Coenie Oosthouizen

Prop Coenie Oosthuizen joined Sale Sharks on a three year contract in May 2019 from Durban-based Super Rugby side Cell C Sharks.

The 32 year old, who can play on either side of the scrum, has gone onto become a fixture in the Sale front row, alongside fellow South African Akker van der Merwe.

Coenie made his debut for the Springboks in 2012 and has since won 30 international caps. However, his last appearance for his country came against Ireland in 2017, when he suffered a serious knee injury.

After his return to action ten months later, he said: “As a rugby player you get that opportunity every day to run into something and let a little bit of frustration out, but when you’re injured it’s a difficult thing to get past when you’re at home doing nothing. Keeping your mind busy is very important. Working in the gym has been tough … I’ve been pushed to hell and back.

“Getting back on the field, I was so nervous. It wasn’t about the game, it was about getting onto the field and making that first hit and not thinking about my knee.”

In June 2021 Coenie was one of five Sale Sharks players to be named in the Springbok squad for the series against the British and Irish Lions.

Speaking after the announcement of the squad, South Africa’s Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus said: “The nice thing about the Sale set-up is there are a lot of South African guys who have played and been in the mix.

“Now Jean-Luc and his brother Dan, as well as Coenie are also in the mix.

“It hasn’t always been a lot, but these are guys we think that are in sync, guys we have access to, guys that play regularly with Faf [de Klerk].

“When guys are playing a game plan and you have to rely on a nine who in the Springboks, let’s say with Jean-Luc, Dan and Coenie, they are three new guys but they must jump together in the line-out and scrum together and then in general play they must mix with Faf.”