Coenie Oosthuizen
Coenraad Victor Oosthuizen, nicknamed 'Coenie' or 'Shrek', is a professional rugby union player for in the English Premiership. He previously represented the and in the Currie Cup, the and in Super Rugby and also was chosen for the Springboks squad in 2010, 2011 and 2012, making his test debut in the first test against England in Durban in 2012.
Rugby career
Oosthuizen went to Laerskool Gustav Preller in Roodepoort for his primary education and attended Grey College in Bloemfontein.Oosthuizen plays in the loose-head prop position, although he can play both sides of the scrum. He boasts surprising pace for a man of his colossal weight. He ended the 2010 Currie Cup season as the Cheetahs top try scorer. Oosthuizen is known for his strong runs and work rate around the pitch but has often struggled in the scrum against the more technical scrummagers.
In 2010 Coenie scored a hat trick of tries for the Free State Cheetahs in a Currie Cup game against the neighbouring Griquas team. It is after a stand-out season for the Cheetahs during the 2010 Currie Cup domestic rugby season that Coenie was selected as part of the Springbok squad for the November 2010 tour of Europe.
Oosthuizen made his first test appearance on 9 June 2012 against England in Durban.
He signed for the on a four-year deal prior to the 2016 Super Rugby season.
On 13 May 2019, it was announced that he had signed a 3-year deal with Sale Sharks, and would join them after the conclusion of the 2019 Super Rugby season.
In 2016, Oosthuizen was included in a South Africa 'A' squad that played a two-match series against a touring England Saxons team. He came on as a replacement in their first match in Bloemfontein, but ended on the losing side as the visitors ran out 32–24 winners. He also played off the bench in the second match of the series, a 26–29 defeat to the Saxons in George.
International tries
| Try | Opposing team | Location | Venue | Competition | Date | Result | Score |
| 1 | Brisbane, Australia | Suncorp Stadium | 2013 Rugby Championship | 7 September 2013 | Win | 12 – 38 | |
| 2 | Edinburgh, Scotland | Murrayfield Stadium | 2013 end-of-year rugby union internationals | 17 November 2013 | Win | 0 – 28 | |
| 3 | Padua, Italy | Stadio Euganeo | 2014 end-of-year rugby union internationals | 22 November 2014 | Win | 6 – 22 | |
| 4 | Durban, South Africa | Kings Park Stadium | 2017 France rugby union tour of South Africa | 17 June 2017 | Win | 37 – 15 |
Squads
Coenie Oosthuizen is/was involved in the following squads:- 2014
- *Toyota Free State Cheetahs
- *Cheetahs
- *Springboks
- 2013
- *Springboks
- *Cheetahs
- *Springboks
- 2012
- *Toyota Free State Cheetahs
- *Cheetahs
- *Springboks
- 2011
- *Toyota Free State Cheetahs
- *Cheetahs
- *Springboks
- 2010
- *Springboks
- *Vodacom Free State Cheetahs
- *Cheetahs
- 2009
- *Vodacom Free State Cheetahs
- *South Africa National Under-20
- *Cheetahs
- 2008
- *Free State U21
- *Vodacom Free State Cheetahs
- *Vodacom Free State Cheetahs
- *Shimlas
- 2007
- *Free State U/19
- *SA Schools
- *Free State
- 2006
- *Free State
- 2005
- *Free State
- 2002
- *Golden Lions