Warrick Gelant

Warrick Wayne Gelant (born 20 May 1995) is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the South Africa national team and the Stormers in Super Rugby.[1] His regular position is fullback, He was a member of the winning Springboks at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Warrick Gelant
Full nameWarrick Wayne Gelant
Date of birth (1995-05-20) 20 May 1995
Place of birthKnysna, South Africa
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight89 kg (14 st 0 lb; 196 lb)
SchoolHoërskool Outeniqua, George
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback / Wing / Centre
Current team Stormers
Youth career
2008–2013 SWD Eagles
2014–2015 Blue Bulls
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014 UP Tuks 7 (13)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015–2017 Blue Bulls 25 (68)
2016 Blue Bulls XV 1 (0)
2016–2020 Bulls 46 (75)
2020–present Stormers 0 (0)
Correct as of 16 June 2020
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012–2013 South Africa Schools 6 (0)
2014–2015 South Africa Under-20 10 (10)
2014–2015 South Africa Sevens
2017 South Africa 'A' 1 (10)
2017–present South Africa 9 (15)
Correct as of 16 June 2020

Career

2008–13

He came to the attention of provincial selectors as early as primary school level, when he was selected to represent SWD at the Under-13 Craven Week tournament in 2008. He continued his progression by being selected for the Under-16 side that played at the 2011 Grant Khomo Week competition. Even though he was in the Under-17 age group, he represented SWD at the 2012 Under-18 Craven Week competition and his performances there also ensured he was selected in the 2012 South African Schools team. He represented them in matches against France,[2] Wales[3] and England,[4] playing as both a fullback and a centre. He missed out on Craven Week selection in 2013 when he picked up an injury shortly before the tournament,[5] but this did not prevent him for again being selected for the South African Schools side. He once again appeared in all three of their matches, held against the same opposition: England, France[6] and Wales.[7]

2014

When he finished high school, Gelant moved to Pretoria to join the Blue Bulls. He was included in their squad for the 2014 Vodacom Cup, but failed to be involved in that competition. Instead, he played some rugby for university side UP Tuks in the 2014 Varsity Cup competition, starting all seven of their matches in the competition.

Gelant was then included in the South Africa Under-20 squad that participated in the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship held in New Zealand.[8] He started their opening match against Scotland, scoring a second-half try to help South Africa to a 61–5 victory[9] Four days later, he started another match for the Under-20s in a 33–24 victory against hosts and four-time winners New Zealand, with Gelant once again scoring one of South Africa's tries.[10] He played off the bench for their final pool match, a 21–8 victory over Samoa as South Africa finished top of the group to set up a rematch with New Zealand in the semi-finals. Gelant started the semi-final and helped South Africa secure their fourth consecutive victory over New Zealand at this level, winning 32–25.[11] He made his fifth appearance – and fourth start – of the tournament in the final, but could not prevent South Africa finishing on the losing side this time, with England winning the championship for the second consecutive year with a 21–20 victory over South Africa.[12]

Gelant returned to domestic action after the Junior World Championship, making five appearances for the Blue Bulls U19s during the 2014 Under-19 Provincial Championship, scoring a try in the final of the competition against Western Province U19, which wasn't enough to prevent his side suffering a 26–33 loss in Cape Town.[13]

2014–

At the end of 2014, Gelant was called up to the South African Sevens side for their 2014–15 Sevens World Series campaign.[14] He had a memorable start to his sevens career South Africa winning both of the first two tournaments that he played in – the 2014 Dubai Sevens and the 2014 South Africa Sevens.

He was also included in the Bulls' squad for the 2015 Super Rugby season,[15] although his sevens commitments ruled him out of the start of the campaign.

In March 2015, Gelant was named in an extended South Africa Under-20 training group as part of their preparation for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[16] He featured for them in a friendly match against a Varsity Cup Dream Team in April 2015.[17] He was also included in the South Africa Under-20 squad that toured Argentina in May 2015,[18] making an appearance off the bench in the first match.[19]

Upon the team's return, he was named in the final squad for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[20] He started all three of their matches in Pool B of the competition; a 33–5 win against hosts Italy,[21] a 40–8 win against Samoa[22] and a 46–13 win over Australia[23] to help South Africa finish top of Pool B to qualify for the semi-finals with the best record pool stage of all the teams in the competition. Gelant started their semi-final match against England, but could not prevent them losing 20–28 to be eliminated from the competition by England for the second year in succession[24] and also started their third-place play-off match against France, helping South Africa to a 31–18 win to secure third place in the competition.[25]

Gelant was named in South Africa's squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.[26] South Africa went on to win the tournament, defeating England in the final.[27]

References

  1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Warrick Gelant". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  2. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 17-7 France". South African Rugby Union. 10 August 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  3. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 24-16 Wales". South African Rugby Union. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  4. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 36-29 England". South African Rugby Union. 18 August 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  5. "WP, Boland pronk met ysters" (in Afrikaans). Die Burger. 9 July 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 17-13 France". South African Rugby Union. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 14-13 Wales". South African Rugby Union. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  8. "Junior Springboks named for JWC 2014". South African Rugby Union. 22 April 2014. Archived from the original on 6 June 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 61-5 Scotland". South African Rugby Union. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  10. "SA Rugby Match Centre – New Zealand 24-33 South Africa". South African Rugby Union. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  11. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 32-25 New Zealand". South African Rugby Union. 15 June 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  12. "SA Rugby Match Centre – England 21-20 South Africa". South African Rugby Union. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  13. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U19 33-26 Blue Bulls U19". South African Rugby Union. 25 October 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  14. "Several regulars return to Blitzboks fold for Dubai, PE". South African Rugby Union. 27 November 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  15. "Vodacom Bulls Team". Bulls. Archived from the original on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  16. "SARU names large group for Junior Bok trials". South African Rugby Union. 25 March 2015. Archived from the original on 6 December 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  17. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Varsity Cup XV 24-31 South Africa U/20". South African Rugby Union. 21 April 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  18. "SARU names Junior Bok squad for Argentine tour". South African Rugby Union. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  19. "Los Pumitas cayeron ante Baby Boks por 25 a 22". Unión Argentina de Rugby (in Spanish). 12 May 2015. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  20. "Liebenberg to lead Junior Boks at U20 World Championship in Italy". South African Rugby Union. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  21. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Italy U20 5-33 South Africa U20". South African Rugby Union. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  22. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 40-8 Samoa U20". South African Rugby Union. 6 June 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  23. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 46-13 Australia U20". South African Rugby Union. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  24. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 20-28 England U20". South African Rugby Union. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  25. "SA Rugby Match Centre – France U20 18-31 South Africa U20". South African Rugby Union. 20 June 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  26. "South Africa World Cup squad: Siya Kolisi wins fitness battle, Eben Etzebeth backed, Aphiwe Dyantyi dropped". Independent. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  27. "England 12-32 South Africa: Springboks win World Cup for record-equalling third time". BBC. 2 November 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
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