Johannes Jonker

Johannes Jonker
Full nameJohannes Gideon Andries Jonker
Date of birth (1994-08-22) 22 August 1994 (age 30)
Place of birthEast London, South Africa
Height1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
Weight118 kg (18 st 8 lb; 260 lb)
SchoolHudson Park High School, East London
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Current team Lions / Golden Lions / Golden Lions XV
Youth career
2007–2014 Border Bulldogs
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014–2016 Border Bulldogs 43 (25)
2016–present Lions 37 (0)
2017–present Golden Lions XV 2 (0)
2017–present Golden Lions 16 (0)
2017–2018 → Montpellier 9 (0)
Correct as of 8 September 2019

Johannes Gideon Andries Jonker (born 22 August 1994 in East London, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player for the Lions in Super Rugby, the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup and the Golden Lions XV in the Rugby Challenge.[1] His regular position is prop.

Career

Youth

Jonker was selected to represent Border in several youth tournaments. In 2007, he played for them in the Under-13 Craven Week competition, in 2010 he played at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week and in 2012 he played at the Under-18 Craven Week competition.

He subsequently joined their academy and played for the Border U19 side in the 2012 and the 2013 Under-19 Provincial Championships. He helped them win promotion from Division B to Division A in 2012, but was also part of the side that got relegated back to Division B in 2013.

Border Bulldogs

His first class debut came during the 2014 Vodacom Cup competition. With the Border Rugby Football Union in financial strife,[2] they only had eleven contracted players on their books and gave opportunities to some of their academy players, with Jonker being one of those.[3] He made his debut in their Round One match against the Sharks XV in East London.[4] He started all seven of their matches in the competition and also scored his first try in their final match against the Boland Cavaliers in Piketberg.[5]

His performances in that competition also led to his inclusion in the Border Bulldogs squad for the 2014 Currie Cup qualification series[6] and he made his Currie Cup debut in the opening match of that competition by coming on as a second-half substitute in their match against Griquas in Kimberley.[7]

Montpellier

In November 2017, Jonker joined French Top 14 side Montpellier Hérault Rugby as a medical joker replacement for the injured Jannie du Plessis.[8]

References

  1. ^ "SA Rugby Player Profile – Johannes Jonker". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  2. ^ "Bankrupt BRFU can't pay staff". Daily Dispatch. 16 January 2014. Archived from the original on 29 January 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  3. ^ "Nuwe era vir Bulldogs begin vandag" (in Afrikaans). Die Burger. 7 March 2014. Archived from the original on 22 June 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  4. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border Bulldogs 24–46 Cell C Sharks XV". South African Rugby Union. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  5. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Regent Boland Cavaliers 41–17 Border Bulldogs". South African Rugby Union. 26 April 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  6. ^ "SA Rugby Squad – Border : 2014 Absa Currie Cup Qualifiers". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  7. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – GWK Griquas 52–5 Border". South African Rugby Union. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  8. ^ (in French) "Joker Médical : Johannes Jonker s'engage avec le MHR". Montpellier Hérault Rugby. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2018.