Torsten van Jaarsveld

Torsten George van Jaarsveld (born 30 June 1987) is a Namibian professional rugby union footballer. He plays mostly as a hooker or flanker. He currently plays for Pro D2 side Stade Montois.[1][2]

Torsten van Jaarsveld
Full nameTorsten George van Jaarsveld
Date of birth (1987-06-30) 30 June 1987
Place of birthWindhoek, Namibia
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight106 kg (234 lb; 16 st 10 lb)
SchoolHendrik Verwoerd High School, Pretoria
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker / Flanker
Youth career
2005 Blue Bulls
2006–2008 Falcons
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008 UP Tuks 8 (5)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008–2013 Pumas 73 (40)
2013–2014 Free State XV 8 (0)
2014–2017 Free State Cheetahs 21 (5)
2014–2018 Cheetahs 69 (80)
2018–2023 Bayonne 100 (130)
2023– Stade Montois 0 (0)
Correct as of 27 September 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012 South African Barbarians (North) 1 (0)
2014– Namibia 28 (15)
Correct as of 26 August 2018

Career

Youth and Varsity Cup rugby

Van Jaarsveld was selected in the Blue Bulls' Under-18 side for the National Academy Week tournament in 2005. The following year, he made the short move across the Jukskei River to join East Rand-based side the Falcons. He was part of the Under-19 squad for the 2006 Under-19 Provincial Championship and the Under-21 squad for the Under-21 Provincial Championship in 2008.

Van Jaarsveld represented Pretoria-based university side UP Tuks in the inaugural edition of the Varsity Cup in 2008, scoring their third ever try in the competition late in their opening-day 31–31 draw against Maties.[3] He made a total of eight appearances as he helped them to third spot on the log and a semi-final appearance in the competition, where they lost 44–47 to eventual winners Maties.[4] He also made in excess of 50 appearances for UP Tuks in the Blue Bulls' amateur Carlton League.[5]

Pumas

Van Jaarsveld's first class debut came after he joined Witbank-based side the Pumas for the 2008 Currie Cup First Division. He played off the bench in their 32–24 victory over the Mighty Elephants at the Adcock Stadium in Port Elizabeth,[6] with a second appearance coming against the Leopards in Potchefstroom.[7]

Van Jaarsveld made a further three appearances off the bench during the 2009 Vodacom Cup competition before he established himself as a first-team regular during the 2009 Currie Cup First Division, playing in eleven of their matches during the competition. He made his first start for the Pumas in their 47–12 victory over the Border Bulldogs in East London[8] and scored his first points when he got two tries in their 95–14 victory over former side the Falcons in Kempton Park.[9] However, he broke his leg in their semi-final match against the Mighty Elephants[10] and missed the final and the promotion play-offs, which saw the Pumas promoted to the 2010 Currie Cup Premier Division at the expense of the Boland Cavaliers. However, Van Jaarveld did pick up a personal accolade, winning the Pumas' Most Promising Player of the Year award.[11]

This proved to only be a minor setback to Van Jaarsveld's career as he returned some five months later to play in the 2010 Vodacom Cup, making six appearances. He played in the Premier Division of the Currie Cup for the first time in 2010 and, after playing off the bench for the first four games, he started in seven consecutive matches and scoring his only try for the Pumas at this level in their match against Western Province in Cape Town[12] before an ankle injury ruled him out for the remaining matches of the season.[13] After playing a further six matches during the 2011 Vodacom Cup competition, he had another full season playing in the Currie Cup Premier Division in 2011, which saw the Pumas being relegated to the First Division after a league restructure saw the Premier Division being reduced from eight teams to six.

Van Jaarsveld played in eight matches during the 2012 Vodacom Cup as they reached the semi-finals of this competition. He also played in eleven matches of their 2012 Currie Cup First Division season, which saw the Pumas reach the final of the competition, where they lost 26–25 in the final to the Eastern Province Kings.[14]

In a five-year career at the Pumas, Van Jaarsveld appeared in 73 matches and scored eight tries.

Free State Cheetahs / Cheetahs

Van Jaarsveld joined Bloemfontein-based side the Free State Cheetahs for the 2013 season.[15] He made two appearances for the Free State XV during the 2012 Vodacom Cup competition, being lauded by coach Joe Beukes, who said after his debut against the SWD Eagles: "He was excellent against the Eagles. He has a lot of Brüssow in him. He defends well, is omnipresent at the breakdown and steal balls regularly".[16] However, in his second match against the Boland Cavaliers,[17] he tore his medial collateral ligament and was ruled out for the remainder of the season.[18]

Van Jaarsveld returned to training at the end of 2013 when he was included in the 52-man wider training group for the Super Rugby side, the Cheetahs.[19] Although he wasn't in reckoning for the Cheetahs at the start of the 2014 Super Rugby season – instead making six appearances for the Free State XV in the 2014 Vodacom Cup – he made his Super Rugby debut on 26 April 2014 when he played off the bench in their 35–22 victory over South African Conference rivals, the Stormers.[20] Two more substitute appearances followed against the Bulls[21] and the return leg against the Stormers,[22] before Van Jaarsveld made his first start in the competition against the Sharks and taking just eight minutes to score the first try of the match as the Cheetahs ran out 27–20 winners.[23]

In July 2014, Free State Cheetahs coach Rory Duncan announced that Van Jaarsveld would captain the side during the 2014 Currie Cup Premier Division season.[24]

Bayonne

Van Jaarsveld joined French Pro D2 side Bayonne prior to the 2018–19 season on a two-year contract.[25]

Representative rugby

In 2012, Van Jaarsveld was selected in a South African Barbarians (North) side that faced England during their 2012 tour of South Africa, suffering a 31–57 defeat.[26]

In October 2014, Van Jaarsveld was called up to the Namibian national team for the first time prior to their end-of-year tour to Europe.[27]

References
  1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Torsten van Jaarsveld". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  2. "It's Rugby Player Profile Torsten van Jaarsveld". It's Rugby. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  3. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Maties 31–31 TUKS". South African Rugby Union. 18 February 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  4. "SA Rugby Match Centre – TUKS 44–47 Maties". South African Rugby Union. 31 March 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  5. "Tuks-spanne jubel oor seges in Carlton-liga" (in Afrikaans). Beeld. 6 August 2008. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – BA Mighty Elephants 24–32 Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 27 September 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Profert Platinum Leopards 50–18 Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 3 October 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  8. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border 12–47 Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 15 August 2009. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 14–95 Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 5 September 2009. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  10. "Slag vir Pumas voor eindstryd" (in Afrikaans). Beeld. 13 October 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  11. "Erkenning vir Allistair" (in Afrikaans). Beeld. 17 December 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  12. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Western Province 54–13 Barloworld Toyota Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 30 July 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  13. "Nog 'n taaie wag op Pumas in Rosestad" (in Afrikaans). Beeld. 23 September 2010. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  14. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province Kings 26–25 Ford Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 13 October 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  15. "Torsten verruil Pumas vir Cheetahs" (in Afrikaans). Beeld. 30 August 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  16. "'Nuwe' Brüssow help VS tot oorwinning" (in Afrikaans). Volksblad. 11 March 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  17. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State XV 23–27 Regent Boland Cavaliers". South African Rugby Union. 16 March 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  18. "Haker moet help met GW-stutprobleme" (in Afrikaans). Volksblad. 19 March 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  19. "Vyf Griffons sweet saam" (in Afrikaans). Volksblad. 13 November 2013. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  20. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Cheetahs 35–22 DHL Stormers". South African Rugby Union. 26 April 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  21. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Bulls 26–21 Toyota Cheetahs". South African Rugby Union. 3 May 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  22. "SA Rugby Match Centre – DHL Stormers 33–0 Toyota Cheetahs". South African Rugby Union. 24 May 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  23. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Cheetahs 27–20 Cell C Sharks". South African Rugby Union. 5 July 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  24. "Torsten nuwe leier van die Toyota Vrystaat Cheetahs-trop" (in Afrikaans). Free State Cheetahs. 22 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  25. "Saison 2018-2019 : ils s'engagent à l'Aviron Bayonnais !" (Press release) (in French). Aviron Bayonnais. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  26. "SA Rugby Match Centre – SA Barbarians North 31–57 England". South African Rugby Union. 19 June 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  27. "Namibia call up WP, Cheetahs stars". Rugby365. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
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