Selvyn Davids (born 26 March 1994 in Jeffreys Bay) is a South African rugby union player for the South African Sevens team.[1] His regular position is centre or winger.

Selvyn Davids
Date of birth (1994-03-26) 26 March 1994 (age 30)
Place of birthJeffreys Bay, South Africa
Height1.69 m (5 ft 6+12 in)
Weight70 kg (150 lb; 11 st 0 lb)
SchoolNico Malan High School, Humansdorp
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre / Winger
Youth career
2007–2014 Eastern Province Kings
2015 Despatch 5 (15)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014 Eastern Province Kings 4 (10)
2015 Free State Cheetahs 0 (0)
2016–2017 Griffons 28 (140)
Correct as of 3 June 2018
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012 S.A. Schools 0 (0)
2017–present South Africa Sevens 24 (97)
Correct as of 1 June 2018
Medal record
Men's rugby sevens
Representing  South Africa
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Paris Team competition
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2022 Birmingham Team competition
Africa Men's Sevens
Silver medal – second place 2024 Mauritius Team Competition

Youth

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Davids played for the Nico Malan High School first team between 2010 and 2013. In the 2013 season, he scored 408 points during the season.[2]

He also represented Eastern Province at all possible youth levels. In 2007, he played for them at the Under-13 Craven Week competition; in 2010, he played at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week. He also played in the Under-18 Craven Week tournaments in 2011 and 2012, culminating in a call-up to the South African Schools side in 2012, although he didn't make the final squad.

At the end of 2013, he played in four matches for the Eastern Province U19 side in the 2013 Under-19 Provincial Championship season, helping his side to win the Division B title (scoring a hat-trick of tries, five conversions and two penalties in the final)[3][4] and subsequently win promotion to Division A.[5][6]

Club rugby

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Davids made his senior debut for the Eastern Province Kings in the 2014 Vodacom Cup by coming on as a substitute in their 17–10 opening day defeat to Kenyan side Simba XV.[7] He also appeared as a substitute in their next two matches – a 60–6 victory over the Border Bulldogs in Grahamstown[8] and a 56–22 loss to Western Province in Cape Town[9] – with Davids scoring a try in each of those matches. That led to his first senior start in their next match, a defeat to the Free State XV in Cradock.[10]

National sevens team

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Davids was selected to represent the South Africa national rugby sevens team for the 2018 Hong Kong Sevens tournament. A largely inexperienced lineup (including five new caps)[11] was given the opportunity as the bulk of the regular blitzbok squad was in preparation for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia's Gold Coast. Davids was the only South African player included in the Hong Kong Sevens Dream Team at the end of the tournament.

In 2022, He was part of the South African team that won their second Commonwealth Games gold medal in Birmingham.[12][13][14][15]

He captained South Africa at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.[16][17] They defeated Australia to win the bronze medal final.[18][19]

References

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  1. ^ "SA Rugby Player Profile – Selvyn Davids". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  2. ^ "JBay rugby player on the rise". High School Sports Magazine. JBay News. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  3. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 40–56 EP Kings". South African Rugby Union. 11 October 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  4. ^ "EP Kings wen o.19 titel" (in Afrikaans). South African Rugby Union. 14 October 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  5. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border 20–27 EP Kings". South African Rugby Union. 19 October 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  6. ^ "SARU Academies reap rewards in 2013". South African Rugby Union. 24 October 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  7. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Tusker Simba XV 17–10 Eastern Province Kings". South African Rugby Union. 8 March 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  8. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province Kings 60–6 Border Bulldogs". South African Rugby Union. 15 March 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  9. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – DHL Western Province 56–22 Eastern Province Kings". South African Rugby Union. 22 March 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  10. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province Kings 3–31 Toyota Free State XV". South African Rugby Union. 29 March 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  11. ^ "SA Rugby - Official Home of the Springboks". www.sarugby.co.za. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  12. ^ Mostert, Herman. "Team SA squad named for 2022 Commonwealth Games". news24.com. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  13. ^ "Soyizwapi, Plaatjies to lead SA Sevens teams at Commonwealth Games". sarugby.co.za. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  14. ^ "South Africa stun Fiji to win men's rugby sevens Commonwealth gold". the Guardian. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  15. ^ "Australia and South Africa win rugby sevens gold at Commonwealth Games". www.world.rugby. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  16. ^ "Springbok Sevens squad named for 2024 Olympic Games". SA Rugby. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  17. ^ "South Africa - Rugby Sevens Olympic Games Paris 2024". www.world.rugby. 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  18. ^ Glover, Ben; Bone, Alyssa (27 July 2024). "Aussie devastation as captain's send-off turns clash for bronze". Nine. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  19. ^ Baloyi, Charles (28 July 2024). "Men's rugby sevens clinch Team South Africa's first medal in Paris". SABC. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
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