Reg Muller

Reg Muller

Personal information
Full name	Reg-Hack Muller
Nickname	Poenie
Born	6 March 1986 Johannesburg, South Africa
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	105 kg (16 st 7 lb)
School(s) attended	Marais Viljoen High School, Alberton
Club information
Playing position	Flanker / Number eight
Current club	Falcons
Youth career
2004	Golden Lions
2005–2007	Sharks
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Pts)^†
2007	Natal Wildebeest	3	(0)
2008–2014	Falcons	72	(130)
2014–2015	Mâcon		()
2015–present	Falcons	22	(35)
Representative team(s)^‡
2009	South Africa Sevens	0	(0)
* Senior club appearances and points correct as of 9 October 2016. † Appearances (Points). ‡ Representative team caps and points correct as of 26 August 2015.

Reg-Hack Muller (born 6 March 1986 in Johannesburg, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with the Falcons.^[1] His regular position is flanker or eighth man.

Career

Youth / Sharks

In 2004, Muller represented the Golden Lions at the premier high school rugby union competition in South Africa, the Under-18 Craven Week held in Nelspruit.

After finishing high school, he moved to Durban to join the Sharks Academy. He played for both the Sharks U19s and the Sharks U21s in the respective Provincial Championships in 2005 and for the Under-21s in 2006 (as well as Sevens.

In 2007, Muller made his first class debut for the Sharks' Vodacom Cup side, known as the Natal Wildebeest. He came on in the final minute of their match against the Free State Cheetahs in a 24–21 victory.^[2] After another appearance off the bench in their 13–19 loss to Western Province the following week,^[3] he started his first senior match, away to the Mighty Elephants in Port Elizabeth, where his side suffered a 45–0 loss.^[4] They eventually finished in fifth position and missed out on a quarter final spot. Muller returned to action for the Sharks U21s in the 2007 Under-21 Provincial Championship later in the year.

Falcons

In 2008, Muller returned to Gauteng, joining the East Rand-based Falcons. He made his debut for them in the 2008 Vodacom Cup competition in a 33–36 defeat to the Free State Cheetahs^[5] and his first start a week later against Western Province.^[6] In his fourth appearance for the Falcons, Muller scored his first try for the side; he scored in the final minutes of the match in Uniondale, with the Falcons eventually winning the match 27–26.^[7] He scored another try in his second start for the Falcons against the Mighty Elephants in Port Elizabeth,^[8] as his side finished in fifth spot on the Northern Section log.

Muller also made his Currie Cup debut in the same year. He came on as a replacement in their opening match of the 2008 Currie Cup Premier Division competition as they suffered a 42–48 defeat to the Boland Cavaliers in Brakpan.^[9] He made a total of four starts and four appearances off the bench in their 14-match season, scoring one try in their return match against the Boland Cavaliers in Wellington.^[10] It was a disappointing season for the Falcons as they finished last on the log, requiring them to play in a relegation play-off series against the Leopards to retain their Premier Division status. However, they lost both legs of the play-offs series – 24–29^[11] and 19–27^[12] respectively, with Muller starting both matches – to be relegated to the First Division for 2009.

Muller started five matches for the Falcons in the 2009 Vodacom Cup competition, scoring tries against the Griffons^[13] and Golden Lions^[14] as they finished bottom of the Northern Section, having won just one match against the Pumas in the competition. Muller featured in a Compulsory Friendly match against Griquas ahead of the 2009 Currie Cup First Division,^[15] which saw the Falcons lose all ten of their matches to finish bottom of the log. Despite the poor results, Muller was one of the best players during the Falcons' season, scoring six tries in six appearances – the joint-highest by a Falcons player.^[16] This included a hat-trick in their 15–47 defeat to the SWD Eagles in George as he scored all the Falcons' points in the match.^[17]

He made six appearances as the Falcons again lost all their matches in the 2010 Vodacom Cup and a further five in the 2010 Currie Cup First Division. He scored two tries in their match against the Border Bulldogs in East London, which proved crucial in a 38–37 victory, their only success in the competition.^[18]

He again scored two tries against the Border Bulldogs in East London during the 2011 Vodacom Cup, helping his side to a 43–15 victory^[19] as the Falcons eventually finished in sixth spot on the log, with two victories and a draw. Muller scored a try in a 28–25 Compulsory Friendly match victory over the Golden Lions^[20] and a further five in eight appearances in the 2011 Currie Cup First Division as their much-improved form saw them finish in third place on the log to qualify for the semi-finals. Three of his five tries once again came against the Border Bulldogs in a 57–42 victory,^[21] while he scored a brace in their 53–45 win against the SWD Eagles.^[22] Muller didn't feature in the semi-finals, however, as the Falcons lost to the Eastern Province Kings.^[23]

He played in all six of the Falcons' matches in the 2012 Vodacom Cup competition (as they finished bottom with one win against the Leopards) before emulating his try-scoring record from 2011, scoring five tries in the 2012 Currie Cup First Division; he got two tries in their 38–36 victory over the Border Bulldogs,^[24] one in their match against the Griffons in Kempton Park^[25] and one in each of their meetings against the Eastern Province Kings^[26][27] to make a total of eleven appearances to help the Falcons finish in seventh spot.

He made a single appearance for the Falcons in the 2013 Vodacom Cup in a 27–22 victory over the Golden Lions.^[28]

Mâcon

Muller joined French Fédérale 1 side Mâcon for the 2014–2015 Fédérale 1 season.^[29]

Return to Falcons

He returned to the Falcons in 2015 and was named in their squad for the 2015 Currie Cup First Division.^[30]

Sevens

Muller also played Sevens rugby; he represented the Sharks Sevens team in 2006 and 2007^[31] and also represented the South Africa Sevens side in the Namibia Sevens tournament in 2009.^[32] He was a member of the Kaizer Chiefs side that played at the 7s Premier League in 2013^[33] and played for Samurai Sevens and the Golden Lions Sevens teams in 2014.

Statistics

As of the start of the 2015 Currie Cup First Division.

First class career
Season	Teams	Currie Cup		Vodacom Cup		Other		Total
		Apps	Pts	Apps	Pts	Apps	Pts	Apps	Pts
2007	Natal Wildebeest	—	—	3	0	—	—	3	0
2008	Falcons	8	5	6	10	2	0	16	15
2009	Falcons	6	30	5	10	1	0	12	40
2010	Falcons	5	10	6	0	1	0	12	10
2011	Falcons	8	25	5	10	1	5	14	40
2012	Falcons	11	25	6	0	—	—	17	25
2013	Falcons	—	—	1	0	—	—	1	0
Total		38	95	32	30	5	5	75	130

References

1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Reg Muller". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
2. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Wildebeest 24-21 Free State". South African Rugby Union. 9 March 2007. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
3. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Western Province 19-13 Wildebeest". South African Rugby Union. 17 March 2007. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
4. "SA Rugby Match Centre – BA Mighty Elephants 45-0 Wildebeest". South African Rugby Union. 31 March 2007. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
5. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 33-36 Free State". South African Rugby Union. 1 March 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom WP 54-21 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 8 March 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – SWD 26-27 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 29 March 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
8. "SA Rugby Match Centre – BA Mighty Elephants 38-36 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 12 April 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 42-48 Boland Kavaliers". South African Rugby Union. 20 June 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
10. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Boland Kavaliers 31-29 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 8 August 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
11. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 24-29 Platinum Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 17 October 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
12. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 19-27 Platinum Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 24 October 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
13. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 34-37 Griffons". South African Rugby Union. 7 March 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
14. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Golden Lions 59-26 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 18 April 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
15. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 20-67 GWK Griquas". South African Rugby Union. 26 June 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
16. "SA Rugby Top Scorers – 2009 ABSA Currie Cup First Div". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
17. "SA Rugby Match Centre – SWD 47-15 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 15 August 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
18. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border 37-38 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 20 August 2010. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
19. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border 15-43 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 25 March 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
20. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 28-25 MTN Golden Lions XV". South African Rugby Union. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
21. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 57-42 Border Bulldogs". South African Rugby Union. 19 August 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
22. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 53-45 SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 24 September 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
23. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province Kings 48-17 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 7 October 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
24. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 38-36 Border Bulldogs". South African Rugby Union. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
25. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 27-37 Griffons". South African Rugby Union. 30 June 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
26. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 20-37 Eastern Province Kings". South African Rugby Union. 14 July 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
27. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province Kings 45-24 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
28. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 27-22 MTN Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. 15 March 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
29. "Reg-Hack Muller est apte à jouer". JSL (in French). 10 October 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
30. "SA Rugby Squad – Hino Valke : 2015 Absa Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
31. "Reg Muller - Back Row Forward". The Rugby Agents. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
32. "South Africa power to Namibia Sevens win". Ultimate Rugby Sevens. 27 September 2009. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
33. "Amakhosi pick Petersen". SA Rugby Magazine. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2015.