Pedrie Wannenburg


Pedrie Wannenburg is a South African rugby union player who coaches for Austin Elite Rugby in North American Major League Rugby. He played for Austin in 2018, Denver Stampede in the now defunct PRO Rugby League of North America and Castres Olympique for two seasons, after two years with Irish club Ulster.
He previously represented the South African Bulls in the southern hemisphere Super 14 competition, in a team record consecutive run of 99 matches, spanning seasons 2002 to 2010 with a total of 106 matches for them.
Wannenburg signed to the Denver Stampede in early 2016, and currently captains the team.

Rugby union career

Club

Wannenburg made his provincial debut in 2001 against the Golden Lions. In 2002 Wannenburg made his Super Rugby debut against the ACT Brumbies. Wannenburg was the first player to play 100 games for the Blue Bulls and also 99 consecutive games for the Bulls. He won three Super Rugby titles with the Bulls in 2007, 2009 and 2010, as well as five Currie Cups, and became their most capped player with 114 Super Rugby appearances.
In June 2010 he decided to take on a new challenge with Ulster in Ireland competing in the Heineken Cup and Pro12. He played in Ulster's 2012 Heineken Cup Final defeat to Leinster. He left Ulster at the end of the 2011–2012 season and signed a two-year contract with French side Castres.

International

In November 2002, Wannenburg made his first test appearance for the Springboks against France. He narrowly missed selection to the victorious South Africa squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
He has 20 caps for the Springboks.

Personal life

Following problems with drugs and alcohol in South Africa, Wannenburg became a Christian. During his time with Ulster, he attended church in Belfast with his fellow South Africans and Ulster team-mates Johann Muller and Ruan Pienaar. Also while at Ulster he got married with Evette and became a father for the first time of one girl Isabelle, and in 2013 became for the second time father of one boy Pedrie.