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Don Armand

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Don Armand
Armand playing for Exeter Chiefs, 2018
Full nameDonovan Wade Armand
Date of birth (1988-09-23) 23 September 1988 (age 36)
Place of birthHarare, Zimbabwe
Height1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight115 kg (18 st 2 lb; 254 lb)
SchoolMaritzburg College
UniversityUniversity of Cape Town
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker
Current team Retired
Youth career
2006 Sharks
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008–2012 UCT Ikey Tigers 27 (5)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012–2013 Western Province 19 (5)
2012–2013 Stormers 16 (0)
2013–2022 Exeter Chiefs 193 (185)
Correct as of 08 December 2018
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2017-present England 2 (0)
Correct as of 17 March 2018

Donovan Wade Armand (born 23 September 1988) is a former Zimbabwean-born England international rugby union footballer. Originally from Zimbabwe, he played as a flanker for Exeter Chiefs in the English Premiership.[1]

Professional career

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Zimbabwe

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Armand grew up in Zimbabwe and attended Highlands Junior School in Harare.

South Africa

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After the Zimbabwean land-reform, Armand moved to South Africa and attended Maritzburg College. He made his debut with the South African team Western Province on 10 March 2012 in a 51–22 victory over the Boland Cavaliers.[2] He finished the 2012 Vodacom Cup season with six appearances and one try.

Due to injuries sustained by loose-forwards Duane Vermeulen and Nick Köster on the Stormers' 2012 Australasian tour, Armand received a call-up to the squad for the final tour game against the Western Force. The match ended in a 17–3 Stormers victory. He made his Super Rugby debut as a 75th-minute replacement for Nizaam Carr.[3]

Armand was a fixture in the 2012 Western Province Currie Cup side and started the winning final against the Sharks in Durban.

He has also represented the Ikey Tigers in the Varsity Cup.[4]

Exeter Chiefs

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On 17 July 2013, it was confirmed that Armand would be joining English Aviva Premiership side Exeter Chiefs on a two-year contract.[5] Armand has been a key player in Exeter Chiefs successful 2017 Aviva season becoming Champions of England on 27 May 2017. He was named man of the match in the final, where the Chiefs recorded their first ever league win with a 23-20 extra-time victory over Wasps.

Armand made his Exeter Chiefs debut against the Leicester Tigers in the Aviva Premiership in September 2013. He appeared 11 times in the 2013–14 season, mostly as a substitute. In 2014–15, Armand appeared 12 times, starting in 10 of those appearances. Armand had a breakout season in 2015–16, appearing 21 times in the Aviva Premiership, starting each match and playing a total of 1,611 minutes. Armand also appeared in the Chiefs' European Champions Cup campaign and started the 2016 Aviva Premiership final. Armand was nominated for the Aviva Premiership player of the year award, which was won by Alex Goode.[citation needed] Armand won the Exeter Chiefs Supporters' player of the year award for 2016[6] and also earned an England Saxons call up for their summer tour of South Africa. He started the final and was voted man of the match as Exeter Chiefs defeated Wasps to be crowned champions of the 2016-17 English Premiership.[7] He announced his retirement following the 2021–22 season.[8]

International career

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In 2016, Armand was selected for the England Saxons' tour of South Africa.[9]

In 2017 Armand was named in the touring squad to Argentina.[10] Armand won his first international cap for England on 10 June 2017 in their 34-38 victory over Argentina, coming on as a substitute in the second half. Armand's second cap and Six Nations Championship debut came as a late sub in England's defeat to Ireland in the 2018 tournament.

References

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  1. ^ "Stormers make two changes for Waratahs". Super 15 Rugby News. Superxv.com. 16 May 2012. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  2. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – DHL Western Province 51–22 Regent Boland Kavaliers". South African Rugby Union. 10 March 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  3. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Force 3–17 DHL Stormers". South African Rugby Union. 28 April 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  4. ^ "Armand to captain Ikey Tigers". Varsitycup.co.za. 16 February 2012. Archived from the original on 19 June 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  5. ^ "Exeter Chiefs sign versatile forward Don Armand from Western Stormers in South Africa". BBC Sport. 15 July 2013.
  6. ^ "POSTS, NEWS & EVENTS". Chiefs Supporters. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Premiership final: Wasps 20-23 Exeter Chiefs (aet)". BBC. 27 May 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  8. ^ "Armand calls time on Chiefs career". www.exeterchiefs.co.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  9. ^ "England A call up Armand". latinfinance.com. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  10. ^ Schofield, Daniel (29 May 2017). "Uncapped Exeter flanker Don Armand earns England call-up for Argentina tour". The Telegraph. Telegraph media Group Limited. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
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