NJ Oosthuizen

Nicolaas Jacobus Oosthuizen (born 19 November 1996 in George, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player for the Enisei-STM in the Rugby Premier League.[1] He can play as a loosehead or a tighthead prop.

NJ Oosthuizen

Full name	Nicolaas Jacobus Oosthuizen
Date of birth	19 November 1996
Place of birth	George, South Africa
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	119 kg (262 lb; 18 st 10 lb)
School	Hoër Landbouskool Marlow, Cradock
University	Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop Current team Enisei-STM Youth career 2012 Eastern Province 2013–2014 Eastern Province Country Districts 2015 Eastern Province U19 Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2016 NMMU Madibaz 7 (5) Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2016 Eastern Province Kings 3 (0) 2017–present Griquas 41 (10) 2018–2019 → Southern Kings 5 (0) 2020–present Enisei-STM 2 (0) Correct as of 18 October 2020 National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2016 South Africa Under-20 3 (0) Correct as of 29 June 2016

Rugby career

2012–14: Schoolboy rugby

Oosthuizen attended Hoër Landbouskool Marlow in Cradock, from where he got selected to represent the Eastern Province Rugby Union at various youth tournaments. In 2012, he played for Eastern Province at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week tournament held in Johannesburg. He then represented the Eastern Province Country Districts on two occasions in South Africa's premier high school rugby union tournament, the Under-18 Craven Week. He represented them at the 2013 tournament held in Polokwane, as well as the 2014 tournament in Middelburg, where Oosthuizen also scored a try in his side's 54–43 victory over Zimbabwe.[2]

2015–: Eastern Province, Varsity Cup and South Africa Under-20

After school, Oosthuizen joined the Eastern Province Kings academy and he was included in their Under-19 squad for their 2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A season.[3] He started the season at loosehead prop, playing there in their first four matches and scoring one try in their 41–24 win over the Leopards U19s.[4] He then shifted to tighthead prop for the remainder of the competition, making a further eight starts and playing off the bench in one match. His side had a great start to the season, winning their first ten matches in a row, eventually topping the log with eleven wins in their twelve matches, to qualify for the semi-finals.[5] Oosthuizen started their semi-final match against the Free State U19s and scored his second try of the season in a 31–15 victory over the team from Bloemfontein.[6] He also started the final and helped his team beat the Blue Bulls U19s 25–23 in Johannesburg[7] to win the competition for the first time in their history.[8]

In 2016, Oosthuizen was included in the Varsity Cup squad of NMMU Madibaz, the university side affiliated with the Eastern Province rugby academy.[9][10] He played in all seven of their matches during the season – starting six of those – and scored one try in their 26–35 defeat to CUT Ixias.[11] A disappointing season saw the Madibaz finish in second-last position on the log.[10]

In March 2016, Oosthuizen was included in a South Africa Under-20 training squad,[12] and made the cut to be named in a reduced provisional squad a week later.[13] He was released from the training camp to make his first class debut for the Eastern Province Kings in a 2016 Currie Cup qualification match against the Border Bulldogs,[14] but returned to be included in the final squad for the 2016 World Rugby Under 20 Championship tournament to be held in Manchester, England.[15] He missed out on selection for their opening match in Pool C of the tournament as South Africa came from behind to beat Japan 59–19,[16] but was came on as a replacement in each of their remaining pool matches, a 13–19 defeat to Argentina[17] and a 40-31 bonus-point victory over France in their final match[18] to secure a semi-final place as the best runner-up in the competition. He made his first start in the semi-final, as South Africa faced three-time champions England. However, the hosts proving too strong for South Africa, knocking them out of the competition with a 39–17 victory.[19] He was again named on the bench against Argentina in the third-place play-off final, but failed to come on as Argentina beat South Africa – as they did in the pool stages – convincingly winning 49–19[20] and in the process condemning South Africa to fourth place in the competition.

References

1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – NJ Oosthuizen". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
2. "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP CD 54-43 Zimbabwe". South African Rugby Union. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
3. "SA Rugby Squad – Eastern Province U19 : 2015 Absa Under 19 Competition". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
4. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards U19 24-41 Eastern Province U19". South African Rugby Union. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
5. "SA Rugby Log – 2015 Absa Under 19 Competition". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province U19 31-15 Free State U19". South African Rugby Union. 16 October 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province U19 25-23 Blue Bulls U19". South African Rugby Union. 24 October 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
8. "WP young guns, EP clinch junior titles". South African Rugby Union. 25 October 2015. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
9. "SA Rugby Squad – FNB NMMU MADIBAZ : 2016 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
10. "SA Rugby Log – 2016 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
11. "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB CUT 35-26 FNB NMMU MADIBAZ". South African Rugby Union. 28 March 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
12. "Large group invited to Junior Springbok trials camp". South African Rugby Union. 24 March 2016. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
13. "Theron names provisional Junior Springbok squad". South African Rugby Union. 1 April 2016. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
14. "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings 14-28 Border". South African Rugby Union. 23 April 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
15. "Ward to lead Junior Springboks in England". South African Rugby Union. 10 May 2016. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
16. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 59-19 Japan U20". South African Rugby Union. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
17. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 13-19 Argentina U20". South African Rugby Union. 11 June 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
18. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 40-31 France U20". South African Rugby Union. 15 June 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
19. "SA Rugby Match Centre – England U20 39-17 South Africa U20". South African Rugby Union. 20 June 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
20. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Argentina U20 49-19 South Africa U20". South African Rugby Union. 25 June 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2016.