W._P._Nel
WP Nel
Rugby player
Willem Petrus Nel (born 30 April 1986) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a prop most recently for United Rugby Championship club Edinburgh Rugby. Born in South Africa, Nel represented Scotland internationally.
Nel representing Scotland during the Summer Internationals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Willem Petrus Nel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | (1986-04-30) 30 April 1986 (age 37) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Loeriesfontein, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 114 kg (251 lb; 17 st 13 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Drostdy THS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Nel joined Scottish Pro 12 side Edinburgh in July 2012.[1]
After three years at Murrayfield Stadium, Nel became eligible to represent Scotland in June 2015, and claimed he would decline an invitation to represent his native Springboks in order to do so.[2] He made his international bow against Italy during the 2015 summer Tests, and was subsequently named in the final 31-man squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.[3][4]
He scored his first international try in the 39–16 World Cup match against the USA.
Nel played in all of Scotland's matches in the 2016 Six Nations but missed the 2016 Autumn Internationals and the entire 2017 Six Nations due to a neck injury. This injury probably cost him a place in the Lions touring squad to New Zealand in 2017.
In March 2017 it was announced that Nel had signed a three-year extension to his contract with Edinburgh.[5]
Nel played in four (starting three) of Scotland's group matches at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
In 2023 Nel was selected in the 33 player squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, making his final appearance for Scotland in the pool stage loss against Ireland.[6]
In March 2024, Nel announced his intention to retire from rugby at the end of the season.[7][8]
- "Edinburgh secure Cheetahs prop WP Nel for next season". bbc.co.uk. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- Lyall, Jamie Edinburgh's WP Nel nails colours to Scotland mast BBC Sport. September 6, 2015
- "The Scotland Squad - Scottish Rugby". Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
- Cotter Names 31-man Scotland Squad Scottish Rugby. September 6, 2015
- "WP Nel: Scotland prop signs new three-year deal at Edinburgh". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
- "Scotland squad named for Rugby World Cup 2023". Scottish Rugby Union.
- "WP Nel: Gregor Townsend pays tribute as Scotland & Edinburgh prop announces retirement". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- "Scotland international WP Nel announces retirement from rugby". STV News. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- WP Nel at ESPNscrum
- WP Nel at ItsRugby.co.uk
- "SA Rugby Player Profile – WP Nel". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
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