{{Short description|South African rugby union player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Use South African English|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox rugby union biography | name = Neil Rautenbach | image = | fullname = <!--if different--> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|05|17|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Cape Town]], [[South Africa]] | height = {{height|m=1.78}} | weight = {{convert|98|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}} | nickname = | occupation = | school = [[Paarl Boys' High School]] | university = [[Cape Peninsula University of Technology]] | relatives = | position = [[Flank (rugby union)|Hooker]] | currentclub = {{Rut|Boland Cavaliers}} | youthyears1 = 2007–2012 | youthclubs1 = {{Rut|Western Province}} | years1 = 2014–2015 | clubs1 = {{Rut|Western Province}} | apps1 = 15 | points1 = 0 | years2 = 2015 | clubs2 = {{Rut|Stormers}} | apps2 = 3 | points2 = 0 | years3 = 2015 | clubs3 = {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}} | apps3 = 4 | points3 = 0 | years4 = 2016 | clubs4 = {{Rut|Griffons}} | apps4 = 5 | points4 = 5 | years5 = 2016 | clubs5 = {{Rut|Free State XV}} | apps5 = 1 | points5 = 5 | years6 = 2016 | clubs6 = {{Rut|Western Province}} | apps6 = 4 | points6 = 0 | years7 = 2019–present | clubs7 = {{Rut|Boland Cavaliers}} | apps7 = 12 | points7 = 15 | amatyears1 = 2011–2014 | amatteam1 = {{Rut|UCT Ikey Tigers}} | amatapps1 = 16 | amatpoints1 = 0 | repyears1 = 2012 | repteam1 = [[South African Universities rugby union team|South Africa Students]] | repcaps1 = 2 | reppoints1 = 0 | clubupdate = 25 August 2019 | repupdate = 1 April 2015 }}
'''Neil Rautenbach''' (born 17 May 1991 in [[Cape Town]], [[South Africa]]) is a Namibian South African-born [[rugby union]] player for the {{Rut|Boland Cavaliers}} in the [[Currie Cup]] and the [[Rugby Challenge (South Africa)|Rugby Challenge]].<ref name="SARU Player Profile Neil Rautenbach">{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=42879 | name=Neil Rautenbach | date=29 May 2016}}</ref> His regular position is hooker.
==Career==
===Youth and Varsity Cup rugby===
He represented Western Province at high school level, playing for their Under-16 side at the Grant Khomo Week in 2007 and for their Under-18 [[Craven Week]] side in 2009. He joined their academy and played for the {{Rut|Western Province U19}} side in the [[2010 Under-19 Provincial Championship]] and for the {{Rut|Western Province U21}} side in the [[2011 Under-21 Provincial Championship|2011]] and [[2012 Under-21 Provincial Championship]]s.
He also played [[Varsity Cup]] rugby for the {{Rut|UCT Ikey Tigers}} since 2011, winning the competition with them twice in [[2011 Varsity Cup|2011]] (during which he made just one appearance, but was named on the bench for the final)<ref name="Tuks 16-26 UCT">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=20000 | homeid=8498 | awayid=8494 | leagueid=804 | hometeam=Tuks | homescore=16 | awayscore=26 | awayteam=UCT | matchdate=11 April 2011 | date=21 September 2016}}</ref> and [[2014 Varsity Cup|2014]], when he made nine appearances and played the first 72 of the final as they secured a dramatic 39–33 comeback victory.<ref name="FNB NWU-PUKKE 33-39 FNB UCT 1ST XV">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=117324 | homeid=17224 | awayid=17214 | leagueid=1694 | hometeam=FNB NWU-PUKKE | homescore=33 | awayscore=39 | awayteam=FNB UCT 1ST XV | matchdate=7 April 2014 | date=21 September 2016}}</ref>
===Western Province===
He made his first class debut in the [[2014 Vodacom Cup]] competition, starting their quarter-final match against the {{Rut|Pumas}} in [[Nelspruit]]. That turned out to be his only appearance in the competition, as {{Rut|Western Province}} lost 13–8.<ref name="Steval Pumas 13-8 DHL Western Province">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=118284 | homeid=17524 | awayid=17604 | leagueid=1734 | hometeam=Steval Pumas | homescore=13 | awayscore=8 | awayteam=DHL Western Province | matchdate=2 May 2014 | date=21 September 2016}}</ref>
He was included in their squad for the [[2014 Currie Cup Premier Division]] and named on the bench for their Round Two clash against the {{Rut|Blue Bulls}}.<ref name="Just one change for DHL WP v Bulls">{{cite press release | url=http://wprugby.com/just-one-change-for-dhl-wp-v-bulls/ | title=Just one change for DHL WP v Bulls | publisher=Western Province | date=14 August 2014 | access-date=14 August 2014}}</ref>
===Free State Cheetahs===
Rautenbach signed a contract to join the {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}} from 1 July 2015.<ref name="WP-haker, OP-stut word Cheetahs">{{cite web | url=http://www.netwerk24.com/sport/2015-05-16-wp-haker-op-stut-word-cheetahs | title=WP-haker, OP-stut word Cheetahs | publisher=Netwerk24 | date=16 May 2015 | access-date=19 May 2015 | language=Afrikaans}}</ref>
===Representative rugby===
In October 2014, Rautenbach was called up to the {{nrut|Namibia}}n national team for the first time prior to their [[2014 end-of-year rugby union internationals|end-of-year tour]] to Europe.<ref name="Namibia call up WP, Cheetahs stars">{{cite web | url=http://www.rugby365.com/article/62648 | title=Namibia call up WP, Cheetahs stars | publisher=Rugby365 | date=15 October 2014 | access-date=15 October 2014}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rautenbach, Neil}} [[Category:South African rugby union players]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1991 births]] [[Category:Rugby union players from Cape Town]] [[Category:Rugby union hookers]] [[Category:Alumni of Paarl Boys' High School]] [[Category:21st-century South African sportsmen]] [[Category:Ikey Tigers players]] [[Category:Stormers players]] [[Category:Cheetahs (rugby union) players]] [[Category:Griffons (rugby union) players]] [[Category:Boland Cavaliers players]] [[Category:Tel Aviv Heat players]]