Bobby de Wee

Bobby de Wee
Full nameArthur Bobby de Wee
Date of birth (1994-02-04) 4 February 1994 (age 30)
Place of birthKlerksdorp, South Africa
Height1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
Weight114 kg (251 lb; 17 st 13 lb)
SchoolSouthdowns College, Centurion
UniversityUniversity of Pretoria
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock / Flanker
Current team Ealing Trailfinders
Youth career
2010 Leopards
2011–2013 Blue Bulls
2014–2015 Golden Lions
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014–2017 Golden Lions XV 29 (35)
2015–2017 Golden Lions 9 (0)
2017–2021 Southern Kings 26 (5)
2021– Ealing Trailfinders 0 (0)
Correct as of 27 October 2018

Arthur Bobby de Wee (born 4 February 1994) is a South African rugby union player for the Ealing Trailfinders in the RFU Championship.

Career

Youth: Leopards and Blue Bulls

In 2010, De Wee was called up to represent the Leopards at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week held in Upington. He moved to Centurion the following year, resulting in him then representing the Blue Bulls at the Under-18 Craven Week tournaments in both 2011 and 2012.

De Wee also represented the Blue Bulls after finishing school, making seven appearances for the Blue Bulls U19 side in the 2013 Under-19 Provincial Championship, in a season that saw them win all twelve of their matches in the regular season of the competition. De Wee didn't feature in the title play-offs as the Blue Bulls won the competition, beating the Golden Lions U19s 35–23 in the final.[1]

Golden Lions

De Wee then made the short move to Johannesburg to join the Golden Lions prior to the 2014 season. He made his first class debut by playing off the bench in their 23–22 victory over the Falcons in the 2014 Vodacom Cup.[2] After another appearance as a replacement in their next match against his former side the Blue Bulls,[3] De Wee started his first match in an 18–33 defeat to Griquas in Kimberley.[4] His fourth appearance in the competition came in the Golden Lions' 110–0 victory over the Limpopo Blue Bulls[5] as the Golden Lions finished in fourth spot in the Northern Section to qualify for the quarter-finals. De Wee wasn't involved in the play-offs, as the Golden Lions went all the way to the final, which they lost 6–30 to Griquas.[6]

Despite still being at Under-20 age-level, De Wee was a key player for the Golden Lions U21s in the 2014 Under-21 Provincial Championship, starting all twelve of their matches in the regular season. He scored three tries during the season – two in their 113–3 over Border U21[7] and another in their 31–50 defeat to Western Province a week later[8] – to help the Golden Lions finish in third spot on the log. He appeared as a replacement in their semi-final match with the Blue Bulls U21, but could not prevent them losing 19–23 to be knocked out of the competition.[9]

De Wee returned to first class action in the 2015 Vodacom Cup, starting all but one of the Golden Lions' matches in the competition. He scored two of the Golden Lions' eight tries in a 53–3 victory over Namibian side Welwitschias in Windhoek on the opening day of the competition[10] and helped the Golden Lions to finish top of the Northern Section log, winning all seven of their matches. He also started their 29–21 win over the SWD Eagles in their quarter final match[11] and their 20–43 defeat to the Pumas in the semi-final of the competition.[12] He once again represented the Golden Lions U21s in the 2015 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, scoring tries in matches against the Leopards U21s[13] and Eastern Province U21s[14] as they secured a semi-final place by finishing in fourth spot.

In October, he was included in the starting line-up for the Golden Lions in their final match of the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division season, against Griquas in Johannesburg, and subsequently made his Currie Cup debut, playing the first 69 minutes of a 29–19 victory to help the Golden Lions retain their unbeaten record in the competition.[15]

Southern Kings

In 2017, he signed with Pro14 side Southern Kings.[16]

Ealing Trailfinders

On 15 January 2021, Bobby traveled to England to join RFU Championship side Ealing Trailfinders from the 2020-21 season.[17]

References

  1. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – MTN Golden Lions 23–35 Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  2. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Golden Lions 23–22 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 15 March 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  3. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Blue Bulls 22–20 Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. 22 March 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  4. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – GWK Griquas 33–18 Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. 5 April 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  5. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Assupol Limpopo Blue Bulls 0–110 Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. 12 April 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  6. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – GWK Griquas 30–6 Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. 16 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  7. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Golden Lions U21 113–3 Border U21". South African Rugby Union. 16 August 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  8. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U21 50–31 Golden Lions U21". South African Rugby Union. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  9. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Blue Bulls U21 23–19 Golden Lions U21". South African Rugby Union. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  10. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB Welwitschias 3–53 Xerox Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  11. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Xerox Golden Lions 29–21 SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 16 May 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  12. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Xerox Golden Lions 20–43 Steval Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 22 May 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  13. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards U21 17–29 Golden Lions U21". South African Rugby Union. 24 July 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  14. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings U21 14–73 Golden Lions U21". South African Rugby Union. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  15. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Xerox Golden Lions 29–19 ORC Griquas". South African Rugby Union. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  16. ^ "Arthur Bobby de Wee". Kings Rugby. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  17. ^ "Ealing Trailfinders sign Bobby de Wee". Rugby Pass. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.