Jacques Cronjé
Encyclopedia
Jacques Cronjé is a South African rugby union
footballer who plays as a loose forward for the Springboks
and for Racing Métro 92 Paris
in the French Top 14. He is the brother of Geo Cronjé, who also played for South Africa
.
Born in Klerksdorp in the North West Province, Cronjé made his provincial debut during 2001 for the Blue Bulls
in a match against the Border Bulldogs
in the Currie Cup
competition. Two years later in 2003
he made his Super 12 (now Super 15) debut for the Bulls side, against fellow South African team, the Cats.
Cronjé made his international Test match debut for the Springboks
on 12 June 2004 in a match against Ireland
at the Free State Stadium
in Bloemfontein
, which South Africa won 31–17, and he scored his first Test try in a subsequent match against the Pacific Islands
in a match at Gosford. He was not included in the 2007 Rugby World Cup
Springbok squad, despite playing in the final preparation test against Namibia
.
Cronjé was the strongest member of the Bulls team, being able to bench press 170 kg (375 lbs), and is also noted for his speed and wonderful ball-handling skills. He signed a two-year contract with French club Biarritz Olympique
in August 2007 and joined them after the 2007 Currie Cup Premier Division season.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer who plays as a loose forward for the Springboks
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
and for Racing Métro 92 Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in the French Top 14. He is the brother of Geo Cronjé, who also played for South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
.
Born in Klerksdorp in the North West Province, Cronjé made his provincial debut during 2001 for the Blue Bulls
Blue Bulls
The Blue Bulls, for sponsorship reasons known as the Vodacom Blue Bulls, or more popularly by their Afrikaans name die Blou Bulle, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament...
in a match against the Border Bulldogs
Border Bulldogs
The Border Bulldogs are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. They are governed by the Border Rugby Union and are based in East London....
in the Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
competition. Two years later in 2003
2003 Super 12 season
The 2003 Super 12 season was the eighth season of the Super 12, contested by teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from February to May 2003, with each team playing all the others once. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams entered the playoff semi...
he made his Super 12 (now Super 15) debut for the Bulls side, against fellow South African team, the Cats.
Cronjé made his international Test match debut for the Springboks
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
on 12 June 2004 in a match against Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
at the Free State Stadium
Free State Stadium
The Free State Stadium , also known as Vodacom Park, is a stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa, used mainly for rugby union and association football...
in Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
, which South Africa won 31–17, and he scored his first Test try in a subsequent match against the Pacific Islands
Pacific Islanders rugby union team
The Pacific Islanders rugby union team is an international rugby union team, started in 2004, that represents Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. While Niue and the Cook Islands are not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they did supply players to the squad for the Pacific Islanders' tour in 2004...
in a match at Gosford. He was not included in the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
Springbok squad, despite playing in the final preparation test against Namibia
Namibia national rugby union team
The Namibian rugby union team, nicknamed the Welwitschias or Biltongboere, represents Namibia at rugby union. Although they are a tier-three nation in the International Rugby Board tier system, the team have participated in all three Rugby World Cup competitions since their first appearance in 1999...
.
Cronjé was the strongest member of the Bulls team, being able to bench press 170 kg (375 lbs), and is also noted for his speed and wonderful ball-handling skills. He signed a two-year contract with French club Biarritz Olympique
Biarritz Olympique
Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque is a French professional rugby union team based in the Basque city of Biarritz, Aquitaine which competes in the Top 14 and the Heineken Cup...
in August 2007 and joined them after the 2007 Currie Cup Premier Division season.