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Waratahs secure Emerging Springbok second rower
Mon 31 Aug 2009
Rugby News
The Waratahs have completed their search for a second rower with the signing of former Emerging Springboks lock Hendrik Roodt on a two-year deal.
At 200cm and 121kg, Roodt will be an enforcer in the HSBC Waratahs pack when he joins the squad to commence pre-season training in November.
Australian Super 14 teams are able to contract a developing foreign player who has yet to represent his native country at Test, Sevens or A-team level and could qualify for the Wallabies after three years of consecutive residency, as per IRB regulations.
“We’ve looked long and hard for another lock to strengthen our second row stocks and we believe we’ve found that with Hendrik Roodt,” said Head Coach Chris Hickey. “Will Caldwell, Dean Mumm and Chris Thomson have performed well for us, and Kane Douglas continues to develop. Adding Hendrik into the mix will only serve to strengthen the tight five, particularly at the scrum and lineout.
“As a developing player who has come through the traditional pathways of South African Rugby, we’ve got high hopes that Hendrik may be able to follow in the footsteps of Dan Vickerman and Clyde Rathbone and put himself in contention for national selection once he’s qualified.”
Under the new policy introduced in September 2008, Australian Super 14 teams are also permitted to sign one ‘marquee’ foreigner – an international who can never qualify for Australian selection because of an IRB regulation that limits players to one country representation throughout their careers. Last week the HSBC Waratahs enacted this clause by securing Chiefs flyer and former All Black Sosene Anesi.
Hailing from Lichtenburg in the North West Province, Roodt represented Leopards at the famous Craven Week tournament in 2004 and 2005. In 2005 he went on to be selected for South African Schools in a side which also included Bulls flanker Dewald Potgeiter.
Following his Schools career, Roodt has gone on to represent the Blue Bulls in the Vodacom Cup (2006-2008) and Under 21 Competition (2006-2008). In 2007 Roodt was selected as a member of the Blue Bulls Currie Cup squad at just 19 years of age, going on to form part of the Bulls Super 14 pre-season training squad later that year.
In 2008 Roodt was selected for the victorious Emerging Springboks at the IRB Nations Cup in Bucharest, with the side going through the tournament undefeated with victories over Georgia, Italy A and Romania.
Having played fulltime rugby from such a young age, Roodt took time away from the game in 2009 to work as a junior draughtsman for Vhumbanani Projects in Johannesburg, but is now keen to resume a career which was on the rise before taking a break from the sport.
“He’s got the size, he’s got the talent, and being six-foot-six from the high veldt of South Africa he’s definitely got the pedigree to play the role we want him to play for us,” said Hickey. “He’s getting his visa sorted out now, and our physical performance team already has him on a training program in Pretoria so he’ll be able to hit the ground running when the squad assembles in November.”
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CHEERLEADERS ROCK!!! 
Originally Posted by sandgroperrugby
. It would be great to have a specialist with some experience but that may prove hard. I am still hanging out for Craig Burden though.
