Samantha Leigh Els (born 26 May 1999) is a South African rugby union player. In 2023, she made her debut for the South Africa women's national rugby union team. She is the daughter of South African golfer Ernie Els.
| Date of birth | 26 May 1999[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 181 cm (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 87 kg (192 lb; 13 st 10 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Early life
editFrom Herolds Bay in the southern Cape, Els graduated in Human Biology from Stanford University. In 2013, she acted as her father Ernie Els' caddy at the Masters Tournament Par 3 Contest at Augusta National Golf Club.[2] She also accompanied him as he captained the International Team in the 2019 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia.[3]
Career
editAlthough her father was not keen on her playing rugby initially,[4] Els plays as a lock forward.[5]
She plays club rugby for New York Rugby Club. In 2022, she played international rugby for the USA in 2022. In August 2023, she was invited to a training camp for the South Africa women's national rugby union team for the first time.[6] The following month, 19 September 2023, she made her debut for South Africa.[7][8]
Personal life
editEls is one of two children to parents Ernie and wife Liezl. Her brother, Ben was diagnosed with autism as a child. Subsequently the family set up the Els for Autism Foundation.[9] For her autism advocacy, she was awarded the Autism Science Foundation’s (ASF) Caryn Schwartzman Spirit Award in 2022.[10]
References
edit- ^ "Sam's Sibs Stick Together Panelist Biographies" (PDF). Autismsciencefpundation.org. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ Jacques van der Westhuyzen (19 September 2023). "Ernie Els' daughter, Samantha, to make debut for Boks women's team". Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ Hall, Mike (19 September 2023). "Ernie Els 'Proud' To See Daughter Make Springboks Rugby Debut". Golf Monthly. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ van Rensburg, Richard (5 October 2023). "Samantha Els opens up on how she had to persuade her dad, Ernie Els, to pursue her rugby career". News24.
- ^ Fraser, Amy (19 September 2023). "Golf legend Ernie Els' daughter to make Springbok Women debut". capetalk.co.za. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ Schenk, Heinz (19 September 2023). "Ernie Els' daughter, Samantha, to make debut for Springbok Women at lock". News24.
- ^ van den Heever, Megan (19 September 2023). "Bok bombshell: Meet Ernie Els's daughter Samantha". The South African. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ van der Westhuyzen, Jacques (19 September 2023). "Ernie Els' daughter, Samantha, to make debut for Boks women's team". The Citizen. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
- ^ Sherman, Michael (21 September 2023). "Fore! No five! Ernie Els' pays tribute to daughter Samantha after Springbok Women's debut at lock". iol.co.za. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "The late Suzanne Wright and Samantha Els to Receive the 2022 Autism Science Foundation Caryn Schwartzman Spirit Award". Yahoo. 22 February 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2023.