Kurt Haupt

Kurt Stanley Haupt (born (1989-01-17)17 January 1989) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with the SWD Eagles.^[1] His regular position is hooker.

Rugby career

2007–2012: Youth and Varsity Cup rugby

Haupt was born in Johannesburg, but attended St. Alban's College in nearby Pretoria. He was selected to represent the Pretoria-based Blue Bulls on one occasions during his high school career – at the Under-18 Academy Week in 2007.

After school, Haupt enrolled and played rugby for the University of Pretoria. He was included in their Varsity Cup squads from 2009 to 2012, but only made nine appearances during that time, of which only three were starts. He was also named in the Blue Bulls U21 squad in 2010, but to make any appearances for them.^[2]

2013: Blue Bulls

Haupt was included in the Blue Bulls squad for the 2013 Vodacom Cup and made his first class debut in March 2013, starting their 40–32 victory over Griquas.^[3] He also came on as a replacement against the Golden Lions XV a fortnight later^[4] in his only other senior appearance for the Blue Bulls.

2014–present: SWD Eagles

In May 2014, the George-based SWD Eagles signed Haupt following a recommendation from national team coach Heyneke Meyer.^[5] He went straight into their first team for their 2014 Currie Cup qualification campaign, featuring in all six of their matches. He came on as a replacement in their first match of the season against the Leopards, making his debut in the Currie Cup competition and also scoring his first senior try within quarter of an hour of coming on.^[6] Haupt played off the bench to score another try in their 40–37 victory over the Griffons a week later^[7] and found himself promoted to the starting lineup against the Falcons.^[8] He scored a second try in their 33–31 victory over the Border Bulldogs^[9] as the SWD Eagles finished in fourth place^[10] to qualify for a place in the Currie Cup First Division. He started all five of their matches in the regular season to finish in third place^[11] and also started their 43–45 semi-final defeat to eventual champions the Griffons.^[12]

Haupt appeared in the Vodacom Cup for the SWD Eagles for the first time in 2015, making three starts in the competition. The first of those saw him score a try against the Sharks XV,^[13] while his final appearance was in their quarter final match against a Golden Lions XV, where a 21–29 defeat saw the Eagles eliminated from the competition.^[14] A poor showing in the 2015 Currie Cup qualification series saw the SWD Eagles finish bottom of the log,^[15] with Haupt featuring in four of their six matches, of which they managed to win just one. An improved showing in the First Division saw the Eagles win four matches in a row during the regular season to secure a semi-final spot, with Haupt featuring in all five of their matches during the regular season, scoring a brace of tries against the Griffons in the final one of those^[16] as his side leapfrogged the Falcons into third spot.^[17] A 47–40 victory over the Griffons in the semi-final^[18] was followed by a 20–44 defeat to the Leopards in the final,^[19] with Haupt appearing as a replacement in both matches.

He made six starts and three appearances as a replacement in the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series, in a prolific spell that saw him score five tries, in matches against Griquas,^[20] the Welwitschias,^[21] the Blue Bulls,^[22] Western Province^[23] and the Golden Lions XV^[24] to finish third behind Mark Pretorius and Daniel Roberts on the SWD Eagles' try scorers list.^[25] The team again qualified to the First Division, and Haupt followed up a try against the Leopards^[26] with a brace against the Border Bulldogs,^[27] but it was not enough to see the team through to the semi-finals, finishing in fifth spot.^[28]

References