Gio Aplon facts for kids
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Gio Giaan Aplon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 6 October 1982 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Hawston, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 78 kg (12 st 4 lb; 172 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Hawston Secondary, Hawston | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gio Giaan Aplon (born 6 October 1982) is a former South African rugby union player. He is known for his amazing speed and tricky moves on the field. In 2010, he scored two tries in a big win against France. This game was also his first time playing as a winger for South Africa.
Gio Aplon is seen as one of the first smaller players to become a star winger in South Africa. He, along with players like Breyton Paulse, inspired many current rugby stars. These include famous players such as Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Gio Aplon played as a winger for the Stormers, a well-known rugby team. He also had a very successful career playing rugby sevens for South Africa. He is famous for his incredible speed and is often called the "pocket dynamo."
Playing with the Stormers helped him gain a lot of confidence. Even though he is not a very tall player, his speed and ability to dodge opponents caused many problems for other teams. He is known for his quick side steps and can play in different positions in the backline. Fans lovingly call him "Appels," which is Afrikaans for "Apples," because of his surname. He became a favorite among South African rugby supporters. During a match against France in Cape Town on June 12, 2010, he scored two tries and was named the best player of the match.
Winning the Currie Cup
Aplon was part of the Western Province team that won the Currie Cup in 2012. This was a big achievement for him and his team.
Playing in France
After the 2014 Super Rugby season, Aplon signed a contract to play for the French team Grenoble. He spent several years playing rugby in France.
Return to South Africa
On May 13, 2020, it was announced that Aplon would join the Blue Bulls team. This move brought him back to play rugby in South Africa.
Early Life and Beginnings
Gio Aplon was born in Hawston, a small town located east of Cape Town, South Africa. Before he started playing rugby, he was actually a cricket player for his school team. This shows he was a talented athlete from a young age.
