Carel Greeff

Carel Frederick Kirstein Greeff (born 20 May 1990) is a retired South African rugby union player, his last team was Italian Top12 side Rugby Rovigo Delta.[1][2] His regular position was loose-forward.

Carel Greeff
Full nameCarel Frederik Kirstein Greeff
Date of birth (1990-05-20) 20 May 1990
Place of birthKlerksdorp, South Africa
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight105 kg (16 st 7 lb; 231 lb)
SchoolSchoonspruit High School
UniversityBCom Financial Management / Post Graduate Certificate in Education at Exeed College United Arab Emirates
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker / Number Eight
Current team Rugby Rovigo Delta
Youth career
2006–2008 Leopards
2009 Sharks
2011 Golden Lions
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013 Wits 7 (25)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2011 Golden Lions XV 1 (0)
2013–2015 Griquas 50 (160)
2014–2015 Cheetahs 6 (10)
2016–2017 Pumas 31 (45)
2017–2020 I Medicei 52 (75)
2020-2022 Rovigo Delta 18 (40)
Correct as of 7 September 2019
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008 S.A. Elite Squad

Career

Youth

He represented the Leopards at the 2006 Under-16 Grant Khomo Week, 2007 Under-18 Academy Week and 2008 Under-18 Craven Week competitions. His performances in the latter also resulted in his inclusion in an Under-18 South African Elite squad in 2008.

The then joined the Sharks and was included in their U19 squad for the 2009 Under-19 Provincial Championship competition.

MTN Golden Lions

In 2011, he made his first class debut for the Golden Lions in a compulsory friendly match prior to the 2011 Currie Cup Premier Division season, starting the match against the Falcons.[3] He never appeared in the competition proper, instead representing the Golden Lions U21 team in the 2011 Under-21 Provincial Championship competition, making twelve appearances.

Varsity Cup Rugby

He played in the 2013 Varsity Cup competition for Wits, scoring five tries in seven appearances,[4] making him the joint top try scorer in the competition.

GWK Griquas

He then joined Griquas before the 2013 Currie Cup Premier Division. He made his debut for them in the opening match of the season, coming on as a half-time in their match against the Sharks in Durban.[5] He scored a try in injury time to tie the score 30–30 and a Nico Scheepers conversion gave Griquas a dramatic victory.[6]

Toyota Free State Cheetahs

In 2014, Greeff was included in the Cheetahs squad for the 2014 Super Rugby season. He was named on the bench for their matches against the Force[7] and the Brumbies,[8] but didn't get playing time.

However, on 24 May 2014, he made his Super Rugby debut against the Stormers in Cape Town, coming on as a reserve flank.[9]

Steval Pumas

Greeff signed a two-year contract with Port Elizabeth-based Super Rugby side the Eastern Province Kings prior to the 2016 season.[10] However, after the side failed to pay players' salaries, allowing all players to join other teams,[11] Greeff moved to Nelspruit to join the Pumas on a two-year deal instead.

Toscana Aeroporti I Medicei

Greeff moved to Italy to join National Championship of Excellence side I Medicei in 2017.[12]

He played a total of 52 games and scored 75 points for I Medicei in 3 full seasons.[13]

Rugby Rovigo Delta

In 2020, Greeff signed a two-year contract with the Top12 side to officially join Rugby Rovigo Delta. In 2021 Carel Greeff scored the final tries in the Semi-Final and Final to secure a dramatic 13th Italian National Championship for Rugby Rovigo Delta. At the end of the 2022 rugby Season Carel retired from professional rugby[14][15]

Retirement

After his retirement in 2022, he moved to Abu Dhabi with his wife Aloise Greeff, who is a primary school teacher and his son Benjamin. After obtaining his degree in finance and management from the University of South Africa he began working as a manager of a local goods store. He changed positions in 2023 where he began to work as a manager of Abu Dhabi rugby club. As of 2023 he is also expecting his second child with wife Aloise Greeff.

References
  1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Carel Greeff". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  2. rugbyrovigodelta. "Dettaglio news". Rugby Rovigo Delta (in Italian). Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  3. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 28–25 MTN Golden Lions XV". South African Rugby Union. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  4. "SA Rugby Try Scorers – 2013 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  5. "SA Rugby Match Centre – The Sharks 30–32 GWK Griquas". South African Rugby Union. 9 August 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  6. "Late score clinches dramatic Griquas win". South African Rugby Union. 9 August 2013. Archived from the original on 7 June 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Cheetahs 16–23 Force". South African Rugby Union. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  8. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Cheetahs 27–21 Brumbies". South African Rugby Union. 17 May 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – DHL Stormers 33–0 Toyota Cheetahs". South African Rugby Union. 24 May 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  10. "Blitse kan Hawies Fourie geskenk gee". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). 6 August 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  11. "Kings facing player exodus?". Rugby365. 11 November 2015. Archived from the original on 12 November 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  12. "Il numero 8 sudafricano Carel Greeff è un giocatore della Toscana Aeroporti I Medicei" (Press release). I Medicei. 16 September 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  13. "Carel Greeff è della FemiCz Rovigo, è ufficiale". www.rovigooggi.it (in Italian). Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  14. "Carel Greeff è della FemiCz Rovigo, è ufficiale". www.rovigooggi.it (in Italian). Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  15. "IN BOCCA AL LUPO RAGAZZI!". Rugby Rovigo Delta.
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