Damian De Allende

Damian De Allende is a highly accomplished South African rugby union player, recognized for his impactful performances as a centre and wing for various club teams and the national Springboks squad. He is one of the few elite players to have won two Rugby World Cup titles. After making his first team debut for Western Province during the 2012 Vodacom Cup, appearing in three games and scoring one try, Damian De Allende quickly established himself as a formidable South African rugby union player. He was included in the squad for the 2012 Currie Cup Premier Division.

De Allende played for Western Province in youth rugby from 2010-2012 and the UCT Ikey Tigers in the 2012 Varsity Cup before signing a two-year contract with Western Province and the Stormers in 2013. His club career featured significant stints with Western Province (2012-2018) and the Stormers (2013-2019), where he made 91 appearances and scored 75 points. Concurrently, he completed a spell with Kintetsu Liners from 2015 to 2017. His international career with the South Africa national team, the Springboks, began in 2014, debuting in the Rugby Championship against Argentina.

Becoming a key international presence, he scored two tries against World XV in 2015 and was selected for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. In 2017, he extended his contract with the Stormers until the 2019 season. After the Springboks’ 2019 Rugby World Cup victory, De Allende joined Japanese Top League side Saitama Wild Knights. He then moved to the Irish United Rugby Championship side Munster, playing from 2020 to 2022.

After his successful spell with Munster, he returned to Saitama Wild Knights. He has earned 93 caps for South Africa, contributing 55 points, and remains a consistent, impactful presence in major international tournaments and club competitions.