Irné Herbst

Irné Philip Herbst (born 4 May 1993) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with English team Harlequins in the Premiership Rugby.^[1] His regular position is lock.^[2]

Irné Herbst

Full name	Irné Philip Herbst
Date of birth	(1993-05-04) 4 May 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth	Witbank, South Africa
Height	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight	117 kg (258 lb; 18 st 6 lb)
School	Hoërskool Waterkloof, Pretoria
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock Current team Harlequins Youth career 2006 Mpumalanga 2011–2014 Blue Bulls Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2014–2015 UP Tuks 11 (0) 2016 Blue Bulls XV 1 (0) 2016–2017 Blue Bulls 6 (0) 2017 Southern Kings 13 (0) 2017−2022 Benetton 78 (10) 2022− Harlequins 50 (10) Correct as of 5 October 2024 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2011 South Africa Schools 1 (0) 2013 South Africa Under-20s 5 (5) Correct as of 31 January 2024

Rugby career

Schoolboy rugby

Herbst was born in Witbank and earned a call-up to represent Mpumalanga at primary school level at the Under-13 Craven Week in 2006. At high school level, he attended Hoërskool Waterkloof in Pretoria, where he was chosen to represent the Blue Bulls at the Under-18 Craven Week in 2011. He was included in a South Africa Schools squad that beat their counterparts from France 21–14 in August 2011.^[3]

Youth and Varsity Cup rugby

After high school, he joined the Blue Bulls academy, making nine appearances for a Blue Bulls U19 side that reached the final of the 2012 Under-19 Provincial Championship, where they lost to Western Province U19.^[4]

He was selected in the South Africa Under-20 squad that played in the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship held in France.^[5] He started all five of their matches in the tournament, scoring a try in their semi-final defeat to Wales,^[6] a result which eliminated South Africa from the competition, eventually finishing third after beating New Zealand in their final match.^[7]

Herbst returned to domestic action in South Africa by making twelve appearances for the Blue Bulls U21 team in the 2013 Under-21 Provincial Championship. He scored one try in their defeat to Western Province U21^[8] as his side reached the final, where they lost to the same opposition.^[9]

He played in the 2014 Varsity Cup competition for Pretoria-based university side UP Tuks, making four appearances, and then made a further eleven starts for the Blue Bulls U21s in the 2013 edition of the Under-21 Provincial Championship. In a repeat of the 2013 final, they again faced Western Province, but turned the tables on this occasion, winning the match 20–10 to be crowned champions.^[10]

Herbst's 2015 season again started with him representing UP Tuks in the Varsity Cup, where he made seven starts. He was also named in a Varsity Cup Dream Team at the conclusion of the tournament and played in their match against the South Africa Under-20 squad as they prepared for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.^[11] However, he then suffered a knee injury that kept him out for the entire season.^[12]

He made his return in 2016, making his domestic first class debut in the Blue Bulls defeat to Western Province in the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series.^[13]

Europe

In 2017 Herbst signed for Italian team Benetton. He played in Italy until 2021−22 season.^[14][15]

On 5 May 2022, Herbst moved to England to join Harlequins in the Premiership Rugby ahead of the 2022-23 season.^[16]

References

1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Irné Herbst". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
2. "IRNE HERBST SIGNS FOR HARLEQUINS".
3. "SA Rugby Match Centre – SA Schools 21–14 France U18 A". South African Rugby Union. 20 August 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
4. "SA Rugby Match Centre – DHL Western Province 22–18 Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 27 October 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
5. "SA Rugby Squad – South Africa : 2013 IRB Junior World Championship". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 17–18 Wales". South African Rugby Union. 18 June 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 41–34 New Zealand". South African Rugby Union. 23 June 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
8. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Blue Bulls 21–32 DHL Western Province". South African Rugby Union. 14 September 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – DHL Western Province 30–23 Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
10. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U21 10–20 Blue Bulls U21". South African Rugby Union. 25 October 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
11. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Varsity Cup XV 24–31 South Africa U/20". South African Rugby Union. 21 April 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
12. "Visser, Visagie out of Japan tour" (Press release). Bulls. 20 July 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
13. "SA Rugby Match Centre – DHL Western Province 30–16 Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 8 April 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
14. "DOPO CINQUE STAGIONE IRNE' HERBST SI TRASFERISCE AGLI HARLEQUINS". Benetton Rugby (in Italian). 5 May 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
15. "IL BENETTON RUGBY SALUTA 10 LEONI". Benetton Rugby (in Italian). 20 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
16. "Premiership: Harlequins sign second row Irne Herbst from Benetton". Planet Rugby. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.