Ulrich Jacques Potgieter (born 24 April 1986 in

Port Elizabeth Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Sou ...

, South Africa) is a South African

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

player who last played for

Munakata Sanix Blues , formerly ''Fukuoka Sanix Blues'' and ''Fukuoka Sanix Bombs'', was a Japanese rugby union team based in Munakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Founded in April 1994 (Heisei 6), the team rose rapidly through the Kyūshū leagues and was in the Top ...

in the Japanese

Top League Japan Rugby League One (formerly the Top League) is a rugby union competition in Japan. It is the highest level of professional rugby competition in the country. The Japan Rugby Football Union created the competition in 2003, by absorbing the ...

Career

Youth / Sharks / Eastern Province Kings

He represented at the annual

Craven Week The Craven Week is an annual rugby union tournament organised for schoolboys in the Republic of South Africa. The tournament started in July 1964, and is named after the legendary Springbok rugby union player and coach Dr Danie Craven. The tou ...

rugby tournament in 2004 and then clinched a move to the , whom he represented at various youth levels before playing in the

Vodacom Cup The Vodacom Cup was an annual rugby union competition in South Africa. Annual Vodacom Cup competitions were played between its inaugural season in 1998 and 2015 and was contested between February and May each year. The Vodacom Cup was the succes ...

for two seasons before moving back to the for the

2009 Currie Cup First Division The 2009 Absa Currie Cup First Division season was contested from 11 July through to 16 October. The Currie Cup is an annual domestic competition for provincial rugby union teams in South Africa. The Currie Cup tournament (also known as the Abs ...

season.

Blue Bulls / Bulls

In August 2011, the announced that they had signed Potgieter for the 2012 season on a two-year contract. An early release of his contract was secured and he joined the Bulls on 1 September.

Fukuoka Sanix Blues / Waratahs

In May 2013, it was revealed that he would leave the Bulls at the end of the

2013 Super Rugby season The 2013 Super Rugby season was the third season of the new 15-team format for the Super Rugby competition involving teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The tournament was won by the Chiefs, who defeated the Canberra-based Brumb ...

. He joined Japanese

side

Fukuoka Sanix Blues , formerly ''Fukuoka Sanix Blues'' and ''Fukuoka Sanix Bombs'', was a Japanese rugby union team based in Munakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Founded in April 1994 (Heisei 6), the team rose rapidly through the Kyūshū leagues and was in the Top ...

– a deal later extended until 2017 – and would also play

Super Rugby Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Building on various Southern Hem ...

for the in

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

and

2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...

Sharks

In May 2015, it was announced that Potgieter would return to South Africa to join the on a two-year deal for the start of the

2016 Super Rugby season The 2016 Super Rugby season was the 21st season of Super Rugby and the first season featuring an expanded 18-team format. It was also the first season that teams outside Australia, New Zealand and South Africa featured, with the Jaguares from Ar ...

. However, he did not make a single appearance for the side.

Return to the Bulls

An injury ruled Potgieter out for the start of the 2016 season and in May, the announced that he would return to Pretoria on a two-year deal with immediate effect.

South Africa

He became a Springbok on 23 June 2012 against during a test played at

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is a soccer and rugby union stadium in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa, It hosted 2010 FIFA World Cup matches and the third place play off. It is the home of Chippa United Football Club and formerly of r ...

References

External links

Jacques Potgieter's profile on itsrugby.co.uk
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Potgieter, Jacques 1986 births South African rugby union players South African people of Dutch descent South Africa international rugby union players Bulls (rugby union) players Blue Bulls players Rugby union flankers Eastern Province Elephants players Sharks (Currie Cup) players New South Wales Waratahs players Afrikaner people Rugby union players from Port Elizabeth Living people Expatriate rugby union players in Japan Expatriate rugby union players in Australia Munakata Sanix Blues players South African expatriate sportspeople in Japan South African expatriate sportspeople in Australia South African expatriate rugby union players RC Toulon players Free State Cheetahs players Tel Aviv Heat players South African expatriate sportspeople in Israel Expatriate rugby union players in Israel