Courtney Winnaar

Courtney Kresten Winnaar (born 27 March 1997) is a South African rugby union player for the Sharks in the Pro14.^[1] He can play as a fullback or fly-half.

Courtney Winnaar

Full name	Courtney Kresten Winnaar
Date of birth	(1997-03-27) 27 March 1997 (age 25)
Place of birth	East London, South Africa
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Weight	80 kg (180 lb; 12 st 8 lb)
School	Dale College Boys' High School, King William's Town
University	Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback / Fly-half Current team Southern Kings Youth career 2013–2015 Border Bulldogs 2016 Eastern Province Kings Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2016 Eastern Province Kings 5 (28) 2016 Southern Kings 5 (0) 2017–2018 Sharks XV 16 (41) 2017–2018 Sharks (Currie Cup) 1 (0) Correct as of 14 February 2020

Rugby career

2013–15: Schoolboy rugby

Winnaar attended Dale College Boys' High School in King William's Town, earning provincial selections to represent the Border Bulldogs between 2013 and 2015. In 2013, he represented the team at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week held in Vanderbijlpark, scoring one try in the tournament in their 15–13 victory over Free State.^[2] He played in the premier South African high schools competition, the Under-18 Craven Week, in both 2014 and 2015. He again scored a try in each of these tournaments; in the 2014 event held in Middelburg, he scored a late try against the Griffons (before also converting the try),^[3] while in the 2015 event held in Stellenbosch, he scored a try against the Falcons,^[4] after also kicking five points in their match against Boland three days earlier.^[5]

2016: Eastern Province Kings

In 2016, Winnaar joined the Eastern Province Academy. He was included in the squad for the NMMU Madibaz – a university rugby team that is affiliated with Eastern Province's Academy – for the 2016 Varsity Cup. He was named on the bench for their match against UJ in Johannesburg, but failed to make an appearance.^[6]

Winnaar was amongst a large contingent of youngsters that were included in the Eastern Province Kings squad for the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series.^[7] He was named on the bench for their first match of the season against the SWD Eagles^[8] and replaced Keanu Vers shortly after half-time to make his first class debut in a 14–37 defeat.^[9] He was promoted to the starting lineup for their second match of the season against the Boland Cavaliers in Wellington and was also handed the kicking duties. He kicked two penalties in the first half of the match and scored his first senior try just before the hour mark in an eventual 18–37 defeat.^[10] He scored a second try in their next match against the Border Bulldogs the following week – also kicking a conversion in a 14–28 loss^[11] – and made it three tries in three matches when he scored the second of the EP Kings' five tries in a 31–18 victory over Namibian side the Welwitschias in Windhoek.^[12]

After those four Currie Cup appearances, Winnaar joined the Eastern Province U19 team for their 2016 Under-19 Provincial Championship campaign.^[13]

2017–2018: Sharks

In 2017 Winnaar was voted Sharks Under 21 Player of the Year ^[14]

References

1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Courtney Winnaar". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
2. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Free State 13-15 Border". South African Rugby Union. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
3. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Griffons 47-20 Border". South African Rugby Union. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
4. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border U18 28-15 Valke U18". South African Rugby Union. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
5. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Boland U18 20-15 Border U18". South African Rugby Union. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB UJ 19-12 FNB NMMU MADIBAZ". South African Rugby Union. 8 February 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
7. "SA Rugby Squad – EP Kings : 2016 Currie Cup Qualifying". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
8. . South African Rugby Union. 5 April 2016. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings 14-37 SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 9 April 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
10. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Boland Cavaliers 37-18 EP Kings". South African Rugby Union. 16 April 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
11. "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings 14-28 Border". South African Rugby Union. 23 April 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
12. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Windhoek Draught Welwitschias 18-31 EP Kings". South African Rugby Union. 30 April 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
13. "SA Rugby Squad – EP U19 : 2016 Currie Cup Under 19 Competition". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
14. "Sharks Awards 2017". www.sport24.co.za. Retrieved 1 June 2018.