| Werner Swanepoel | |
| Birth Place: | Bloemfontein, South Africa |
| Weight: | 168lb |
| Ru Position: | Scrum-half |
| Years1: | 2002–2004 |
| Clubs1: | Worcester |
| Ru Provinceyears1: | 1993, 95–98 |
| Provinceyears2: | 1994 |
| Provinceyears3: | 1999 |
| Provinceapps1: | 61 |
| Provinceapps2: | 8 |
| Provinceapps3: | 16 |
| Provincepoints1: | 105 |
| Ru Provincepoints2: | 15 |
| Provincepoints3: | 10 |
| Superyears1: | 1998–2001 |
| Superapps1: | 34 |
| Superpoints1: | 25 |
| Repyears1: | 1997–2000 |
| Repcaps1: | 20 |
| Reppoints1: | 30 |
| Children: | Megan, Mikah, Kian, and Kai |
| School: | Grey College |
| University: | University of Pretoria |
| Birth Date: | 15 April 1973 |
Werner Swanepoel (born 15 April 1973) is a former South African rugby union player. He played as a scrum half for the Springboks from 1997 to 2000. His appearances for the Springboks were curtailed by virtue of his career coinciding with that of Joost van der Westhuizen. For the toothy grin he often flashed on the rugby field, he was given the nickname, "Smiley".[1]
Swanepoel attended Grey College in Bloemfontein and played for the Craven Week team from 1989 to 1991 and was selected for the South African Schools team in 1991. His senior provincial debut for the Free State was in 1993, whereafter he also played for, the and the .[2]
Swanepoel made his debut for the Springboks in 1997 against the British Lions at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. He represented South Africa in the 1999 Rugby World Cup, scoring a try in their pool match against Spain.[3] In 2001, he was a replacement for The Barbarians in their match against Australia in Cardiff.[4] His career was ended unexpectedly when he contracted viral meningitis while he was playing with the English club, Worcester.[5]
| No. | Opposition | Result (SA 1st) | Position | Tries | Date | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 35–16 | Replacement | 5 Jul 1997 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | |||
| 2. | 62–32 | Replacement | 23 Aug 1997 | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | |||
| 3. | 36–32 | Replacement | 15 Nov 1997 | Stade de Gerland, Lyon | |||
| 4. | 52–10 | 22 Nov 1997 | Parc des Princes, Paris | ||||
| 5. | 29–11 | Scrumhalf | 1 | 29 Nov 1997 | Twickenham, London | ||
| 6. | 68–10 | Scrumhalf | 6 Dec 1997 | Murrayfield, Edinburgh | |||
| 7. | 33–0 | Replacement | 20 Jun 1998 | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | |||
| 8. | 96–13 | Replacement | 27 Jun 1998 | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | |||
| 9. | 7–13 | Replacement | 5 Dec 1998 | Twickenham, London | |||
| 10. | 74–3 | Scrumhalf | 12 Jun 1999 | Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth | |||
| 11. | 101–0 | Replacement | 19 Jun 1999 | Kings Park, Durban | |||
| 12. | 19–29 | Scrumhalf | 1 | 26 Jun 1998 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff | ||
| 13. | 6–32 | Scrumhalf | 17 Jul 1999 | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane | |||
| 14. | 47–3 | Scrumhalf | 1 | 10 Oct 1999 | Murrayfield, Edinburgh | ||
| 15. | 22–18 | Replacement | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff | ||||
| 16. | 23–44 | Scrumhalf | 1 | 8 Jul 2000 | Colonial Stadium, Melbourne | ||
| 17. | 12–25 | Scrumhalf | 22 Jul 2000 | Jade Stadium, Christchurch | |||
| 18. | 6–26 | Scrumhalf | 29 Jul 2000 | Stadium Australia, Sydney | |||
| 19. | 46–40 | Scrumhalf | 2 | 19 Aug 2000 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | ||
| 20. | 18–19 | Scrumhalf | 26 Aug 2000 | Kings Park, Durban |