David Bulbring
FullnameDavid James Bulbring
Birth date12 September 1989 (age 36)
Birth placePort Elizabeth
Height1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
Weight113 kg (249 lb; 17 st 11 lb)
SchoolAlexander Road High School
UniversityUniversity of Johannesburg
PositionLock
CurrentclubKubota Spears
Youthyears 12007
Youthyears 22008–2010
Years 12009–2011
Apps 126
Points 120
Years 22010–2011
Apps 23
Points 20
Years 32012–2013 2014–2015
Apps 337
Points 35
Years 42013
Apps 418
Points 40
Years 52013–2014
Apps 515
Points 515
Years 62016–2019
Clubs 6Scarlets
Apps 673
Points 60
Years 72020–2026
Clubs 7Kubota Spears
Apps 769
Points 735
Amatyears 12010
Amatapps 13
Amatpoints 10
Repyears 12009
Repteam 1South Africa Under-20
Repcaps 15
Reppoints 10
Repyears 22012
Repteam 2South African Barbarians (South)
Repcaps 21
Reppoints 20
Clubupdate21 February 2021
Repupdate21 February 2013

David James Bulbring (born 12 September 1989) is a South African professional rugby union player who has played as a lock for the in Japan Rugby League One since 2020.[1]

Bulbring previously played for several South African and European sides, including the Golden Lions, Lions, Eastern Province Kings, and the Southern Kings in Super Rugby. He later joined Welsh Pro14 side Scarlets, where he made over 70 appearances before moving to Japan.

Career

Youth and Lions

He was born in Port Elizabeth and represented at the 2007 Under 18 Craven Week. He then joined the , making his debut for the team in the 2009 Vodacom Cup, which resulted in him being called up to the South Africa national under-20 rugby union team for the 2009 IRB Junior World Championship.[2]

In 2010, he represented both in the Varsity Cup and in the 2010 Vodacom Cup, culminating a call-up to the Super Rugby team, representing them in their final Super Rugby game of the season against the .[3] He then played for the in the 2010 Currie Cup Premier Division[4]

He was captain for the 2011 Vodacom Cup competition and made two further Super Rugby appearances. He was then part of the squad that won the 2011 Currie Cup Premier Division.

Kings

In 2012, he moved to the . He made seven appearances for them in the 2012 Vodacom Cup competition, as well as one against a South African Students side.[5] He started all fourteen matches in the 2012 Currie Cup First Division season, as well as both matches in the promotion/relegation matches against the .

He was named in the squad for the 2013 Super Rugby season.[6] He made his debut in the Kings' historic first ever match against the ,[7] helping them to a 22–10 victory. He played in all sixteen matches during the season (being one of only three players to do so, Bandise Maku and Shaun Venter being the other two), as well as both the 2013 Super Rugby promotion/relegation matches against the , making a total of thirteen starts and five substitute appearances.

Bulls

After the 2013 Super Rugby season, he joined the , signing a contract at the team until October 2016.[8]

Return to the Kings

After a year at the , it was announced that he rejoined the prior to the 2014 Currie Cup Premier Division season[9] on a deal that would see him remain at the Port Elizabeth-based side until the end of 2016.[10]

Scarlets

In February 2016, he joined Welsh Pro12 side Scarlets on a long-term deal until the summer of 2019.[11]

Representative rugby

He was a member of the South Africa Under-20 team that played at the 2009 IRB Junior World Championship. He was named in a South African Barbarians (South) team that faced England during the 2012 mid-year rugby test series.

References

  1. ^
  2. ^ "2009 IRB Junior World Championships Semi-finals". irb.com. Archived from the original on 17 June 2009. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  3. ^
  4. ^ "Bulbring roars with Lions". varsitycup.co.za. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  5. ^ "EP Kings team to play SA Students". Eastern Province Kings. 18 June 2012. Archived from the original on 28 June 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  6. ^
  7. ^
  8. ^ "Bulls confirm Kings 'clean out'". Rugby365. 8 August 2013. Archived from the original on 11 August 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  9. ^ "Bulle-breier kan kies uit oorvloed" (in Afrikaans). Beeld. 11 June 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  10. ^ "OP bekommerd oor oud-Cheetah". Beeld. 13 June 2014. Archived from the original on 14 June 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  11. ^ "South African lock Bulbring joins Scarlets". Scarlets. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.