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Damian Willemse

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Damian Willemse
Willemse playing for South Africa in 2022
Date of birth (1998-05-07) 7 May 1998 (age 26)
Place of birthStrand, Western Cape, South Africa
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Weight94 kg (207 lb; 14 st 11 lb)[1]
SchoolPaul Roos Gymnasium, Stellenbosch
Notable relative(s)Ramone Samuels (brother)
Occupation(s)Professional rugby player
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half / Fullback / Inside Centre
Current team Stormers / Western Province
Youth career
2014–2019 Western Province
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2017– Stormers 77 (275)
2017– Western Province 25 (54)
2019 Saracens 2 (4)
Correct as of 1 November 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015–2016 South Africa Schools 5 (5)
2017–2018 South Africa U20 7 (15)
2018–present South Africa 40 (56)
Correct as of 1 November 2023
Medal record
Men's Rugby union
Representing  South Africa
Rugby World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2019 Japan Squad
Gold medal – first place 2023 France Squad

Damian Willemse (born 7 May 1998) is a South African professional rugby union player for the South Africa national team and the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship and Western Province in the Currie Cup.[2] His regular position is fullback, but he can also play as a fly-half, winger, or inside centre.

Rugby career

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2014–2016: Schoolboy rugby

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Willemse was born in Strand. He attended and played rugby for Paul Roos Gymnasium in nearby Stellenbosch. In 2014, he was selected to represent Western Province at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week held in Pretoria.[3] He started all three of their matches, helping them to three victories, scoring a try in the final match of the tournament, a 26–11 win over hosts the Blue Bulls.[4][5]

In 2015, Willemse was selected in the Western Province squad for South Africa's premier high school rugby tournament, the Under-18 Craven Week.[6] He started all three of their matches in the tournament held in Stellenbosch, scoring tries in a 65–5 victory over the Griffons[7] and in the unofficial final, helping his team to a 95–0 victory over Eastern Province.[8] After the tournament, he was included in the South Africa Schools squad for the Under-18 International Series, involving their counterparts from Wales, France and England.[9] He came on as a replacement in their 42–11 victory over Wales,[10] before starting their 12–5 win over France.[11] He was named on the bench for their final match against England, but remained unused as the hosts completed a whitewash in the competition, winning 23–16.[12]

2016 again saw Willemse selected for the Western Province Craven Week side for the tournament in Durban[13] and he again started all three of their matches. He scored two tries in their first match against Boland,[14] and helped the team to a 27–20 victory in the final match against the Golden Lions.[15] He earned a second call-up to the South African Schools team, this time starting all three of their matches in the fly-half position. South Africa beat Wales in their first match[16] and Willemse scored try in their match against the France Under-19s in a 42–3 win.[17] South Africa again completed a clean sweep, beating England 13–12 in their final match.[18]

After Willemse's international involvement, Willemse also appeared for the Western Province U19 team in the 2016 Under-19 Provincial Championship. He appeared as a replacement in three of their final four matches of the regular season, scoring a try on his debut at this level against the Sharks U19s[19] and kicking conversions in matches against the Leopards U19s[20] and the Blue Bulls U19s[21] in the other two, to help Western Province finish top of the log to qualify for the play-offs.[22] He was promoted to the starting line-up for their 30–15 victory over Free State U19 in the semi-finals,[23] and also started the final, where his team lost 19–60 to the Golden Lions U19s.[24]

2017-19: Stormers

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Only months after finishing school, Willemse was included in the Stormers squad for the 2017 Super Rugby season.[25] He was included in a matchday squad for their Round Three match against the Southern Kings on 4 March,[26] and he made his Super Rugby debut – aged just 18 years, 301 days – by coming on for the final four minutes of the match.

2019: Saracens

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In September 2019, Willemse signed for Premiership club Saracens on a 3-month deal to provide injury cover for Alex Goode and Max Malins.[27] He went on to make his debut for the club in the Premiership Cup against Wasps getting a try assist in the second half.[28] He returned to the Stormers on the completion of his short-term deal.

2019-Present : Return to Stormers

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In June 2022, Willemse won the inaugural United Rugby Championship with the Stormers beating the Bulls 18–13 in the final.[29]

In October 2022, Willemse signed a new 5-year deal with the Stormers to run until at least 2027.[30]

International career

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Damian Willemse made his international debut for South Africa in the 2018 Rugby Championship against Argentina at Kings Park Stadium in a 34–21 victory, coming off of the bench and substituting André Esterhuizen.

Willemse was not initially named in South Africa's squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.[31] However he was called up to replace the injured Jesse Kriel in the pool stage.[32] He also scored his first test try against Canada. South Africa went on to win the tournament, defeating England in the final.[33]

Personal life, philanthropy and activism

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Willemse has been described as an unusual athlete, with many interests and ambitions beyond rugby. He grew up in Strand, Western Cape a resort and working class town on the outskirts of Cape Town, noted for its white sandy beaches. Strand was negatively affected by apartheid’s spatial planning, which targeted and displaced the areas black, mixed race, Cape Coloured and Cape Malay communities, leading to precarious housing conditions and high unemployment. As a result, like other low income areas of greater Cape Town such as the Cape Flats and parts of Helderberg, Strand is increasingly affected by crime, drug use and gangsterism. In response, Willemse has taken a strong interest in environmentalism and social advocacy, working to lead clean up efforts on Strand Beach and to plant over 500 trees in the local community.[34]

By partnering with the non profit, One Tree Planted and sponsors such as, Vida e Caffe and Adidas, Damian Willemse has worked to make an environmental and social impact in South Africa, while also supporting the global reforestation movement to address climate change through nature-based solutions. Willemse, along with teammate, Siya Kolisi, is also a global ambassador for Adidas’ Run for the Oceans campaign.[35]

Willemse is the younger brother of Ramone Samuels, also a professional rugby union player.[36] Both brothers were members of the Western Province squad that won the 2017 Currie Cup Premier Division.

Honours

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Damian Willemse player profile". rugbyworldcup.com. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  2. ^ "SA Rugby Player Profile – Damian Willemse". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  3. ^ "SA Rugby Squad – Western Province : 2014 U16 Grant Khomo Week". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  4. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province 26–11 Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  5. ^ "Grant Khomo: WP win again". Rugby365. 10 July 2014. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  6. ^ "SA Rugby Squad – Western Province U18 : 2015 U18 Craven Week". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  7. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U18 65–5 Griffons U18". South African Rugby Union. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  8. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U18 95–0 Eastern Province U18". South African Rugby Union. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  9. ^ "SA Rugby Squad – South Africa U18 : 2015 SA Schools 2015". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  10. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U18 42–11 Wales U18". South African Rugby Union. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  11. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U18 12–5 France U18". South African Rugby Union. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  12. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U18 23–16 England U18". South African Rugby Union. 15 August 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  13. ^ "SA Rugby Squad – DHL Western Province U18 : 2016 U18 Craven Week". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  14. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – DHL Western Province U18 41–20 Boland U18". South African Rugby Union. 11 July 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  15. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – DHL Western Province U18 27–20 Bidvest Golden Lions U18". South African Rugby Union. 16 July 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  16. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – SA Schools 23–17 Wales U18". South African Rugby Union. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  17. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – SA Schools 42–3 France U19". South African Rugby Union. 16 August 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  18. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – SA Schools 13–12 England U18". South African Rugby Union. 20 August 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  19. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – WP U19 48–40 Sharks U19". South African Rugby Union. 3 September 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  20. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – WP U19 54–8 Leopards U19". South African Rugby Union. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  21. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – WP U19 30–50 Blue Bulls U19". South African Rugby Union. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  22. ^ "SA Rugby Log – 2016 SA Rugby U19 Provincial Champs". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  23. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – WP U19 30–15 Free State U19". South African Rugby Union. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  24. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – WP U19 19–60 Golden Lions U19". South African Rugby Union. 22 October 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  25. ^ "DHL Stormers 2017 squad announced" (Press release). Stormers. 18 February 2017. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  26. ^ "Match Centre: Stormers 32-25 Jaguares". SANZAAR. 4 March 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  27. ^ "WELCOME TO SARACENS, DAMIAN WILLEMSE!". Saracens. Saracens. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  28. ^ "Saffas Abroad: Willemse impresses on Saracens debut". SARugbyMag. SARugbyMag. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  29. ^ "DHL Stormers crowned inaugural URC champions after edging Vodacom Bulls in Cape Town". United Rugby Championship. United Rugby Championship. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  30. ^ "WILLEMSE EXTENDS WITH DHL STORMERS UNTIL 2027". DHL Stormers. DHL Stormers. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  31. ^ "South Africa World Cup squad: Siya Kolisi wins fitness battle, Eben Etzebeth backed, Aphiwe Dyantyi dropped". Independent. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  32. ^ "Damian Willemse called up to replace Jesse Kriel in Springbok squad". thesouthafrican.com. 1 October 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  33. ^ "England 12-32 South Africa: Springboks win World Cup for record-equalling third time". BBC. 2 November 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  34. ^ "The central Strand in the story of Damian Willemse". 13 November 2021.
  35. ^ "We Planted Nearly 400 trees with Damian Willemse in Support of 'One Tree Planted' and collected over 380kg of litter off Strand Beach". 13 October 2021.
  36. ^ "WP-broers wil Goue Beker huis toe bring". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). 28 October 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
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