Niel Hugo

Daniël Pieter Hugo (born 31 March 1964) is a South African former rugby union player that played two tests for the Springboks.[1]

Niel Hugo

Birth name	Daniël Pieter Hugo
Date of birth	(1958-11-11) 11 November 1958
Place of birth	Victoria West, Northern Cape
Height	2.04 m (6 ft 8 in)
Weight	115 kg (254 lb)
School	Hoërskool Victoria-Wes, Victoria West, Northern Cape
University	Stellenbosch University
Notable relative(s)	Reniel Hugo (son)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) Maties Gardens–Tech RFC Bellville RFC () Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1984, 1986–1993 1985 Western Province Boland 146 13 () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1989 South Africa 2

Playing career

Hugo grew up in Victoria West in the Northern Cape and studied at Stellenbosch University. He made his senior provincial debut for Western Province in 1984 against Northern Transvaal at Loftus Versfeld and also scored a try in the match. Hugo played 146 matches for Western Province, 120 of which were consecutive and was he part of the Western Province team that won the Currie Cup in 1986 and shared it with Northern Transvaal in 1989.[2]

Hugo made his test debut for the Springboks against the World XV on 26 August 1989 at his home ground, Newlands in Cape Town. He also played in the second test against the World XV.[3]

Test history

No.	Opponents	Results(RSA 1st)	Position	Tries	Dates	Venue
1.	World XV	20–19	Lock		26 Aug 1989	Newlands, Cape Town
2.	World XV	22–16	Lock		2 Sep 1989	Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Trivia

Hugo and his lock partner against the World XV, Adolf Malan had the honour of being the tallest Springbok players at 2.04m.[4] In 2008 Andries Bekker became the tallest Springbok with a length of 2.08m.[5]

He is the father of well-traveled professional rugby player Reniel Hugo, now playing for Toyota Verblitz in Japan after representing three South African provinces.

See also

• List of South Africa national rugby union players – Springbok no. 555

References

1. "Niel Hugo". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 2019-10-29.
2. Van der Merwe, F. J. G. (Floris J. G.) (2007). Matieland is rugbyland, 1980-2006. Stellenbosch: SUN Press. pp. 139–140. ISBN 978-1-920109-79-0. OCLC 190836768.
3. Jooste, Graham K. (1995). South African rugby test players 1949-1995. Johannesburg: Penguin. pp. 123–124. ISBN 0140250174. OCLC 36916860.
4. Colquhoun, Andy (2005). South African Rugby Annual 2005. SA Rugby & MWP Media (Pty)Ltd.
5. SA Rugby Annual 2010. Heath, Duane. Gardners Books. 2010. p. 436. ISBN 9780620449779. OCLC 651921327.CS1 maint: others (link)