Jaco van der Walt explained

Jaco Van Der Walt
Birth Date:1 February 1994
Birth Place:Potchefstroom, South Africa
Weight:920NaN0
School:Hoërskool Monument, Krugersdorp
Relatives:Gerdus van der Walt (brother)
Position:Fly-half, Fullback
Years1:2014–2017
Apps1:40
Points1:206
Years2:2014–2017
Apps2:5
Points2:42
Years3:2015–2017
Apps3:22
Points3:11
Years4:2017–2023
Clubs4:Edinburgh Rugby
Apps4:96
Points4:471
Years5:2023–
Apps5:1
Points5:0
Repyears1:2011–2012
Repteam1:South Africa U18
Repyears2:2020–2021
Repteam2:Scotland
Repcaps2:2
Reppoints2:11
Clubupdate:26 April 2023
Repupdate:13 April 2023

Jaco van der Walt (born 1 February 1994) is a South African-born Scottish rugby union player who currently plays for in the United Rugby Championship.

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

He first represented the as early as primary school level, when he represented them at the Under-13 Craven Week competition in 2007. In 2010, he played at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week competition and he played at both the 2011 and 2012 editions of the Under-18 Craven Week. He was also included in the South African Schools squad in both those seasons.

He then played for the side in the 2012 and the 2013 Under-19 Provincial Championships, making just one appearance in each. Despite being eligible for the Under-19s, he represented the for the majority of the 2013 season, starting in thirteen matches during the 2013 Under-21 Provincial Championship, scoring 17 points.

He also represented local university side during the 2014 Varsity Cup competition, making 7 appearances.

Professional career

His first class debut for the came as a 20-year-old in the first match of the 2014 Currie Cup Premier Division. He was named on the bench for their season-opening match in a trans-Jukskei clash with the .[1] First-choice fly-half Marnitz Boshoff left the field ten minutes into the second half with a fractured arm,[2] which led to Van der Walt's introduction. He kicked one conversion and two penalties as the Golden Lions ran out 41–13 winners.

In November 2017, Scottish Pro14 side Edinburgh announced that Van der Walt joined them on a two-and-a-half-year contract.[3]

In January 2021, Van der Walt signed an undisclosed-length contract extension with Edinburgh, saying the capital club were "building a really strong side."[4]

Van der Walt left Edinburgh in June 2023 to join the . [5]

International career

He made his international debut for Scotland against Ireland, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, on 5 December 2020. He scored 3 penalties and 1 conversion in a match Scotland lost 16-31.[6]

Personal life

He is the older brother of Gerdus van der Walt. Both brothers came through the ranks at the and they played together on occasion; on 8 May 2015, both were selected in the starting line-up for the Golden Lions' match against the in Welkom, while they also played next to each other in the final match of the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division regular season, in a match that saw Gerdus make his debut in the competition.

Jaco van der Walt’s grandfather was a detective in the Dutch police force before emigrating to South Africa.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Whiteley leads strong Lions XV . Sport24 . 7 August 2014 . 11 August 2014.
  2. Web site: Season over for Lions' Boshoff . Sport24 . 11 August 2014 . 11 August 2014.
  3. Edinburgh secure the signing of Jaco van der Walt . Edinburgh Rugby . 16 November 2017 . 17 November 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171116222048/http://www.edinburghrugby.org/news/17/11/16/news-edinburgh-secure-signing-jaco-van-der-walt-0 . 16 November 2017 . live . dmy-all.
  4. Web site: Jaco van der Walt is latest Edinburgh player to extend stay . BBC Sport . 21 January 2021 . 21 January 2021.
  5. Web site: Bulls lure former Scotland playmaker to Loftus Versfeld . Planet Rugby . 29 June 2023 . 11 November 2023.
  6. Web site: Ireland 31-16 Scotland: Autumn Nations Cup third place play-off – as it happened. Lee. Calvert. December 5, 2020. www.theguardian.com.
  7. Web site: Jaco Van Der Walt. 2020-10-11. Edinburgh Rugby. en.