Malcolm Adrian Emile Jaer (born 29 June 1995) is a South African rugby union player for the Cheetahs in the Pro14 and the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup.[1] His regular position is fullback or fly-half.

Malcolm Jaer
Full nameMalcolm Adrian Emile Jaer
Date of birth (1995-06-29) 29 June 1995 (age 28)
Place of birthUitenhage, South Africa
Height1.74 m (5 ft 8+12 in)
Weight72 kg (159 lb; 11 st 5 lb)
SchoolHoërskool Brandwag, Uitenhage
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback / Fly-half
Current team Griquas
Youth career
2011–2016 Eastern Province Kings
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014–2017 Eastern Province Kings 2 (5)
2016–2017 Southern Kings 19 (40)
2017–2022 Free State Cheetahs 15 (20)
2017–2022 Cheetahs 22 (50)
2023– Griquas ()
Correct as of 13 March 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013 South Africa Schools 1 (0)
2015 South Africa Under-20 3 (5)
Correct as of 22 June 2015

Career edit

2011–2013 : Youth and South African Schools edit

Jaer played secondary school rugby for Hoërskool Brandwag in Uitenhage. He was selected in the Eastern Province Under-16 squad that played at the Grant Khomo Week tournament in 2011,[2] in their Under-18 squad that played at the Academy Week in 2012[3] and their Under-18 squad that played at the Craven Week tournament in 2013.[4] He scored a try for the Eastern Province in the latter competition, in their 21–32 defeat to the Free State.[5]

Jaer's performances at the 2013 Craven Week led to his inclusion in the South African Schools side and he made one appearance for them in a 17–13 victory against France in George in August 2013.[6]

2014–2015 : Eastern Province Kings and South Africa Under-20 edit

After finishing school, Jaer joined the Eastern Province Academy and was included in the Eastern Province Kings senior squad during the 2014 Vodacom Cup competition. He made his debut on 25 April 2014, aged just 18, starting their match against the previously-unbeaten Sharks in Durban, in which he helped them to a 27–11 victory.[7]

In the second half of 2014, Jaer started all twelve of the Eastern Province U19 team's matches in the Under-19 Provincial Championship, his side's first season in Group A of the competition after they won promotion from Group B at the end of 2013. In his second match for the team, Jaer scored his first try in a 13–16 home defeat to the Golden Lions U19s.[8] He scored two tries in their 32–26 victory over the Leopards U19s in Potchefstroom[9] and a further two in the return match in Port Elizabeth.[10] He also scored two tries in their defeat to the Blue Bulls U19s[11] and one more in their 20–21 defeat away to Western Province U21.[12] That meant he ended the competition as his side's leading try scorer, with eight tries overall. In addition, he took over the kicking duties from Jason Vers after three matches and contributed 64 points with the boot (through fourteen penalties and eleven conversions), to finish on 104 points, the highest by an Eastern Province player and fourth overall in Group A of the competition.[13] He was promoted to the Eastern Province U21 side for their final two matches of the 2014 Under-21 Provincial Championship; with the Under-21 team already having finished top of Group B by winning all seven of their matches during the regular season, Jaer joined them for the semi-final match against Limpopo Blue Bulls U21. He helped them to a 28–26 win in that match[14] and also started in a 46–3 victory over SWD U21 in the final a week later to be crowned Group B champions.[15] Jaer scored a try in their subsequent promotion play-off match against Eastern Cape rivals Border U21, helping them to a 64–9 victory[16] and a place in Group A of the competition in 2015.

In March 2015, Jaer was named in an extended South Africa Under-20 training group as part of their preparation for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[17] While he didn't feature in a friendly match against a Varsity Cup Dream Team in April 2015,[18] he was included in the squad that toured Argentina in May 2015.[19] He started their first match, scoring a try in a 25–22 win,[20] but didn't feature in the second match.[21] Upon the team's return, he was named in the final squad for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[22] He played off the bench in the first of their three matches in Pool B of the competition, a 33–5 win against hosts Italy,[23] but was not named in the matchday squad for their 40–8 win against Samoa[24] or their 46–13 win over Australia,[25] which saw South Africa finish top of Pool B to qualify for the semi-finals with the best record pool stage of all the teams in the competition. Jaer was used as a replacement in their semi-final match against England and scored South Africa's first try of the match in the 77th minute, but could not prevent them losing 20–28 to be eliminated from the competition by England for the second year in succession.[26] He started his first match of the competition in their third-place play-off match against France, helping South Africa to a 31–18 win to secure third place in the competition.

Jaer returned to domestic rugby to play for the Eastern Province U21 side in their first season in Group A of the Under-21 Provincial Championship following promotion from Group B in 2014. The team struggled throughout the competition, winning just one of their twelve matches to finish bottom of the log. He scored tries in their home[27] and away[28] matches against the Leopards, as well as in their matches against Western Province U21[29] and Blue Bulls U21,[30] also kicking two conversions in his ten starts during the competition.

2016–present : Southern Kings edit

In December 2015, Jaer was one of the first twenty players that signed contracts to play for the Southern Kings in the 2016 Super Rugby season.[31]

References edit

  1. ^ "SA Rugby Player Profile – Malcolm Jaer". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  2. ^ "Benn en Westcott lei OP by Cravenweek" (in Afrikaans). Die Son. 25 May 2011. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  3. ^ "OP wen twee uit drie wedstryde" (in Afrikaans). Die Burger. 16 July 2014. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  4. ^ "OP-sterre van toekoms" (in Afrikaans). Die Son. 25 May 2013. Archived from the original on 20 May 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  5. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province 21–32 Free State". South African Rugby Union. 9 July 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  6. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 17–13 France". South African Rugby Union. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  7. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Cell C Sharks XV 11–27 Eastern Province Kings". South African Rugby Union. 25 April 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  8. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings U19 13–16 Golden Lions U19". South African Rugby Union. 18 July 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  9. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards U19 26–32 EP Kings U19". South African Rugby Union. 2 August 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  10. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings U19 42–7 Leopards U19". South African Rugby Union. 12 September 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  11. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings U19 21–31 Blue Bulls U19". South African Rugby Union. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  12. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – WP U19 21–20 EP Kings U19". South African Rugby Union. 20 September 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  13. ^ "SA Rugby Top Scorers – 2014 Absa Under 19 Competition". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  14. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings U21 28–26 Limpopo BB U21". South African Rugby Union. 3 October 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  15. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings U21 46–3 SWD U21". South African Rugby Union. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  16. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border U21 9–64 EP Kings U21". South African Rugby Union. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  17. ^ "SARU names large group for Junior Bok trials". South African Rugby Union. 25 March 2015. Archived from the original on 6 December 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  18. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Varsity Cup XV 24–31 South Africa U/20". South African Rugby Union. 21 April 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  19. ^ "SARU names Junior Bok squad for Argentine tour". South African Rugby Union. 29 April 2015. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  20. ^ "Los Pumitas cayeron ante Baby Boks por 25 a 22". Unión Argentina de Rugby (in Spanish). 12 May 2015. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  21. ^ "Los Pumitas cayeron ante Baby Boks por 39 a 28". Unión Argentina de Rugby (in Spanish). 16 May 2015. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  22. ^ "Liebenberg to lead Junior Boks at U20 World Championship in Italy". South African Rugby Union. 20 May 2015. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  23. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Italy U20 5–33 South Africa U20". South African Rugby Union. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  24. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 40–8 Samoa U20". South African Rugby Union. 6 June 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  25. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 46–13 Australia U20". South African Rugby Union. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  26. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 20–28 England U20". South African Rugby Union. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  27. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings U21 16–24 Leopards U21". South African Rugby Union. 26 September 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  28. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards U21 28–8 EP Kings U21". South African Rugby Union. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  29. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings U21 13–44 Western Province U21". South African Rugby Union. 25 July 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  30. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Blue Bulls U21 43–10 EP Kings U21". South African Rugby Union. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  31. ^ "Southern Kings announce first signings" (Press release). South African Rugby Union. 13 December 2015. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.