Often referred to as the Rolls Royce of fullbacks, Andre Joubert was an exceptional talent admired by peers and fans alike. Get to know him with Rugby365.
Andre Joubert Biography
Arguably one of the greatest fullbacks to have played the game, Andre Joubert epitomized the complete rugby player, exuding pace, strength, and high game intelligence to control and direct the flow of the game.
The Springbok star was born in Ladysmith in April 1964 and attended the local school before heading off to the University of the Free State. He made his debut for the Free State Cheetahs while studying in 1986 and stayed there for five years, making 33 appearances and scoring 292 points.
He would then move on to play for the Sharks in 1992, competing in both the Currie Cup and Super Rugby a few years later. He amassed 873 points for the Sharks in the Currie Cup over 95 appearances, and 224 points over 35 appearances in Super Rugby.
Andre Joubert had a tremendous level of skill with the boot, from open play as well as set pieces. His mastery allowed for a range of plays to take place, oftentimes catching the opposition off guard with chip chases as his speed matched the precision of his boot.
While at the Sharks, he won three Currie Cup trophies in ‘92, 95, and ‘96. He also made it to the Super Rugby final in 1996 which his team lost to the Blues.
The pacemaker made his international debut in 1989 against the World XV, winning the game 20 - 19. He went on to have a further 33 caps for South Africa for a total of 34 tests. He bagged 115 points during that time.
In 1995 Andre Joubert played a pivotal role in helping the Springboks win their first ever Rugby World Cup. His stellar performance throughout the tournament proved he was the premier fullback of the era, and possibly one of the greatest of all time.
His final game was against Australia in Pretoria where the Springboks thrashed the Wallabies 61 - 22. A high note to end off an extraordinary career.
Some of his accolades include winning South African Player of the Year in 1996 and 1988. He was also included for the South African, British, and French Barbarians sides.
Andre Joubert is seen by many to be the greatest Springbok fullback of all time. A notion not many would find reason to argue against.