Malherbe Swart

Malherbe Swart (born 27 March 1991) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with the Leopards.[1] His regular position is scrum-half.

Malherbe Swart
Date of birth (1991-03-27) 27 March 1991
Place of birthKlerksdorp, South Africa
Height1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Weight87 kg (13 st 10 lb; 192 lb)
SchoolHoër Volkskool, Potchefstroom
UniversityNorth-West University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum-half
Current team Leopards
Youth career
2008–2012 Leopards
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015–2016 NWU Pukke 12 (17)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013–2015 Leopards XV 12 (5)
2015–present Leopards 29 (18)
Correct as of 1 December 2016

Rugby career

2008–2012 : Youth rugby

Swart was born in Klerksdorp and attended and played first team rugby for Hoër Volkskool in Potchefstroom, from where he was selected to represent the Leopards at the Under-18 Academy Week tournament in 2008.[2]

After high school, he continued to represent the Leopards at various youth levels. He played for the Leopards U19 team in the 2010 Under-19 Provincial Championship, making ten appearances as the team finished in fourth spot to qualify for a semi-final,[3] which they lost to Western Province U19.[4]

He started ten of the Leopards U21s' twelve matches in the 2012 Under-21 Provincial Championship, playing off the bench in the other two. He scored three tries in the competition – he scored home and away against Golden Lions U21s,[5][6] and also scored a try against Blue Bulls U21[7] as the team finished in sixth place.[8]

2013–present: Leopards and NWU Pukke

In 2013, Swart was included in the Leopards XV squad that competed in the 2013 Vodacom Cup competition. He made his first class debut on 9 March 2013, coming on as a replacement in their 15–45 defeat to the Golden Lions XV.[9] Six days later, he made another appearance from the bench against the Limpopo Blue Bulls. He scored his first senior try in that match, getting the last of his side's 17 tries in a 113–3 victory.[10] A third appearance against the Falcons followed[11] for his team that eventually missed out on a play-off spot on points difference.[12]

Swart made his first senior start in the 2014 Vodacom Cup competition, in a 16–18 defeat to the Golden Lions XV on the opening day of the season.[13] He made four more starts in the season as the team again fell short, finishing in fifth place to miss out on the quarter finals.[14] He was included in the Leopards squad for the 2014 Currie Cup First Division, but failed to make any appearances.[15]

Swart's 2015 season started by him playing for Potchefstroom-based university side NWU Pukke in the 2015 Varsity Cup. He made just two substitute appearances during the regular season that saw the team finish in fourth spot to claim a semi-final spot,[16] but started their 29–28 semi-final victory over UP Tuks[17] as well as the final against UFS Shimlas. He scored his side's first try, but could not prevent the team from Bloemfontein winning 63–33 to condemn NWU Pukke to their second consecutive runners-up spot.[18]

After the Varsity Cup, he rejoined the Leopards XV for his third successive Vodacom Cup campaign. He made three starts as the team finished in fourth spot on the log,[19] and came on as a replacement in their 22–47 defeat to Western Province in the Quarter Final.[20]

He made his first appearance in the Currie Cup competition, coming on as a replacement in their 45–17 victory over SWD Eagles in their first match in the 2015 Currie Cup qualification series,[21] and also played off the bench in a victory over the Border Bulldogs in their final match.[22] The Leopards missed out on a spot in the Currie Cup Premier Division by a single point,[23] instead dropping into the First Division. Swart was the Leopards' first-choice scrum-half throughout that competition, starting all seven of their matches. He scored a try in their final round victory over the Falcons,[24] to end the regular season having won all ten of their matches.[25] He helped the Leopards beat the same opposition in the semi-finals a week later,[26] and also started the final, where a 44–20 victory over the SWD Eagles secure the Leopards' first ever First Division title.[27]

Swart started eight of the NWU Pukke's nine matches in the 2016 Varsity Cup, scoring tries against Maties[28] and CUT Ixias[29] en route to a third consecutive final. After losing three previous finals, the team finally won their first Varsity Cup trophy, beating Maties 7–6 in the final.[30]

Thirteen appearances for the Leopards in the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series followed, which included a try in their match against the Golden Lions XV.[31] The team failed to qualify for the Currie Cup Premier Division after finishing in eighth place,[32] which meant they could defend their First Division title. Swart played in all seven of their matches as the team once again made it all the way to the final with an unbeaten record, but this time fell short, with the Griffons winning 44–25.[33]

References
  1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Malherbe Swart". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  2. "SA Rugby Squad – Leopards : 2008 U18 Academy Week". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  3. "SA Rugby Log – 2010 ABSA Under 19 Competition". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  4. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province 49-13 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 16 October 2010. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  5. "SA Rugby Match Centre – MTN Golden Lions 28-36 Platinum Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 28 July 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Platinum Leopards 37-36 MTN Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Platinum Leopards 27-33 Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  8. "SA Rugby Log – 2012 ABSA Under 21 Competition". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – MTN Golden Lions 45-15 Leopards XV". South African Rugby Union. 9 March 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  10. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards XV 113-3 Assupol Limpopo Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 15 March 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  11. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards XV 47-16 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 22 March 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  12. "SA Rugby Log – 2013 Vodacom Cup". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  13. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards XV 16-18 Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  14. "SA Rugby Log – 2014 Vodacom Cup". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  15. "SA Rugby Squad – Leopards : 2014 Absa Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  16. "SA Rugby Log – 2015 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  17. "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB UP - TUKS 28-29 FNB NWU-PUKKE". South African Rugby Union. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  18. "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB UFS SHIMLAS 63-33 FNB NWU-PUKKE". South African Rugby Union. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  19. "SA Rugby Log – 2015 Vodacom Cup". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  20. "SA Rugby Match Centre – DHL Western Province 47-22 Leopards XV". South African Rugby Union. 16 May 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  21. "SA Rugby Match Centre – SWD Eagles 17-45 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 12 June 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  22. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border 8-33 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 25 July 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  23. "SA Rugby Log – 2015 Absa Currie Cup Qualifying". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  24. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Hino Valke 29-36 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 25 September 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  25. "SA Rugby Log – 2015 Absa Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  26. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 29-17 Hino Valke". South African Rugby Union. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  27. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 44-20 SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 8 October 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  28. "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB NWU-PUKKE 12-56 FNB MATIES". South African Rugby Union. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  29. "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB NWU-PUKKE 44-14 FNB CUT". South African Rugby Union. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  30. "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB MATIES 6-7 FNB NWU-PUKKE". South African Rugby Union. 11 April 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  31. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 28-64 Xerox Golden Lions XV". South African Rugby Union. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  32. "SA Rugby Log – 2016 Currie Cup Qualifying". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  33. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 25-44 Down Touch Griffons". South African Rugby Union. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
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