. He made his first start a week later against , but failed to feature for the Griffons for the remainder of 2013. He made a single appearance in the 2014 Vodacom Cup – as a replacement in a 10–49 defeat to the  – before making his Currie Cup debut, playing off the bench in the Griffons First Division match against the , helping his team to a 37–32 victory.

He got marginally more playing time in 2015, making three appearances off the bench in the Griffons' Vodacom Cup season before starting against the  during the Currie Cup First Division regular season and against the same opposition in their 40–47 semi-final loss a week later.

He made two starts and four appearances off the bench in the Griffons' 2016 Currie Cup qualification campaign, and scored his first senior try in their 101–0 victory over Namibian side the  in his third appearance of the season. The Griffons finished ninth, to qualify to the Currie Cup First Division.

2016: Eastern Province Kings

Grobbelaar signed a contract to play for the Port Elizabeth-based  in the 2016 Currie Cup Premier Division. He made his EP Kings – and Currie Cup Premier Division – debut in their Round Two match against the . His only other appearance came as he started their rescheduled midweek match against  in a 24–47 defeat. and his side eventually lost all eight of their matches in the competition to finish bottom of the log.

References

Category:South African rugby union players
Category:Living people
Category:1992 births
Category:People from Benoni
Category:Rugby union locks
Category:Rugby union flankers
Category:Rugby union number eights
Category:Eastern Province Elephants players
Category:Griffons (rugby team) players