Duncan Matthews (rugby union)


Duncan Victor Matthews is a South African rugby union player for the in the Currie Cup. He can play as a fullback, winger or centre.

Rugby career

Youth rugby

Matthews was born in Atlantis and attended high school in nearby Malmesbury. From there, he was selected to represent the at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week in 2010, kicking 12 points with the boot in his two appearances.

Blue Bulls

After school, he moved to Pretoria to join the academy. He made ten appearances for their Under-19 side during the 2013 Under-19 Provincial Championship, scoring tries in matches against, and during the regular season, and another one in the final to help his side win the title with a 35–23 victory over the Golden Lions.
He then played for – the university team affiliated to the Blue Bulls academy – in the 2014 Varsity Cup, scoring tries against and in his four appearances. He played in eight matches for the s in the 2014 Under-21 Provincial Championship, with tries in matches against and during the regular season. For the second season in a row, Matthews was the member of a title-winning team, starting the final of the competition where the Blue Bulls beat 20–10 in Cape Town. He was rewarded with a contract extension by the Blue Bulls, ensuring he would remain in Pretoria until October 2016.
He scored a try in a 29–all draw between UP Tuks and in the 2015 Varsity Cup in one of three starts in the competition, but suffered a knee injury that kept him out of action for the majority of the season. Despite his injury, Matthews signed a further contract extension until October 2018. He returned to make a single appearance for the s attempting to retain their Under-21 Provincial Championship title, starting a match against.
His third Varsity Cup campaign saw him score two tries – against and – in five starts before making his first class debut, starting in the ' 14–19 defeat to the in Port Elizabeth in the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series. After a second start against the, Matthews scored his first senior try in a 38–39 defeat to in Kimberley.