Duncan Matthews (rugby union)

Duncan Matthews

Personal information
Full name	Duncan Victor Matthews
Born	24 February 1994 Atlantis, South Africa
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	88 kg (13 st 12 lb)
School(s) attended	Hoërskool Swartland, Malmesbury
Club information
Playing position	Fullback / Winger / Centre
Current club	Bulls / Blue Bulls
Youth career
2010	Boland Cavaliers
2013–2015	Blue Bulls
Amateur team(s)
Years	Team
2014–present	UP Tuks	12	(25)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Pts)^†
2016–present	Blue Bulls	7	(5)
* Senior club appearances and points correct as of 25 October 2016. † Appearances (Points).

Duncan Victor Matthews (born 24 February 1994) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with the Blue Bulls.^[1] He can play as a fullback, winger or centre.^[2]

Rugby career

Youth rugby

Matthews was born in Atlantis and attended high school in nearby Malmesbury. From there, he was selected to represent the Boland Cavaliers at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week in 2010, kicking 12 points with the boot in his two appearances.

Blue Bulls

After school, he moved to Pretoria to join the Blue Bulls academy.^[3] He made ten appearances for their Under-19 side during the 2013 Under-19 Provincial Championship, scoring tries in matches against Leopards U19,^[4] Golden Lions U19^[5] and Sharks U19^[6] during the regular season, and another one in the final to help his side win the title with a 35–23 victory over the Golden Lions.^[7]

He then played for UP Tuks – the university team affiliated to the Blue Bulls academy – in the 2014 Varsity Cup, scoring tries against UCT Ikey Tigers^[8] and Maties^[9] in his four appearances. He played in eight matches for the Blue Bulls U21s in the 2014 Under-21 Provincial Championship, with tries in matches against Leopards U21^[10] and Sharks U21^[11] during the regular season. For the second season in a row, Matthews was the member of a title-winning team, starting the final of the competition where the Blue Bulls beat Western Province U21 20–10 in Cape Town.^[12] He was rewarded with a contract extension by the Blue Bulls, ensuring he woiuld remain in Pretoria until October 2016.^[13]

He scored a try in a 29–all draw between UP Tuks and UFS Shimlas in the 2015 Varsity Cup^[14] in one of three starts in the competition, but suffered a knee injury that kept him out of action for the majority of the season.^[15] Despite his injury, Matthews signed a further contract extension until October 2018.^[16] He returned to make a single appearance for the Blue Bulls U21s attempting to retain their Under-21 Provincial Championship title, starting a match against Eastern Province U21.^[17]

His third Varsity Cup campaign saw him score two tries – against UJ^[18] and CUT Ixias^[19] – in five starts before making his first class debut, starting in the Blue Bulls' 14–19 defeat to the Eastern Province Kings in Port Elizabeth^[20] in the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series. After a second start against the Pumas,^[21] Matthews scored his first senior try in a 38–39 defeat to Griquas in Kimberley.^[22]

References

1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Duncan Matthews". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
2. "Union Sports Group Profile : Duncan Matthews". Union Sports Group. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
3. "Future rugby stars let down". Times Live. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
4. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Blue Bulls 48-12 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
5. "SA Rugby Match Centre – MTN Golden Lions 8-24 Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 27 September 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Blue Bulls 23-13 The Sharks U19". South African Rugby Union. 4 October 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – MTN Golden Lions 23-35 Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
8. "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB UCT 1ST XV 16-26 FNB UP - TUKS". South African Rugby Union. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB MATIES 41-24 FNB UP - TUKS". South African Rugby Union. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
10. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Blue Bulls U21 38-20 Leopards U21". South African Rugby Union. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
11. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Sharks U21 10-31 Blue Bulls U21". South African Rugby Union. 3 October 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
12. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U21 10-20 Blue Bulls U21". South African Rugby Union. 25 October 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
13. "Three extend contracts as Vodacom Bulls get ready for 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby season.". Bulls. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
14. "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB UFS SHIMLAS 29-29 FNB UP - TUKS". South African Rugby Union. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
15. "Vodacom Bulls fitness report - presented by Medihelp". Bulls. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
16. "Contract extension for Bulls". SANZAR. 13 August 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
17. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Blue Bulls U21 43-10 EP Kings U21". South African Rugby Union. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
18. "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB UP-TUKS 43-8 FNB UJ". South African Rugby Union. 14 March 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
19. "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB CUT 25-68 FNB UP-TUKS". South African Rugby Union. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
20. "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings 19-14 Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
21. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Blue Bulls 13-25 Steval Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
22. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Griquas 39-38 Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 21 May 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.