Billy Dutton

Billy Dutton (born 9 June 1989 in East London, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with the Border Bulldogs.[1] He is a utility forward that can play as a lock, flanker or number eight.

Billy Dutton
Date of birth (1989-06-09) 9 June 1989
Place of birthEast London, South Africa
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight105 kg (231 lb; 16 st 7 lb)
SchoolCambridge High School, East London
UniversityDamelin, University of Fort Hare
Rugby union career
Position(s) Loose forward / Lock
Current team Border Bulldogs
Youth career
2009–2010 Border Bulldogs
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2011–2014 UFH Blues 16 (5)
2015 Old Selbornians 3 (5)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010–2011 Border Bulldogs 3 (0)
2015–present Border Bulldogs 59 (35)
Correct as of 25 August 2019

Playing career

Dutton joined the Border Bulldogs academy after high school and he played for the Border U21 side in the 2009 Provincial Championship, where he made six appearances.

In 2010, he was also included in the Border Bulldogs squad for the 2010 Vodacom Cup and made his first class debut on 26 February 2010, playing off the bench in an 8–69 defeat to a Sharks XV in Durban in their opening match of the season.[2] He again played at Under-21 level in 2010, making five appearances and scoring a try in a match against the Pumas U21s.[3]

He made a further two first class appearances for the Border Bulldogs during the 2011 Vodacom Cup competition, coming on as a replacement in matches against the Griffons and the Pumas.[4] 2011 also saw the launch of a second tier competition to the Varsity Cup, called the Varsity Shield. Dutton represented the UFH Blues in this competition between 2011 and 2014, also captaining the side during the 2013 season.[5]

In 2015, Dutton represented amateur club side Old Selbornians in the 2015 SARU Community Cup, scoring a try against defending champions and eventual runners-up Rustenburg Impala.[6] He was recalled to the Border Bulldogs shortly after the conclusion of the SARU Community Cup and – after a four-year absence – returned to provincial rugby, making five appearances for his side in the 2015 Vodacom Cup, which included an appearance off the bench in their only victory of the competition, when they beat the Boland Cavaliers 29–5.[7] He was retained in the squad for the Border Bulldogs' 2015 Currie Cup qualification campaign and – after being an unused replacement in their 20–13 victory over eventual champions Griquas[8] – made his Currie Cup debut in their match against the Griffons in Welkom.[9] He made one more appearance in the competition in their match against the Leopards[10] as Border, by virtue of finishing in sixth position, qualified for the 2015 Currie Cup First Division. Dutton firmly established himself in the squad during that competition, starting all five of their matches in the number eight shirt. However, his side had another poor season, losing their first four matches before bouncing back to beat the Boland Cavaliers 44–20 in their final match of the season.[11]

At the start of 2016, Dutton was one of six Border Bulldogs players that joined the Southern Kings' Super Rugby squad for a trial period as they prepared for the 2016 Super Rugby season.[12] However, he returned to Border Bulldogs after he failed to be contracted for the Super Rugby side.[13]

Statistics
First class career
Season Teams Currie Cup First Division Currie Cup qualification Vodacom Cup Total
Apps Pts Apps Pts Apps Pts Apps Pts
2010 Border Bulldogs————1010
2011Border Bulldogs————2020
2015Border Bulldogs502050120
2010–2015Border Bulldogs Total502080150
2010–2015Career Total502080150

References
  1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Billy Dutton". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  2. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Sharks XV 69-8 Border". South African Rugby Union. 26 February 2010. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  3. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border 28-53 Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 24 September 2010. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  4. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Ford Pumas 73-14 Border". South African Rugby Union. 18 March 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  5. "Time to deliver". Grassrootrs Rugby. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
  6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Kempston Old Selbornians 22-28 Rustenburg Impala". South African Rugby Union. 7 March 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border Bulldogs 29-5 Boland Cavaliers". South African Rugby Union. 9 May 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  8. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border 20-13 ORC Griquas". South African Rugby Union. 12 June 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Down Touch Griffons 43-20 Border". South African Rugby Union. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  10. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border 8-33 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 25 July 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  11. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border 44-20 Boland". South African Rugby Union. 25 September 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  12. "New recruits as Southern Kings 2016 season starts" (Press release). Eastern Province Kings. 4 January 2016. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  13. "More players join the ranks of the Southern Kings squad" (Press release). Eastern Province Kings. 22 January 2016. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
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