Ruan Pienaar facts for kids
Ruan Pienaar in 2014
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| Date of birth | 10 March 1984 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Bloemfontein, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 92 kg (203 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Grey College, Bloemfontein | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ruan Pienaar, born on March 10, 1984, is a retired professional rugby union player from South Africa. He was known for playing in different positions, like scrum-half or fly-half. He played for teams like the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup.
Ruan is the son of Gysie Pienaar, who was also a famous rugby player for the Springboks. Ruan is known for being a very skilled player. He can pass the ball well and kick with both his left and right feet. His great vision and running style made a former coach compare him to another famous player, Stephen Larkham.
Ruan Pienaar has been part of several winning rugby teams. He won the Under-19 World Cup in 2003 and the Under-21 World Cup in 2005. He was also part of the senior team that won the 2007 Rugby World Cup. On top of that, he won the Currie Cup three times: in 2008, 2019, and 2023.
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Playing for South Africa
Pienaar first played for the Springboks (South Africa's national team) in 2006. This was during a tournament called the Tri-Nations, and they played against New Zealand. He was also a key member of the team that won the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
For a while, it seemed like he might not play for the national team again because he was playing club rugby outside South Africa. The South African rugby board usually prefers to pick players who play in South Africa. However, in 2011, Pienaar was called up to join the training squad for the World Cup, which was a big deal!
Club Rugby Career
Playing in South Africa
Ruan Pienaar played rugby in high school in Bloemfontein, where he went to Grey College. He was chosen to play for the Free State team in the Craven Week tournament in 2002.
Before moving to a team called Ulster, Pienaar played for the Sharks in the Currie Cup. He also played for the Sharks in a big competition called Super Rugby.
Playing for Ulster
On May 27, 2010, the Irish team Ulster announced that they had signed Ruan Pienaar. He joined them on a two-year contract. At Ulster, he played in the Celtic League and the Heineken Cup. He played alongside other famous South African players there.
Pienaar made his first appearance for Ulster on October 1. In that game, he scored all 19 of Ulster's points, helping them win against Glasgow Warriors. For the 2010/11 season, he was named the best scrum-half in the Magners League. He also won the "Player of the Year" award, which was voted for by other players.
Pienaar liked playing for Ulster so much that he signed two more contracts to stay with the team. He was chosen as the best scrum-half again for the 2011/12 season and was even made captain of the "Dream Team." In 2012, he played in the Heineken Cup Final, scoring 9 points. In 2013, he played in the Pro12 Final, scoring all 18 of Ulster's points.
Even though some big clubs wanted him, Pienaar signed another contract in 2013 to stay with Ulster until 2017. He eventually left the club as one of their most celebrated players. This was because of a rule that limited how many foreign players each team could have in certain positions.
Later Career Teams
After leaving Ulster, Pienaar played for Montpellier in France during the 2017/18 season. In 2019, he returned to South Africa and joined the Cheetahs. He played for them in both the Pro14 and the Currie Cup.
For a short time in 2021-2022, Pienaar was loaned to the Sharks. This was to help make sure that the best South African players were playing for the South African teams in a new tournament called the United Rugby Championship.
Life Outside Rugby
Ruan Pienaar is a Christian. He has said that his faith helps him see that there is more to life than just rugby. He also helped start a Bible study group for rugby players in South Africa. When he played for Ulster, he often went to a church in Belfast.
Ruan Pienaar played his very last rugby game on May 17, 2024. He was the captain for the Cheetahs in their game against the Griquas. This was the 85th time he had captained the Cheetahs, which is a lot!
Images for kids
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Ruan Pienaar in 2014
See also
In Spanish: Ruan Pienaar para niños
