Kyle Brown (rugby union)

Kyle Gie Brown (born 6 February 1987) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with the South African Sevens team.[1] He was the captain of the South African Sevens team that won a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Kyle Brown
Full nameKyle Gie Brown
Date of birth (1987-02-06) 6 February 1987
Place of birthCape Town, South Africa
Height1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Weight96 kg (212 lb; 15 st 2 lb)
SchoolSouth African College Schools,
Cape Town
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker
Youth career
2006–2007 Boland Cavaliers
2008 Western Province
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008 UCT Ikey Tigers 7 (0)
Correct as of 9 December 2014
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008–present South Africa Sevens 327 (420)
Correct as of 15 November 2018
Medal record
Men's rugby sevens
Representing  South Africa
Olympic Games
2016 Rio de Janeiro Team competition
Commonwealth Games
2014 Glasgow Team competition
World Games
2013 Cali Team competition
2009 Kaohsiung Team competition

Career

Youth and Varsity Cup rugby

He played some youth rugby for Wellington-based side Boland Cavaliers at Under-19 level in 2006 and at Under-21 level in 2007. In 2008, he returned to Cape Town to play in the inaugural Varsity Cup competition, making seven appearances as his side the UCT Ikey Tigers reached the final of the competition, where they were beaten 16–10 by fellow Western Cape university Maties.[2] He was also included in the Western Province U21 side that played in the 2008 Under-21 Provincial Championship.

South African Sevens

At the end of 2008, Brown was included in the South African Sevens squad for the 2008–09 IRB Sevens World Series. He made his debut at the 2008 Dubai Sevens and played every leg of the series, as South Africa won the series for the first time at their tenth attempt. He also played in the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens competition, helping South Africa to the quarter-finals, where they lost to Argentina. He also won a bronze medal with the side at the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung, Republic of China (Taiwan).

He became a key member of the sevens side over the next few years, appearing in the majority of tournaments in IRB Sevens World Series, although he did miss most of the 2012–13 IRB Sevens World Series through injury. He returned in time for the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens, but the Blitzbokke once again lost in the quarter-finals of the competition, this time to Fiji. However, they made some amends by winning gold medals at 2013 World Games in Cali, Colombia shortly afterwards.

He played in seven further legs of the 2013–14 IRB Sevens World Series and then captained the squad that played at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, helping his side all the way to the final, where they got a 17–12 victory over a New Zealand that won the previous four tournaments.[3]

2016 Summer Olympics

Brown was named captain of a 12-man squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.[4] He was named in the starting line-up for their first match in Group B of the competition against Spain, with South Africa winning the match 24–0.[5][6] He started their second match against France, scoring one of South Africa's four tries in a 26–0 victory,[7][8] and dropped to the bench for their final match against Australia. Despite a 5–12 defeat in this match,[9][10] South Africa still finished top of Pool B to set up a quarter final rematch against Australia. Brown was restored to the starting line-up for this match and scored one of South Africa's tries in a 22–5 victory.[11][12] He started South Africa's semi-final match against Great Britain and scored South Africa's only points of a 5–7 defeat, which saw his side eliminated from gold medal contention.[13][14] He also started their third-place play-off, helping his side to a 54–14 victory over Japan[15][16] to secure a bronze medal in the Olympic Games.

References
  1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Kyle Brown". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  2. "SA Rugby Match Centre – UCT 10-16 Maties". South African Rugby Union. 7 April 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  3. "Glasgow 2014 Men's Rugby Sevens Gold Medal Match". Glasgow 2014 – XX Commonwealth Games. 3 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  4. "Rugby Sevens squad for Olympics named". South African Rugby Union. 14 July 2016. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  5. "Men Schedule & Results – Olympic Rugby Sevens (RSA–ESP)". Rio 2016. 9 August 2016. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  6. "Olympic Games Men's Sevens, Match 2". World Rugby. 9 August 2016. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  7. "Men Schedule & Results – Olympic Rugby Sevens (RSA–FRA)". Rio 2016. 9 August 2016. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  8. "Olympic Games Men's Sevens, Match 8". World Rugby. 9 August 2016. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  9. "Men Schedule & Results – Olympic Rugby Sevens (RSA–AUS)". Rio 2016. 10 August 2016. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  10. "Olympic Games Men's Sevens, Match 14". World Rugby. 10 August 2016. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  11. "Men Schedule & Results – Olympic Rugby Sevens (RSA–AUS)". Rio 2016. 10 August 2016. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  12. "Olympic Games Men's Sevens, Match 24". World Rugby. 10 August 2016. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  13. "Men Schedule & Results – Olympic Rugby Sevens (GBR–RSA)". Rio 2016. 11 August 2016. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  14. "Olympic Games Men's Sevens, Match 30". World Rugby. 11 August 2016. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  15. "Men Schedule & Results – Olympic Rugby Sevens (JPN–RSA)". Rio 2016. 11 August 2016. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  16. "Olympic Games Men's Sevens, Match 33". World Rugby. 11 August 2016. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
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