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Japie Mulder

A backline player with a knack for exploiting tiny gaps, Japie Mulder was an agile centre and excellent runner with the ball. Get to know more with Rugby365

Japie Mulder Biography

A player you would not want to face in a one on one matchup, Japie Mulder was a speedy runner with the ball and possessed an extraordinary ability to change pace and direction at speed.


The retired Springbok was born in Springs in October 1969. He attended Rand Afrikaans University and found his way into the Johannesburg franchise, the Lions, after his studies at the age of 22.


He stayed at the Lions for a decade, from 1991 - 2001, opting to close his career off abroad with the Yorkshire Carnegie. Japie Mulder celebrated a number of golden moments at the Lions including three Currie Cup trophies, and three Lion Cup trophies. The swift centre was also part of the squad when they took the inaugural Super 10 trophy in 1993. The tournament, of course, the predecessor to Super Rugby.


During the 10 years he played for the Lions he made 113 appearances in the Currie Cup alone. Fortunately for the centre he was part of the Lions squad during the height of their power, or was it star players like Japie Mulder that propelled the Lions to numerous trophies?


Meanwhile, on the international front, he got his first fixture in 1994 against the All Blacks in Wellington, suffering a narrow 9 - 13 loss. Not a year later he would beat the All Blacks in South Africa to lift the 1995 Rugby World Cup.


He continued to play for the Springboks until 2001, when he moved abroad. His record in the green and gold was a 67% winrate. An incredible feat considering he played 34 games. Japie Mulder did, however, suffer one of his heaviest defeats by the hands of All Balck rivals in 1999 in Dunedin. A 0 - 28 thrashing that shook South Africans at the time.


His international feats also included some extravagant wins, punishing Italy 101 - 0 in Kings Park of the same year, and Tonga 74 - 10 two years prior.


Japie Mulder was an excellent centre and opportunistic runner. His efforts from the back no doubt helped drive the Springboks forward into a first and legendary Rugby World Cup win.