Michael Claassens

Michael Claassens
Date of birth (1982-10-28) 28 October 1982 (age 42)
Place of birthKroonstad, South Africa
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight89 kg (14 st 0 lb; 196 lb)[1]
Notable relative(s)Errie Claassens
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum half
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2003–2006 Free State Cheetahs 64 (80)
2005 Cats 9 (0)
2006–2007 Cheetahs 20 (0)
2007–2013 Bath 164 (155)
2013–2015 Toulon 37 (0)
2015–2017 Sharks (Currie Cup) 27 (15)
2016–2017 Sharks 29 (5)
2017–2018 Sharks XV 2 (0)
2003–2018 Total 352 (255)
Correct as of 30 May 2018
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2003 South Africa Under-21 1 (5)
2004 South Africa 'A'
2004–2007 South Africa 8 (0)
2008 Barbarians 2 (0)
Correct as of 7 April 2018

Michael Claassens (born 28 October 1982 in Kroonstad, Free State) is a former South African rugby union player that played professional rugby between 2003 and 2018. He made in excess of 350 senior appearances, including eight test matches for the South Africa national team.

He made his first class debut in 2003 for the Free State Cheetahs, making 64 appearances for the Bloemfontein-based side between 2003 and 2006. He also played Super Rugby for the Cats in 2005 and the Cheetahs in 2006 and 2007. He joined Bath in the Premiership in England for the 2007–08 season, where he stayed for six seasons. He then had two seasons at Toulon in the Top 14 before returning to South Africa to finish his career at the Durban-based Sharks.[2]

He is the brother of Errie Claassens, also a professional rugby union player.

  1. ^ "Aviva Premiership Rugby – Bath Rugby". web page. Premier Rugby. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  2. ^ "Huge boost for Sharks" (Press release). Sharks. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2015.[permanent dead link]