Breyton Paulse

Who is Breyton Paulse?

Breyton Paulse is a South African rugby union player who has played at wing for the national team, the Springboks, since 1999.

By the time Paulse was entering secondary school, apartheid was being dismantled, meaning that his status as Coloured would have no effect on his rugby aspirations. However, his size proved to be a major concern; at his adult size of 1.78 m, 80 kg, he was thought to be too small to play top-flight rugby. Despite his size, his tremendous speed ensured that he would receive a serious look from selectors at all levels.

Paulse garnered attention almost from the start of his top-flight rugby career with a hat-trick of tries in his first Currie Cup match in 1996, and eventually made his first Springboks appearance in 1999. In his first appearance for the Springboks against Italy, he scored a hat-trick.

As of 7 August 2005, he has amassed 54 appearances for the Springboks, placing him in the top seven all-time for Springboks caps, and scored 22 tries. Perhaps his most notable Springboks match was a two-try performance against Australia in the 2002 Tri Nations. In the Currie Cup, playing mainly for Western Province, he has averaged nearly a try a match.