Pierre Spies facts for kids
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| Full name | Pierre Johan Spies | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 8 June 1985 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Pretoria, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.94 m (6 ft 4+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 116 kg (18 st 4 lb; 256 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University of Pretoria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Pierre Johan Spies (born 8 June 1985 in Pretoria) is a retired South African rugby union player. He usually played as a Number 8, a key position in rugby. He could also play as a flanker or sometimes even as a wing. From 2005 to 2015, he mostly played Super Rugby for the Bulls and local South African rugby for the Blue Bulls. Later, he played in Japan and France. He also represented South Africa in international matches from 2006 to 2013.
Contents
About Pierre Spies
Pierre Spies was born on 8 June 1985 in Pretoria, South Africa. He went to Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool, a well-known public school in Pretoria. Many famous rugby players and cricketers also attended this school.
School and Family Life
At school, Pierre was classmates with future Springbok teammates Fourie du Preez and Wynand Olivier. Other professional rugby players and cricketers like AB de Villiers also went there. After school, he started studying Construction Management at the University of Pretoria.
In December 2008, Pierre married Juanne Weidemann. He is a strong Christian. Even though his parents were ministers, he only started practicing his faith when he was in his twenties.
Pierre Spies' Rugby Career
Pierre Spies began his professional rugby journey in 2005. His first big game was for the Blue Bulls against Griquas.
Early Career and Super Rugby Debut
He made his Super 12 debut against the Brumbies. This made him the youngest player ever to play for the Bulls. However, he got injured in that game. He then played for the Blue Bulls U21 team, where he scored nine tries in just six games in 2005.
International Rugby and Springbok Debut
In 2006, Pierre played for the South African Under-21 team at the 2006 Under 21 Rugby World Championship in France. Soon after, he made his debut for the Springboks (South Africa's national team). This was in a game against Australia during the 2006 Tri Nations Series.
He continued to play well for the Springboks. He was named "Man-of-the-Match" twice in games against New Zealand and Australia.
Overcoming Injuries
Pierre faced some challenges with injuries during his career. In 2006, he got injured during a tour to Ireland and England. This injury kept him out of many games in the 2007 Super 14 season. But he made a strong comeback for the Bulls in a big win against the Stormers.
In 2007, he was chosen for the 2007 Rugby World Cup squad. However, he had to leave the team because of a serious health issue. After getting medical advice, he had to withdraw from the squad. He returned to play for the Springboks in 2008 against Wales.
Awards and Achievements
Pierre's great performances earned him several awards in 2008. He was nominated for the Currie Cup Player of the Year and South African Player of the Year. He won the awards for South Africa's Most Promising Player of the Year and Sportsman of the Year.
In 2009, his strong play in the Super 14 season led to him being selected for the Springboks again. He played against the British & Irish Lions during their tour to South Africa. He was also chosen for the Springboks' end-of-year tour but had to miss it due to a finger injury.
Later Career and Retirement
After leaving the Bulls in 2015, Pierre played a few matches for the Japanese club Kintetsu Liners. Then, he moved to the top French club Montpellier Hérault Rugby. His former coach, Jake White, was coaching there.
In 2017, Pierre Spies announced that he was retiring from rugby. His contract with Montpellier was not renewed, and he decided to end his playing career.
Physical Abilities
Pierre Spies was known for his amazing strength and speed for a rugby player of his size. He could lift very heavy weights and was rumored to be able to run 100 meters in about 11 seconds. His speed was so impressive that he sometimes played on the wing, a position usually for faster, lighter players.
Despite his strength, some people felt he could have been more physically aggressive in certain parts of the game. Injuries also affected his career later on. He was often seen as a player who could break through defenders and find open space, rather than being a typical powerful forward in the ruck (a part of rugby where players compete for the ball on the ground).
See also
In Spanish: Pierre Spies para niños
