Like the man needs an introduction?
Of course he doesn’t, but I bet you will learn at least one new thing from the text below … For instance – Did you know his middle name was Gary?
And the reason I publish this fact file? I have the pleasure of interviewing the 2007 IRB player of the year on Thursday night over a few cold one’s at the Charles Glass Society … And as is my want, I invite you to drop any questions you may have for the man as a comment below please … And I will try and weave them into my Q&A …
Named after former Manchester United footballers Bryan Robson and Gary Bailey, Habana played outside centre and scrumhalf at age group level.
Prior to his first year of Super Rugby he was selected for the Springboks, scoring a try with his first touch of the ball in Test rugby in the end-of-season match against England at Twickenham in 2004. Habana won international acclaim for his championship-winning try in the 2007 Super 14 final, as one sportswriter put it: “It was one of the most amazing finales to a major game ever seen … Habana’s swerving run was brilliant.”
Habana became an international rugby superstar in his own right with his record equaling 8 tries in the 2007 Rugby World Cup (the record set by Jonah Lomu in 1999).
The nitty gritty …
Height: 180
Weight: 94
Born: 12 June 1983
Birth City: Benoni, Johannesburg
FAVOURITE FILM: Any Given Sunday
FAVOURITE MUSIC: Bruno Mars
FAVOURITE FOOD: My wife’s stir-fry
PRIMARY SCHOOL: Meredale Primary
High School: King Edward VIII School
University: Rand Afrikaans University
Married to Janine
Position : Wing (73) Centre (1)
Province: Western Province (from 2010), previously Golden Lions (2004) and Blue Bulls (2005-2009)
Springbok number : 766
Test debut: 20 November 2004 vs England in London, aged 21
Last test: 9 October 2011 vs Australia in Wellington, aged 28
Total tests : 74
Tour matches: 2
Total Springbok matches : 76
Win ratio: 49-24-1
Holds Springbok record for tries in tests as a wing (40) and for most tries overall for South Africa (40) .
Most capped Springbok wing (73)
Tours: British Isles, Ireland & Argentina, 2004; Argentina, Wales & France, 2005; Ireland & England, 2006; 2007 RWC in France, Wales and Scotland; England and Wales 2007; British Isles, 2008; France, Italy, Ireland & England, 2009; British Isles & Ireland, 2010; RWC in New Zealand, 2011.
Honours: SA Rugby Player of the Year, 2007 & 2005 Young Player of the Year, 2004. IRB Rugby Player of the Year, 2007; Super 12 Player of the Tournament in 2005; SuperSport Try of the Year, 2005 (Bulls vs Blues, Super 12 in Pretoria), 2007 (Bulls vs Sharks Super 14 Final in Durban). Scored a record equalling eight tries during RWC 2007.
Make that King Edward VII SchoolTank. We used to call Damelin College King Edward VIII School because all the okes who failed matric maths ended up there.
Sorry James … That is particularly funny though 🙂