Pieter Muller
Birth name | Pieter Gysbert Muller | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 5 May 1969 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 100 kg (220 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Grey College, Bloemfontein | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | Helgard Muller (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Pieter Gysbert Muller (born 5 May 1969) is a former international South Africa rugby union player.[1] A centre, he was known for his strength and direct running.
Rugby union career
[edit]As a schoolboy, Muller represented Free State at the Craven Week tournaments in 1987 and 1988 and on both occasions were selected for the SA Schools team. He made his provincial debut for Free State in 1990, after spending some time playing club rugby in Ireland for Greystones R.F.C. In 1992, Muller joined Natal and was a member of the Currie Cup winning team in 1992. He suffered a serious neck injury early in 1995 that required time away from rugby, after which he tried rugby league and spent time in France playing for Toulouse. In 1997, Muller returned to the Sharks and in 2000 he joined Cardiff Blues in Wales.[2][3]
His first test match for the Springboks was in 1992 against the All Blacks at Ellis Park in Johannesburg and he scored a try on debut.[4] Muller played 33 test matches for the Springboks and was a member of the 1999 World Cup squad. His last test match for South Africa was the third place playoff at the 1999 World Cup against New Zealand at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Muller also played in 19 tour matches for the Springboks and scored 7 tries.[5]
Test history
[edit]No. | Opposition | Result (SA 1st) | Position | Tries | Date | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | ![]() |
24–27 | Centre | 1 | 15 August 1992 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg |
2. | ![]() |
3–26 | Centre | 22 August 1992 | Newlands, Cape Town | |
3. | ![]() |
20–15 | Centre | 17 October 1992 | Stade de Gerland, Lyon | |
4. | ![]() |
16–29 | Centre | 24 October 1992 | Parc des Princes, Paris | |
5. | ![]() |
16–33 | Centre | 14 November 1992 | Twickenham, London | |
6. | ![]() |
20–20 | Centre | 26 June 1993 | Kings Park, Durban | |
7. | ![]() |
17–18 | Centre | 3 July 1993 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | |
8. | ![]() |
19–12 | Centre | 1 | 31 July 1993 | Sydney Football Stadium (SFG), Sydney |
9. | ![]() |
20–28 | Centre | 14 August 1993 | Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane | |
10. | ![]() |
12–19 | Centre | 21 August 1993 | Sydney Football Stadium (SFG), Sydney | |
11. | ![]() |
29–26 | Centre | 6 November 1993 | Ferrocarril Oeste Stadium, Buenos Aires | |
12. | ![]() |
52–23 | Centre | 13 November 1993 | Ferrocarril Oeste Stadium, Buenos Aires | |
13. | ![]() |
15–32 | Centre | 4 June 1994 | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | |
14. | ![]() |
27–9 | Centre | 11 June 1994 | Newlands, Cape Town | |
15. | ![]() |
14–22 | Centre | 9 July 1994 | Carisbrook, Dunedin | |
16. | ![]() |
34–10 | Centre | 19 November 1994 | Murrayfield, Edinburgh | |
17. | ![]() |
20–12 | Centre | 26 November 1994 | Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff | |
18. | ![]() |
37–13 | Centre | 13 June 1998 | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | |
19. | ![]() |
33–0 | Centre | 20 June 1998 | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | |
20. | ![]() |
96–13 | Centre | 27 June 1998 | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | |
21. | ![]() |
18–0 | Centre | 4 July 1998 | Newlands, Cape Town | |
22. | ![]() |
14–13 | Centre | 18 July 1998 | Subiaco Oval, Perth | |
23. | ![]() |
13–3 | Centre | 25 July 1998 | Athletic Park, Wellington | |
24. | ![]() |
24–23 | Centre | 15 August 1998 | Kings Park, Durban | |
25. | ![]() |
29–15 | Centre | 29 August 1998 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | |
26. | ![]() |
74–3 | Centre | 12 June 1999 | Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth | |
27. | ![]() |
19–29 | Centre | 26 June 1998 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff | |
28. | ![]() |
0–28 | Centre | 10 July 1999 | Carisbrook, Dunedin | |
29. | ![]() |
6–32 | Centre | 17 July 1999 | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane | |
30. | ![]() |
47–3 | Centre | 1 | 10 October 1999 | Murrayfield, Edinburgh |
31. | ![]() |
44–21 | Centre | 24 October 1999 | Stade De France, Paris | |
32. | ![]() |
21–27 | Centre | 30 October 1999 | Twickenham, London | |
33. | ![]() |
22–18 | Centre | 4 November 1999 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff |
Rugby league
[edit]In 1996, Muller also had an unsuccessful stint playing for Australian rugby league side Penrith Panthers, in the Winfield Cup, making only a handful of appearances in the two years of his contract. Muller then returned to South Africa and club rugby before once again representing the Springboks.
Accolades
[edit]Muller was voted as one of the five Young Players of the Year for 1991, along with Hennie le Roux, Pieter Hendriks, Johan Nel and Jacques Olivier.
Personal
[edit]He is the brother of Helgard Muller, also former Springboks rugby player. Muller resides in Cape Town (Hout Bay) and is closely involved with the SA Rugby Legends.
See also
[edit]- List of South Africa national rugby union players – Springbok no. 560
- List of South Africa national under-18 rugby union team players
References
[edit]- ^ "Pieter Muller". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
- ^ "**EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW - PIETER MULLER**". 1876 Cardiff Rugby. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
- ^ Schoeman, Chris (2004). Vodacom who's who of South African rugby 2004 : a comprehensive guide to the South African players, officials, media and competitions (8th ed.). Cape Town: Who's Who of SA Rugby. p. 165. ISBN 0620261889. OCLC 56517006.
- ^ Jooste, Graham K. (1995). South African rugby test players 1949-1995. Johannesburg: Penguin. p. 125. ISBN 0140250174. OCLC 36916860.
- ^ Grieb, Eddie (2016). SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY ANNUAL 2016. Cape Town: SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY. p. 179. ISBN 978-0620692908. OCLC 957740131.
External links
[edit]- "SA Rugby Player Profile – Pieter Muller". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
- 1969 births
- Living people
- South African rugby union players
- South Africa international rugby union players
- Cardiff Rugby players
- Greystones RFC players
- Sharks (Currie Cup) players
- Sharks (rugby union) players
- Alumni of Grey College, Bloemfontein
- Rugby union players from Bloemfontein
- Rugby union centres
- 1999 Rugby World Cup players
- South African rugby union biography stubs