André Joubert
Full names: André Johan
Date of birth: 15 Apr 1964
Place of birth: Ladysmith
School: Ladysmith
Springbok no: 557
Debut test province: Orange Free State
Physical: 1.87m, 91.6kg
Current age: 59

Test summary: Tests: 34 Tries: 10
First Test: 26 Aug 1989 Age:25 Reserve against World Invitation at Newlands, Cape Town
Last Test: 23 Aug 1997 Age:33 Full Back against Australia at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentResultScoreVenueProv
26 Aug 198925ReserveWorld InvitationWin: 20-19 Newlands, Cape TownOFS
21 Aug 199329Full BackAustraliaLose: 12-19 Sydney Football Stadium (Aussie stadium), SydneySharks
06 Nov 199329Full BackArgentinaWin: 29-261 tryFerrocarril-Oeste Stadium, Buenos AiresSharks
04 Jun 199430Full BackEnglandLose: 15-325 penaltiesLoftus Versfeld, PretoriaSharks
11 Jun 199430Full BackEnglandWin: 27-91 try, 1 conversion, 2 penaltiesNewlands, Cape TownSharks
09 Jul 199430Full BackNew ZealandLose: 14-223 penaltiesCarisbrook, DunedinSharks
23 Jul 199430ReserveNew ZealandLose: 9-13 Athletic Park, WellingtonSharks
06 Aug 199430Full BackNew ZealandDraw: 18-18 Eden Park, AucklandSharks
15 Oct 199430Full BackArgentinaWin: 46-26 Ellispark, JohannesburgSharks
19 Nov 199430Full BackScotlandWin: 34-103 conversions, 1 penaltyMurrayfield, EdinburghSharks
26 Nov 199430Full BackWalesWin: 20-121 tryMillenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffSharks
25 May 199531Full BackAustraliaWin: 27-18 Newlands, Cape TownSharks
03 Jun 199531Full BackCanadaWin: 20-0 Boet Erasmus, Port ElizabethSharks
10 Jun 199531Full BackSamoaWin: 42-14 Ellispark, JohannesburgSharks
17 Jun 199531Full BackFranceWin: 19-15 Kingspark, DurbanSharks
24 Jun 199531Full BackNew ZealandWin: 15-12 Ellispark, JohannesburgSharks
02 Sep 199531Full BackWalesWin: 40-11 Ellispark, JohannesburgSharks
12 Nov 199531Full BackItalyWin: 40-21 Olympic Stadium, RomeSharks
18 Nov 199531Full BackEnglandWin: 24-14 Twickenham, LondonSharks
02 Jul 199632Full BackFijiWin: 43-181 try, 1 conversion, 2 penaltiesLoftus Versfeld, PretoriaSharks
13 Jul 199632Full BackAustraliaLose: 16-211 penaltySydney Football Stadium (Aussie stadium), SydneySharks
20 Jul 199632Full BackNew ZealandLose: 11-151 tryLancaster Park (Jade stadium), ChristchurchSharks
17 Aug 199632Full BackNew ZealandLose: 19-23 Kingspark, DurbanSharks
24 Aug 199632Full BackNew ZealandLose: 26-33 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaSharks
31 Aug 199632Full BackNew ZealandWin: 32-221 try, 3 penaltiesEllispark, JohannesburgSharks
09 Nov 199632Full BackArgentinaWin: 46-151 try, 1 conversionFerrocarril-Oeste Stadium, Buenos AiresSharks
16 Nov 199632Full BackArgentinaWin: 44-21 Ferrocarril-Oeste Stadium, Buenos AiresSharks
30 Nov 199632Full BackFranceWin: 22-121 tryStade Municipal, BordeauxSharks
07 Dec 199632Full BackFranceWin: 13-12 Parc des Princes, ParisSharks
15 Dec 199632Full BackWalesWin: 37-201 try, 1 conversionMillenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffSharks
10 Jun 199733Full BackTongaWin: 74-10 Newlands, Cape TownSharks
21 Jun 199733Full BackBritainLose: 16-25 Newlands, Cape TownSharks
28 Jun 199733Full BackBritainLose: 15-181 tryKingspark, DurbanSharks
23 Aug 199733Full BackAustraliaWin: 61-22 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaSharks

Top 50 Boks: 6 – André Joubert : SARugby.com

André Joubert is regarded as one of the greatest fullbacks of all-time. The ‘Rolls-Royce’ of fullbacks had it all – he was rock solid under the highball and hardly ever found out of position at the back due to his superb ability to read the game. Defensively sound, South African players and supporters alike never panicked when ‘Juba’ faced a one on one situation on defence.

His punishing left boot and elusive counter attack running made him a dangerous and unpredictable ball player who had opposing teams constantly guessing as to what he will come up with next. Joubert was entrusted with the place kicking duties on a number of occasions despite being a tad inconsistent in that department and ultimately contributed 64 points with the boot.

Joubert’s trademarks, however, were his brilliant grubber kicks and the silky way in which he joined the backline on attack. The former won many a metres for the Springboks while the latter, as ‘Juba’ came into the line on full speed and sliced through the opposition’s backs, produced some of the greatest, textbook fullback tries in history.

Joubert made his international debut against the World XV in Cape Town on August 26, 1989, a match South Africa won 20-19. That year he received his first of five nominations for the prestigious SA Player of the Year award. Joubert’s second international would only come almost four years to the day after his first when the Springboks suffered a 19-12 defeat at the hands of the Wallabies.

He remained in the national side and was selected as first choice No 15 for the Springboks’ 1995 World Cup squad. His calming presence at the back helped South Africa to a crucial 27-18 victory over the defending champion Wallabies which led to a quarter-final showdown against Samoa.

The Boks eased to a 42-14 win but Joubert, in creating one of Chester Williams’ four tries, suffered a broken hand when he was hit late by George Harder. Such was his passion for and dedication to the Green and Gold that he underwent surgery that same night and spent time in a decompression chamber.

Heroically, wearing a personalised hand brace, Joubert ran onto the field with the rest of the starting line-up for the do-or-die semi-final clash against France in Durban. In arguably the most atrocious and testing conditions in World Cup history, Joubert fearlessly put his body on the line as he fielded a barrage of nightmarish highballs.

The Boks narrowly saw off the French to advance to the final where they would come up against New Zealand and their giant winger Jonah Lomu. Joubert and Co did the seemingly impossible when they neutralised the monstrous 1.96m, 115kg flyer and defeated the All Blacks 15-12 to be crowned World Cup champions.

Joubert enjoyed another terrific season the following year, which included a two try, Man of the Match performance in the Sharks’ 33-15 victory over the Lions in the Currie Cup final and was deservedly named SA Player of the Year before he retired from international rugby after the 61-22 pasting of Australia at Loftus Versfeld on August 23, 1997.

Juba’ played two more seasons for the Sharks and made his final appearance in the 1999 Currie Cup final against the Lions, a match that also marked the end of the careers of Gary Teichmann and coach Ian McIntosh. Unfortunately, it was a sad farewell for the legendary trio as the visiting Lions secured a convincing 32-9 victory.

Records/Honours:

  • SA Young Player of the Year nominee, 1988
  • SA Player of the Year nominee, 1989, 1991, 1994 & 1995
  • Member of the World Cup winning Springbok squad, 1995
  • Currie Cup winner with the Sharks, 1996
  • SA Player of the Year, 1996