Ruben de Haas
Ruben Pieter de Haas is a rugby union player who plays scrum-half for the United States men's national team. He previously played for in the English Premiership and the Cheetahs in the SA Currie Cup and the 2024-25 EPCR Challenge Cup in Europe.
Early life
Ruben de Haas was born on October 9, 1998, in George, South Africa as the son of Pieter de Haas and grandson of Gerard de Haas, both well known rugby players that played for the Lions and Bulls respectively in South Africa. De Haas immigrated with his family to the USA at the age of 10 and attended Jessieville High School in Arkansas where he played gridiron football and basketball. At age 15 he started traveling to Little Rock to play rugby for the Little Rock Junior Stormers, the only high school rugby team at the time in the state of Arkansas.Professional career
Cheetahs
After having represented the United States at age-grade level, De Haas signed an academy contract with South African provincial union the in July 2017 after graduating from High School. He played for the side in the 2017 Under-19 Provincial Championship, and also played for university side the in the 2018 Varsity Cup, before making his first class debut in South African domestic competition, for the in their 2018 Rugby Challenge match against the.In May 2018, the Free State Cheetahs announced that he signed a contract with the – the union's professional team – until the end of October 2020. In 2021 English Premiership giants Saracens signed De Haas on a 2 year deal where-after he returned for a second stint with the Cheetahs.
Saracens
It was announced in February 2021 that De Haas would join Saracens ahead of the 2021–22 Premiership season and he made 23 appearances for the club.International career
Youth teams
De Haas first represented the United States as a member of the United States men's national under-17 team in their 2015 tour of France and Belgium. In 2016 De Haas captained the US National All Americans on a 2 match tour to Canada.De Haas debuted with the United States men's national under-20 team in the 2016 World Rugby Under 20 Trophy. De Haas made his first appearance for the Junior All-Americans as a 65th minute substitute in a 46–44 loss to Namibia on April 19. De Haas made his first start at scrum-half for the Junior All-Americans in their 32–12 victory over Hong Kong on April 23.
De Haas also made two appearances for the Junior All-Americans in 2017 World Rugby Under 20 Trophy qualification matches. He scored one conversion in the Junior All-Americans' 46–12 defeat to Canada on June 13, 2017. He also scored one conversion and one penalty goal in the Junior All-American's 27–25 victory over Canada on June 17, 2017. De Haas served as the vice captain of the Junior All-Americans.