# Brent Russell > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Brent_Russell > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Brent_Russell.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Russell > Source revision: 1355461965 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) South African rugby union player You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in French. (June 2025) Click [show] for important translation instructions. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must follow the LLM translation guideline, revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. 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Rugby player Brent Russell Full name Robert Brent Russell Born (1980-03-05) 5 March 1980 (age 46) Port Elizabeth, Cape Province, South Africa Height 1.74 m (5 ft 8+1⁄2 in)[1] Weight 83 kg (183 lb; 13 st 1 lb)[1] School Selborne College University University of Cape Town Notable relative Shelley Jones (sister) Rugby union career Position Utility players Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2002 Pumas 2 (10) 2003–2006 Sharks 37 (89) 2003–2006 Sharks (Currie Cup) 28 (112) 2006 Natal Wildebeest 5 (20) 2007 Stormers 11 (15) 2007 Western Province 4 (0) 2007–2008 Saracens 16 (27) 2008–2012 Clermont 58 (85) 2012–2013 Lille 16 (32) International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2002–2006 South Africa 23 (40) **Robert Brent Russell** (born 5 March 1980) is a South African retired professional [rugby union](/source/Rugby_union) player. He is a "[utility back](/source/Rugby_union_positions#Utility_players)" (capable of playing fullback, fly-half or wing) who plays for [Clermont](/source/ASM_Clermont_Auvergne) in the [French](/source/France) [Top 14](/source/Top_14). Previously, he had played with [Saracens](/source/Saracens_F.C.) in [England](/source/Guinness_Premiership), and before that the [Sharks](/source/Sharks_(rugby_union)) in the [Currie Cup](/source/Currie_Cup) and the [Sharks](/source/Sharks_(rugby_union)) in the [Super 14](/source/Super_Rugby) for many years. He also featured frequently in the [Springbok](/source/South_Africa_national_rugby_union_team) squad before his departure for Europe. He won 23 caps and scored 40 points (8 tries) for his country. Russell is known by the nickname *Pocket Rocket*.[2][3] His sister, [Shelley](/source/Shelley_Russell), was also a South African field hockey international.[4][5] ## National team Russell was born in [Port Elizabeth](/source/Port_Elizabeth), but was schooled at [Selborne College](/source/Selborne_College) in East London.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] He was quickly brought up to international rugby level when he was selected for the 2002 Springboks team after making a good impression whilst in the [national sevens team](/source/South_Africa_national_rugby_sevens_team).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] In that year, he scored an especially memorable try in the [Tri Nations](/source/Tri_Nations_(rugby_union)) against the [Australian Wallabies](/source/Australia_national_rugby_union_team) in which he wriggled out of a seemingly sure tackle and successfully eluded several Wallabies on his way to the tryline.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] However, he has not been able to consistently break into the Boks lineup in recent years. He is a relatively small player, but what he lacks in size and strength he makes up in speed, acceleration, agility and creativity. He is considered to be one of the most dangerous backline players in South Africa for this very reason,[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] as he has the ability to score a try "out of nothing". ## Club rugby Russell is a victim of his own versatility, with coaches unsure in which position to place him. Although a favourite with the fans and a player of outstanding talent,[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] he made few starts for the Sharks during the 2005/06 season, forcing him to make a move to [Western Province](/source/Western_Province_(rugby_team)) where it was said he would be given plenty of game time and would also see him play at [fly-half](/source/Fly-half_(rugby_union)) for the Stormers in the Super 14 rather than the utility role he fulfilled at the Sharks.[6] Russell signed for Saracens F.C. in time for their campaign in 2007. In 2008 Russell signed for [ASM Clermont Auvergne](/source/ASM_Clermont_Auvergne) in the French [Top 14](/source/Top_14).[7] ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-SAPRP_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-SAPRP_1-1) ["SA Rugby Player Profile – Brent Russell"](http://www.sarugby.co.za/playerprofile.aspx?id=22024&fullview=true). *South African Rugby Union*. Retrieved 10 March 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Rugby15 Exclusive: 15 Minutes with the original "Pocket-Rocket" – Brent Russell"](http://www.rugby15.co.za/rugby15-exclusive-15-minutes-with-the-original-pocket-rocket-brent-russell/). *Rugby15*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Victor Matfield Try against the Aussies | Rugbydump"](https://www.rugbydump.com/news/victor-matfield-try-against-the-aussies/). *www.rugbydump.com*. Retrieved 10 April 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Cook, Jonathan (12 February 2014). ["SA women's hockey star Shelley Russell celebrates 200 caps"](https://www.citizen.co.za/witness/archive/sa-womens-hockey-star-shelley-russell-celebrates-200-caps-20150430/). *Witness*. Retrieved 15 July 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** @brentrussell (27 May 2014). ["Good luck to my sister Shells_bells_ for her Hockey World Cup which kicks off this wknd. Supporting you all the way!"](https://twitter.com/brentrussell/status/471175242560573440) ([Tweet](/source/Tweet_(social_media))) – via [Twitter](/source/Twitter). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Western Province news report](http://www.wprugby.co.za/default.asp?aId=195426) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20071008163340/http://www.wprugby.co.za/default.asp?aId=195426) 8 October 2007 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Russell makes switch to Clermont"](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/saracens/7669258.stm). 14 October 2008. Retrieved 8 January 2018. ## External links - [Brent Russell](https://historical-stats.epcrugby.com/player/?PlayGuid=RR247696) at [European Professional Club Rugby](/source/European_Professional_Club_Rugby) - [Brent Russell](https://web.archive.org/web/0/http://rd.premiershiprugby.com/players/player-archive.php?player=5394&includeref=dynamic) at [Premiership Rugby](/source/Premiership_Rugby) (archived) - [Brent Russell](https://web.archive.org/web/2024/http://www.espnscrum.com/timeline/rugby/player/13956.html) at ESPNscrum (archived) - [Brent Russell](https://www.itsrugby.fr/joueur_1705.html#noir) at ItsRugby.fr (in French) - [Brent Russell](https://all.rugby/player/brent-russell) at All.Rugby - [Brent Russell](https://www.rugbydatabase.co.nz/player/index.php?playerId=11634) at RugbyDatabase.co.nz - ["SA Rugby Player Profile – Brent Russell"](http://www.sarugby.co.za/playerprofile.aspx?id=22024&fullview=true). *South African Rugby Union*. Retrieved 10 March 2016. - [Saracens Rugby Website](http://www.saracens.com) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Brent Russell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Russell) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Russell?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.