Terblanche had a dream Test debut on the wing against Ireland in Bloemfontein on June 13, 1998 where he equalled Chester Williams and Pieter Rossouw’s then Springbok record of four tries. The 22-year-old flyer went on to better the record with an unprecedented five try haul against Italy the following year on his way to establishing himself as one of the best finishers in South African rugby history. His Test try per match ratio of 0.51 is superior to that of the legendary Carel du Plessis (0.33), Breyton Paulse (0.40) and Jean de Villiers (0.40).
After a highly successful six-year tenure at the Sharks, Terblanche jetted off to Wales where he honed his skills in the challenging conditions. It is at there, at the Ospreys, where Terblanche’s transformation from ace wing to world-class fullback took shape. After winning 87 caps and helping the Ospreys clinch the Magners League in the 2006/07 season, a reinvented Terblanche returned to his beloved Sharks. He played an integral part in the Sharks’ Currie Cup-winning campaign of 2008 – their first domestic title in 12 years – and expertly captained the side to the 2009 Currie Cup semi-finals, where the defending champions succumbed to a determined Cheetahs outfit.
Since his return to South Africa, many have called for the Sharks’ centurion’s return to the Springbok squad, but despite producing consistently stellar performances, the veteran remains overlooked.
Records/Honours:
Holds Boland Cavaliers record for most tries in a season (20 in 1997)Holds Boland Cavaliers record for career tries (49)Equal top try scorer in 1998 Super 12 with 10 triesTri-Nations winner with South Africa 1998Member of Ospreys squad winning the 2006-07 Magners LeagueCurrie Cup winner with Natal Sharks 2008Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year nominee, 2008 & 2009SA Players' Player of the Year nominee, 2009.