Johannes Jonker
South African rugby union player
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Johannes Gideon Andries Jonker (born 22 August 1994 in East London, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player for the Lions in Super Rugby, the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup and the Golden Lions XV in the Rugby Challenge.[1] His regular position is prop.
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| Full name | Johannes Gideon Andries Jonker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 22 August 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 118 kg (18 st 8 lb; 260 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Hudson Park High School, East London | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Career
Youth
Jonker was selected to represent Border in several youth tournaments. In 2007, he played for them in the Under-13 Craven Week competition, in 2010 he played at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week and in 2012 he played at the Under-18 Craven Week competition.
He subsequently joined their academy and played for the Border U19 side in the 2012 and the 2013 Under-19 Provincial Championships. He helped them win promotion from Division B to Division A in 2012, but was also part of the side that got relegated back to Division B in 2013.
Border Bulldogs
His first class debut came during the 2014 Vodacom Cup competition. With the Border Rugby Football Union in financial strife,[2] they only had eleven contracted players on their books and gave opportunities to some of their academy players, with Jonker being one of those.[3] He made his debut in their Round One match against the Sharks XV in East London.[4] He started all seven of their matches in the competition and also scored his first try in their final match against the Boland Cavaliers in Piketberg.[5]
His performances in that competition also led to his inclusion in the Border Bulldogs squad for the 2014 Currie Cup qualification series[6] and he made his Currie Cup debut in the opening match of that competition by coming on as a second-half substitute in their match against Griquas in Kimberley.[7]
Montpellier
In November 2017, Jonker joined French Top 14 side Montpellier Hérault Rugby as a medical joker replacement for the injured Jannie du Plessis.[8]