RG Snyman

Rudolph Gerhardus Snyman (born (1995-01-29)29 January 1995, in Potchefstroom, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with the Bulls.^[1] His regular position is lock.

Career

Youth

He represented the Blue Bulls since primary school level, when he played in the 2008 Under-13 Craven Week competition. He then represented them at the 2011 Under-16 Grant Khomo Week in East London, where he scored a try in their match against Boland.^[2]

He also represented them at the 2013 Under-18 Craven Week tournament in Polokwane, where he made three appearances. After the tournament, Snyman was selected in the South Africa Schools team that played three matches against European counterparts in August 2013; he started their matches against England,^[3] France^[4] and Wales,^[5] helping them to victories in all three matches.

After secondary school, he joined the Blue Bulls Academy and represented the Blue Bulls U19 side during the 2014 Under-19 Provincial Championship. He got of to a flying start for the U19s, scoring a try in their opening match of the season in a 29–17 victory over Eastern Province U19.^[6] He eventually played in ten matches during the regular season, contributing one more try in their match against Free State U19^[7] and helping them to finish top of the log to qualify to the semi-finals. He started both the semi-final – a 43–20 win against the Sharks U19^[8] – and the final, which they lost 26–33 against the hosts Western Province U19 in Cape Town.^[9]

2015–

In 2015, Snyman was included in the Bulls Super Rugby squad prior to the 2015 Super Rugby season^[10] despite not having featured in any first class matches up to that point. However, he didn't get any game time and reverted to the Blue Bulls squad for the 2015 Vodacom Cup. He made his senior debut in the first match of that competition, a 37–13 victory over Gauteng rivals the Falcons in Kempton Park.^[11] He also started their next three matches against the Leopards,^[12] Golden Lions^[13] and Pumas.^[14]

He was named in a 37-man training squad for the South Africa national under-20 rugby union team^[15] and featured for them in a friendly match against a Varsity Cup Dream Team in April 2015.^[16] Despite missing out on their two-match tour of Argentina,^[17]

Upon the team's return, he was named in the final squad for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.^[18] He started all three of their matches in Pool B of the competition; a 33–5 win against hosts Italy,^[19] a 40–8 win against Samoa^[20] and a 46–13 win over Australia^[21] to help South Africa finish top of Pool B to qualify for the semi-finals with the best record pool stage of all the teams in the competition. Snyman started their semi-final match against England, but could not prevent them losing 20–28 to be eliminated from the competition by England for the second year in succession^[22] and also started their third-place play-off match against France, helping South Africa to a 31–18 win to secure third place in the competition.^[23]

In June 2015, he extended his contract at the Bulls until October 2017.^[24]

South Africa 'A'

In 2016, Snyman was included in a South Africa 'A' squad that played a two-match series against a touring England Saxons team.^[25] He came on as a replacement in their first match in Bloemfontein,^[26] but ended on the losing side as the visitors ran out 32–24 winners.^[27] He then started the second match of the series, a 26–29 defeat to the Saxons in George.^[28]

References