Raymond Rhule

{{Short description|South African rugby union player}} {{expand French|topic=bio|date=September 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Raymond Rhule | image = | fullname = Raymond Kofi Rhule | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|11|06|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Accra]], [[Ghana]] | height = {{height|m=1.80}}<ref name="SARU Player Profile Raymond Rhule"/> | weight = {{cvt|88|kg|lb stlb}}<ref name="SARU Player Profile Raymond Rhule"/> | nickname = | occupation = | school = Louis Botha Technical High School | university = [[University of the Free State]] | relatives = | position = [[Wing (rugby union)|Centre / Wing]] | currentclub = [[Stade Rochelais]] | youthyears1 = 2009–2012 | youthclubs1 = {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}} | years1 = 2012 | clubs1 = {{Rut|Free State XV}} | apps1 = 1 | points1 = 0 | years2 = 2012–2017 | clubs2 = {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}} | apps2 = 51 | points2 = 115 | years3 = 2013–2017 | clubs3 = {{Rut|Cheetahs}} | apps3 = 68 | points3 = 95 | years4 = 2018 | clubs4 = {{Rut|Stormers}} | apps4 = 15 | points4 = 30 | years5 = 2018–2020 | clubs5 = {{Rut|Grenoble}} | apps5 = 33 | points5 = 30 | years6 = 2020– | clubs6 = [[Stade Rochelais|La Rochelle]] | apps6 = 70 | points6 = 65 | amatyears1 = 2012 | amatteam1 = {{Rut|UFS Shimlas}} | amatapps1 = 3 | amatpoints1 = 5 | repyears1 = 2012 | repteam1 = [[South Africa national under-20 rugby union team|South Africa U20]] | repcaps1 = 3 | reppoints1 = 10 | repyears2 = 2017 | repteam2 = [[South Africa national rugby union team|South Africa]] | repcaps2 = 7 | reppoints2 = 5 | clubupdate = 30 April 2021 | repupdate = 10 June 2018 }}

'''Raymond Kofi Rhule''' (born 6 November 1992) is a [[Ghana]]ian-born [[South Africa]]n [[rugby union]] player for [[Stade Rochelais|La Rochelle]] in the French [[Top 14]].<ref name="SARU Player Profile Raymond Rhule">{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=49406 | name=Raymond Rhule | date=2 June 2016}}</ref>

==Rugby playing career== Rhule played in the Springbok U20 side that won the 2012 Junior World Cup, scoring 3 tries. His senior international [[rugby union|rugby]] career started as a call-up for the [[South Africa national rugby union team|Springbok]] squad for the 2012 end-of-year tour to England though he did not play before his first official test call up on 10 June 2017 against the French national team, which was played at Loftus Versfeld Pretoria. He scored his first test try on 19 August 2017 in Port Elizabeth in the Rugby Championship test match between South Africa and Argentina.

He played for the Cheetahs, scoring tries. However concerns were raised about his defence.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Column: Rhule's La Rochelle resurgence is a compelling story|url=https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/raymond-rhule-resurgence/|access-date=2021-06-11|website=www.sarugbymag.co.za}}</ref> He moved to the Stormers in 2018, but only played 15 times.

He then joined French [[Top 14]] team {{Rut|Grenoble}} after the [[2018 Super Rugby season]],<ref name="DHL Stormers trio released to play in Europe">{{cite press release | url=https://thestormers.com/dhl-stormers-trio-released-to-play-in-europe/ | title=DHL Stormers trio released to play in Europe | publisher=Stormers | date=8 June 2018 | access-date=8 June 2018}}</ref> and then to [[La Rochelle]], where his play fitted coach [[Ronan O'Gara]]'s style of keeping the ball alive.

==Honours== === Club === {{Flag icon|France}} '''[[Stade Rochelais|La Rochelle]]''' *[[European Rugby Champions Cup]]: [[2021–22 European Rugby Champions Cup|2021–2022]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/61620139|title=Leinster 21 La Rochelle 24: La Rochelle win Heineken Champions Cup as last-gasp try sinks Leinster|publisher=bbc.com|date=28 May 2022|accessdate=30 May 2022}}</ref> [[2022–23 European Rugby Champions Cup|2022–2023]]

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=49406 | name=Raymond Rhule | date=2 June 2016}} * {{sport links}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rhule, Raymond}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1992 births]] [[Category:South African rugby union players]] [[Category:Rugby union wings]] [[Category:Cheetahs (rugby union) players]] [[Category:FC Grenoble Rugby players]] [[Category:Stade Rochelais players]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Accra]] [[Category:Ghanaian emigrants to South Africa]] [[Category:South Africa Under-20 international rugby union players]] [[Category:South Africa international rugby union players]] [[Category:South African expatriate rugby union players in France]] [[Category:21st-century South African sportsmen]]