Date of birth | 9 August 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Place of birth | Randfontein, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 90 kg (14 st 2 lb; 198 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Hoërskool Outeniqua, George / Oudtshoorn High School, Oudtshoorn | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | MBW | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | De Wet Kruger (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Tertius Kruger (born 9 August 1993) is a South African professional rugby union player for theSouthern Kings in the Pro14.[1] His regular position is centre.
Career
[edit]SWD Eagles
[edit]Kruger was involved in provincial rugby since primary school level, representing the SWD Eagles at the Under-13 Craven Week competition in 2006. He was also selected to represent the SWD Eagles at Under-16 level, playing at the Grant Khomo Week in 2009, and at Under-18 level, playing at South Africa's premier high school rugby union tournament, the Craven Week, in 2011.
Free State / UFS Shimlas
[edit]After high school, Kruger moved to Bloemfontein to join the Free State Cheetahs. He made seven starts for the Free State U19 team during the 2012 Under-19 Provincial Championship, scoring tries in their matches against the Leopards U19[2] and the Golden Lions U19.[3] Free State lost out on a semi-final spot in the competition, however, finishing in sixth spot.
In 2013, he made the step up to Under-21 level and played in ten of the Free State U21 team's matches during the 2013 Under-21 Provincial Championship. He again scored two tries – against eventual champions Western Province U21 in an 18–16 victory in the opening match of their season[4] and against Sharks U21[5] – as his side once again missed out on the semi-finals by finishing fifth.
Kruger started the 2014 season by representing university side UFS Shimlas in the 2014 Varsity Cup. He made four appearances and scored against UJ in a 52–13 win[6] as UFS Shimlas finished the competition in fifth spot. He started nine matches for Free State U21 in the 2014 Under-21 Provincial Championship and scored tries against Western Province U21[7] and in both of their matches against the Leopards.[8][9] His side finished fourth to qualify for the semi-final, where they were beaten by Western Province.[10]
Kruger started seven of the UFS Shimlas' matches during the 2015 Varsity Cup competition, helping Shimlas finish top of the log and qualify for a home semi-final. He featured in their semi-final match against two-time champions UCT Ikey Tigers where Shimlas secured a 21–10 victory[11] to help them qualify for their first ever final. He also started the final against the NWU Pukke as Shimlas ran out comfortable 63–33 winners[12] to win their first ever Varsity Cup title.
Free State Cheetahs
[edit]Kruger was included in the Free State Cheetahs senior squad for the first time for the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division[13] and was initially named on the bench for their Round Two match against Western Province,[14] but subsequently replaced by loose-forward Tienie Burger.[15] He was again named on the bench for their Round Four match against the same opposition, but failed to make an appearance.[16] He eventually made his first class debut on 19 September 2015 as he played off the bench in the Free State Cheetahs' 44–24 victory over Griquas.[17] He made his first start a week later in their 31–73 defeat to the Golden Lions.[18]
Southern Kings
[edit]Kruger moved to Port Elizabeth to join the Southern Kings after the 2018 Currie Cup Premier Division.[19]
Personal life
[edit]Kruger is the younger brother of number eight De Wet Kruger. They both played for the Free State Cheetahs in the 2015 Currie Cup; Tertius made his first class debut one week before De Wet and the two brothers featured in a match together when De Wet made his debut in their defeat to the Golden Lions.[18]
References
[edit]- ^ "SA Rugby Player Profile – Tertius Kruger". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State Cheetahs 31–32 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 14 July 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – MTN Golden Lions 25–21 Toyota Free State Cheetahs". South African Rugby Union. 11 August 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State 18–16 DHL Western Province". South African Rugby Union. 13 July 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – The Sharks U21 36–25 Toyota Free State". South African Rugby Union. 3 August 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB UFS SHIMLAS 52–13 FNB UJ". South African Rugby Union. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U21 20–17 Free State U21". South African Rugby Union. 12 July 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards U21 29–37 Free State U21". South African Rugby Union. 9 August 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Free State U21 39–38 Leopards U21". South African Rugby Union. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U21 41–17 Free State U21". South African Rugby Union. 18 October 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB UFS SHIMLAS 21–10 FNB UCT". South African Rugby Union. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB UFS SHIMLAS 63–33 FNB NWU-PUKKE". South African Rugby Union. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Squad – Toyota Free State : 2015 Absa Currie Cup Premier Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
- ^ "Toyota Free State Cheetahs takes on Western Province". Free State Cheetahs. 12 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – DHL Western Province 9–3 Toyota Free State". South African Rugby Union. 15 August 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State 28–21 DHL Western Province". South African Rugby Union. 28 August 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State 44–24 ORC Griquas". South African Rugby Union. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ a b "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State 31–73 Xerox Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. 26 September 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "Cheetahs se Kruger Kings toe ná CB-reeks". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). 2 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.