Brandon Thomson
Full nameBrandon Terry Thomson
Date of birth (1995-03-07) 7 March 1995
Place of birthTrichardt, South Africa
Height1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in)
Weight92 kg (14 st 7 lb; 203 lb)
SchoolHoërskool Ermelo, Ermelo
UniversityUniversity of South Africa
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half
Current team Pumas
Youth career
2012–2013 Pumas
2014–2017 Western Province
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015 Maties 7 (24)
2017 Stirling County[1] ()
2017–2018 Ayr ()
2018–2019 Stirling County ()
2019 Stirling County 2 (5)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2017 Stormers 7 (26)
2016–2017 Western Province 16 (107)
2017 → Glasgow Warriors 3 (12)
2017–2021 Glasgow Warriors 28 (117)
2021–2022 Free State Cheetahs 6 (19)
2021–2022 Cheetahs ()
2023– Pumas ()
Correct as of 13 March 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013 South Africa Schools 2 (10)
2015 South Africa Under-20 5 (59)
Correct as of 18 April 2018

Brandon Terry Thomson (born 7 March 1995) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with Scottish Pro14 side Glasgow Warriors.[2] His regular position is fly-half.

Rugby union career

Youth: Pumas and South African Schools

As a product of Hoërskool Ermelo, Thomson was called up to represent the Pumas at youth level, representing them at the Under-18 Craven Week – South Africa's premier rugby union competition at high school level – in both 2012 and 2013. He was the joint-sixth top scorer at the 2012 event in Port Elizabeth with 25 points,[3] and the seventh-highest points scorer in the 2013 event in Polokwane with 40 points.[4] After the 2013 tournament, Thomson was also included in a South African Schools side for their annual Under-18 International Series against sides from Europe.[5] He started their match against England and kicked two penalties in a 19–14 victory.[6] He was an unused replacement for their second match against France,[7] but returned to the starting line-up for their final match against Wales, kicking two conversions in a 14–13 victory.[8]

Youth: Western Province, Maties and South Africa Under-20

After finishing high school, Thomson moved to the Western Cape to join the Western Province Rugby Institute prior to the 2014 season.[9] He represented the Western Province U19 side during the 2014 Under-19 Provincial Championship, making eight appearances and scoring nine points as the team finished in third position on the log to qualify for the play-offs. He didn't feature in the play-offs, however, where Western Province beat Free State U19 29–22 in the semi-finals[10] and the Blue Bulls U19s 33–26 in the final[11] to win the competition. Thomson also made one appearance for the Western Province U21s in the 2014 Under-21 Provincial Championship, coming on as a replacement in their match against the Sharks U21s.[12]

At the start of 2015, Thomson was included in the Maties squad that played in the 2015 Varsity Cup. He played in all seven of their matches during the competition – scoring 24 points in the process[13] – in a disappointing season for Maties, who missed out on the semi-finals by finishing the season in fifth position.

Shortly after the Varsity Cup, he was selected a 37-man South Africa Under-20 training squad[14] and also started for them in a friendly match, kicking two penalties and a conversion in a 31–24 victory in a friendly match against a Varsity Cup Dream Team at the conclusion of the 2015 Varsity Cup competition.[15] He was named in their squad to tour Argentina for a two-match series as preparation for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[16] He was an unused replacement in their 25–22 victory over Argentina in the first match,[17] but started in their 39–28 win in the second match four days later, scoring two penalties and four conversions for the visitors.[18]

Upon the team's return, he was named in the final squad for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[19] He started all three of their matches in Pool B of the competition and was also the main kicker for South Africa throughout the competition. He kicked three conversions in a 33–5 win against hosts Italy in the opening match,[20] three penalties and two conversions in a 40–8 win against Samoa[21] and two penalties and four conversions in their final match against Australia, also scoring a try in the 55th minute of their 46–13 win.[22] The results meant that South Africa finished top of Pool B to qualify for the semi-finals with the best record in the pool stage of all the teams in the competition. Thomson also started their semi-final match against England, kicking two conversions and two penalties, but couldn't prevent them losing the match 20–28 to be eliminated from the competition by England for the second year in succession.[23] He started their third-place play-off match against France, with his four conversions and one penalty helping South Africa to a 31–18 win to win the bronze medal.[24] He ended the competition as the top scorer in the tournament, with 59 points.[25][26]

Thomson returned to domestic action in July 2015 to play for the Western Province U21 side in the 2015 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A. He started six of his side's twelve matches during the regular season of the competition, helping them finish top of the log after winning ten of their matches. He also started in their semi-final match, kicking five conversions and a penalty in a 43–20 victory over the Golden Lions U21,[27] and the final, in which he scored a try and kicked four penalties and four conversions – with a personal points tally of 25 points that also won him the Man of the Match award[28] – as Western Province beat Free State U21 52–17 to win the competition.[29]

In 2016, Thomson was named as a member of Super Rugby team the Stormers' training squad that prepared for the 2016 Super Rugby season.[30]

Glasgow Warriors

In February 2017, Thomson joined Scottish Pro12 club Glasgow Warriors on a two-month loan deal.[31] He made his Pro 12 debut at fullback in their Round 15 match against Ulster, scoring a try and one conversion in a 17–37 defeat. He has the Warrior No. 280.[32] He started their next match against Ospreys at fly-half, scoring five points with the boot, and came on as a replacement in a 47–17 win over Newport Gwent Dragons.

Thomson also featured for Stirling County in the Scottish Premiership.[1]

On 4 July 2017 it was announced that Thomson would return to the Warriors, after his successful loan period at the end of the 2016-17 season. The fly-half secured a permanent two-year deal starting for the 2017–18 season.[33]

Thomson was drafted to Ayr in the Scottish Premiership for the 2017–18 season.[34]

Thomson has been drafted to Stirling County in the Scottish Premiership for the 2018–19 season.[35]

Stirling County

Stirling County ran a professional side, as well as an amateur side in 2019-20. This was in the Super 6 league competition, a new professional league run by the SRU. Players could turn out for the Super 6 sides as well as the provincial sides Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby. Thomson played for the professional Stirling County side.

Cheetahs

On 8 February 2021 Thomson signed a deal with the Cheetahs through to 2022.[36]

References

  1. 1 2 "Eight Warriors in Premiership action" (Press release). Glasgow Warriors. 9 February 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  2. ↑ "SA Rugby Player Profile – Brandon Thomson". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  3. ↑ "SA Rugby Top Scorers – 2012 U18 Craven Week". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  4. ↑ "SA Rugby Top Scorers – 2013 U18 Craven Week". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "SA Schools squad announced". Sport24. 13 July 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 19–14 England". South African Rugby Union. 9 August 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  7. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 17–13 France". South African Rugby Union. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  8. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 14–13 Wales". South African Rugby Union. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  9. ↑ "Cream of the crop chooses WPRI" (Press release). Western Province. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  10. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Free State U19 22–29 Western Province U19". South African Rugby Union. 18 October 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  11. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U19 33–26 Blue Bulls U19". South African Rugby Union. 25 October 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  12. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U21 51–32 Sharks U21". South African Rugby Union. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  13. ↑ "SA Rugby Top Scorers – 2015 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  14. ↑ "SARU names large group for Junior Bok trials". South African Rugby Union. 25 March 2015. Archived from the original on 6 December 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  15. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Varsity Cup XV 24–31 South Africa U/20". South African Rugby Union. 21 April 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  16. ↑ "SARU names Junior Bok squad for Argentine tour". South African Rugby Union. 29 April 2015. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  17. ↑ "Los Pumitas cayeron ante Baby Boks por 25 a 22". Unión Argentina de Rugby (in Spanish). 12 May 2015. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  18. ↑ "Los Pumitas cayeron ante Baby Boks por 39 a 28". Unión Argentina de Rugby (in Spanish). 16 May 2015. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  19. ↑ "Liebenberg to lead Junior Boks at U20 World Championship in Italy". South African Rugby Union. 20 May 2015. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  20. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Italy U20 5–33 South Africa U20". South African Rugby Union. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  21. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 40–8 Samoa U20". South African Rugby Union. 6 June 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  22. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 46–13 Australia U20". South African Rugby Union. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  23. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 20–28 England U20". South African Rugby Union. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  24. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – France U20 18–31 South Africa U20". South African Rugby Union. 20 June 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  25. ↑ "2015 in Review: World Rugby U20s". World Rugby. 26 December 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  26. ↑ "SA Rugby Top Scorers – 2015 World Rugby U20 Championship". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  27. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U21 43–20 Golden Lions U21". South African Rugby Union. 17 October 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  28. ↑ "WP young guns, EP clinch junior titles". South African Rugby Union. 25 October 2015. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  29. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U21 52–17 Free State U21". South African Rugby Union. 24 October 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  30. ↑ "DHL Stormers 2016 training camp squad announced" (Press release). Stormers. 11 January 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  31. ↑ "Thomson gaining experience in Glasgow" (Press release). Stormers. 9 February 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  32. ↑ https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/glasgow-files/files/Player_Numbers.pdf%5B%5D
  33. ↑ "Thomson to return to Glasgow on two-year deal - Glasgow Warriors". www.glasgowwarriors.org.
  34. ↑ "News". Glasgow Warriors. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  35. ↑ "Tennent's Premiership clubs decide pro-player draft | Scottish Rugby Union". Archived from the original on 2 September 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  36. ↑ "Cheetahs confirm signing of former Junior Bok Brandon Thomson". 8 February 2021.
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