Marais Schmidt
# Marais Schmidt

David 'Marais' Schmidt (born 23 April 1992) is a South African professional rugby union player, that played first class rugby with the Golden Lions and Griquas between 2011 and 2014. His regular position is fly-half or full-back.

## Career

### Youth and Varsity Cup rugby

He represented the Golden Lions at all available youth levels. He first played for them at Under-13 level at the primary schools Craven Week tournament in 2005. In 2008, he played for their Under-16 side at the Grant Khomo Week, which also led to his inclusion in a South African Under-16 Elite Squad. He played for the Under-18s at the 2009 Academy Week and the 2010 Craven Week tournaments, top-scoring for the Lions and being selected for a South African Under-18 High Performance Squad in 2010, which played against France, England and Namibia.

He played for the Golden Lions U19 side in the 2010 Under-19 Provincial Championship, making two appearances, and played a full season in the 2011 Under-19 Provincial Championship, scoring 97 points in eleven starts. He also made one appearance at Under-21 level in the 2011 Under-21 Provincial Championship.

He reached the century mark in both of the next two seasons for the Golden Lions U21. In 2012, he scored 131 points in twelve starts, the second most in the competition behind the Sharks U21s Fred Zeilinga and in 2013, he made thirteen starts and scored 156 points to once again finish second in the scoring charts, this time behind Western Province U21s Tim Swiel. He also won the award for the Lions Backline Player of the Year in 2013.

Schmidt was included in the South Africa Under-20 squad that played at the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship held in South Africa. He made his appearance in the competition, their final pool match against Italy.

In 2014, Schmidt played Varsity Cup rugby for Johannesburg-based university side UJ. He kicked thirteen conversions and two penalties to finish as UJ's top scorer for the competition with 43 points.

### Golden Lions

Schmidt played for a Golden Lions XV in a compulsory friendly against the Falcons prior to the 2011 Currie Cup Premier Division, scoring 10 points in a 28–25 loss, but failed to make the squad for the competition proper.

He was included in their squad for the 2012 Vodacom Cup however, and made his debut in that competition against the Leopards in Potchefstroom, scoring all his side's points in a 23–16 defeat. He made a total of five appearances during the competition, contributing 37 points. He made one start for them in the 2013 Vodacom Cup, scoring 9 points in their 30–19 defeat against the Griffons in Welkom. A further two appearances off the bench followed in the 2014 Vodacom Cup.

### Griquas

After the 2014 Vodacom Cup, Schmidt moved to Kimberley-based side Griquas. He played off the bench on four occasions during the 2014 Currie Cup qualification tournament, as Griquas won promotion to the 2014 Currie Cup Premier Division. He made his debut in the Currie Cup Premier Division in the opening match of that competition, a 24–31 loss to the Sharks and also played 70 minutes against the Free State Cheetahs the following week.

### Blue Bulls

He moved to Nelspruit to join the Pumas for 2015, but failed to make an appearance for them before joining the Blue Bulls prior to the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division.

