Duncan Matthews (rugby union)

Duncan Matthews
Personal information
Full name Duncan Victor Matthews
Born (1994-02-24) 24 February 1994
Atlantis, South Africa
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 88 kg (13 st 12 lb)
School(s) attended Hoërskool Swartland, Malmesbury
Club information
Playing position Fullback / Winger / Centre
Current club Bulls / Blue Bulls
Youth career
2010 Boland Cavaliers
2013–2015 Blue Bulls
Amateur team(s)
Years Team
2014–present UP Tuks 12 (25)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Pts)†
2016–present Blue Bulls 7 (5)

* Senior club appearances and points correct as of 25 October 2016.

† Appearances (Points).

Duncan Victor Matthews (born 24 February 1994) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with the Blue Bulls.[1] He can play as a fullback, winger or centre.[2]

Rugby career

Youth rugby

Matthews was born in Atlantis and attended high school in nearby Malmesbury. From there, he was selected to represent the Boland Cavaliers at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week in 2010, kicking 12 points with the boot in his two appearances.

Blue Bulls

After school, he moved to Pretoria to join the Blue Bulls academy.[3] He made ten appearances for their Under-19 side during the 2013 Under-19 Provincial Championship, scoring tries in matches against Leopards U19,[4] Golden Lions U19[5] and Sharks U19[6] during the regular season, and another one in the final to help his side win the title with a 35–23 victory over the Golden Lions.[7]

He then played for UP Tuks – the university team affiliated to the Blue Bulls academy – in the 2014 Varsity Cup, scoring tries against UCT Ikey Tigers[8] and Maties[9] in his four appearances. He played in eight matches for the Blue Bulls U21s in the 2014 Under-21 Provincial Championship, with tries in matches against Leopards U21[10] and Sharks U21[11] during the regular season. For the second season in a row, Matthews was the member of a title-winning team, starting the final of the competition where the Blue Bulls beat Western Province U21 20–10 in Cape Town.[12] He was rewarded with a contract extension by the Blue Bulls, ensuring he woiuld remain in Pretoria until October 2016.[13]

He scored a try in a 29–all draw between UP Tuks and UFS Shimlas in the 2015 Varsity Cup[14] in one of three starts in the competition, but suffered a knee injury that kept him out of action for the majority of the season.[15] Despite his injury, Matthews signed a further contract extension until October 2018.[16] He returned to make a single appearance for the Blue Bulls U21s attempting to retain their Under-21 Provincial Championship title, starting a match against Eastern Province U21.[17]

His third Varsity Cup campaign saw him score two tries – against UJ[18] and CUT Ixias[19] – in five starts before making his first class debut, starting in the Blue Bulls' 14–19 defeat to the Eastern Province Kings in Port Elizabeth[20] in the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series. After a second start against the Pumas,[21] Matthews scored his first senior try in a 38–39 defeat to Griquas in Kimberley.[22]

References

  1. ↑ "SA Rugby Player Profile – Duncan Matthews". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  2. ↑ "Union Sports Group Profile : Duncan Matthews". Union Sports Group. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  3. ↑ "Future rugby stars let down". Times Live. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  4. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Blue Bulls 48-12 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  5. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – MTN Golden Lions 8-24 Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 27 September 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  6. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Blue Bulls 23-13 The Sharks U19". South African Rugby Union. 4 October 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  7. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – MTN Golden Lions 23-35 Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  8. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB UCT 1ST XV 16-26 FNB UP - TUKS". South African Rugby Union. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  9. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB MATIES 41-24 FNB UP - TUKS". South African Rugby Union. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  10. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Blue Bulls U21 38-20 Leopards U21". South African Rugby Union. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  11. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Sharks U21 10-31 Blue Bulls U21". South African Rugby Union. 3 October 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  12. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U21 10-20 Blue Bulls U21". South African Rugby Union. 25 October 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  13. ↑ "Three extend contracts as Vodacom Bulls get ready for 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby season.". Bulls. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  14. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB UFS SHIMLAS 29-29 FNB UP - TUKS". South African Rugby Union. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  15. ↑ "Vodacom Bulls fitness report - presented by Medihelp". Bulls. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  16. ↑ "Contract extension for Bulls". SANZAR. 13 August 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  17. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Blue Bulls U21 43-10 EP Kings U21". South African Rugby Union. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  18. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB UP-TUKS 43-8 FNB UJ". South African Rugby Union. 14 March 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  19. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB CUT 25-68 FNB UP-TUKS". South African Rugby Union. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  20. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings 19-14 Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  21. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Blue Bulls 13-25 Steval Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  22. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Griquas 39-38 Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 21 May 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
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