The player profile of Damian de Allende, the rugby centre

The player profile of Damian de Allende, the rugby centre

Grace Waruguru
February 19, 2024 at 9:02 AM

Damian de Allende is a South African Rugby World Cup champion and a center for the Japanese club Saitama Wild Knights. His impressive player profile has made him one of the most highly sought-after rugby players globally. How well do you know the player? Keep reading to discover all the exciting facts about his career achievements and life story.

Rugby centre Damian de Allede
Damian de Allende is a rugby center and winger for the Japanese club Saitama Wild Knights. Photo: @damiandeallende (Modified by author)
Source: Instagram

The South African national rugby team, popularly known as the Springboks, is the top team worldwide. The squad has produced some of the finest players who now represent different clubs, and Damian de Allende is no exception. Here is everything there is to learn about his player profile.

Damian de Allende's profile and bio summary

Full name

Damian de Allende

Age

32 years old (As of 2024)

Date of birth

November 25th, 1991

Place of birth

Cape Town, South Africa

Nationality

South African

Parents

Tony and Beverly De Allender

Marital status

Married

Spouse

Domenica Vigliotti

Children

Gabriel and Allessia

Height

6 feet, 2 inches

Weight

101kgs

Hair colour

Dark brown

Eye colour

Brown

Education

University of Cape Town

Profession

Professional rugby player

Position

Centre, winger

Social media presence

Instagram, X (Twitter)

What is Damien de Allende's age?

Damian de Allende in September 2023
Damian de Allende poses for a portrait during the South Africa Rugby World Cup 2023 Squad photocall on September 02, 2023, in Toulon, France. Photo: Alex Livesey (Modified by author)
Source: Original

How old is Damien de Allende? The South African rugby player was born on November 25, 1991 (as of February 2024). He was born and brought up in Cape Town, South Africa.

Damian de Allende's family

Who are Damian de Allende's parents? Damian has Hispanic heritage from his parents, Tony and Beverly De Allender. Unfortunately, their details are not public. Damian de Allende's father, Tony, is a South African rugby player who has played an integral role in shaping his son's career. In an interview, de Allende cited that they experienced financial struggles growing up, but his parents encouraged him to follow his passion.

Does Damian de Allende have siblings?

Damian has shared scanty information about his siblings. Netizens have been curious to discover who Damian de Allende's brother is, but the details are under wraps.

Education

Allende attended Milnerton High School before proceeding to the University of Cape Town, a renowned rugby academy. He started playing as a teenager and represented Western Province at the Under-19 and Under-21 levels. Damian also won the Varsity Cup with his university team. Surprisingly, De Allende previously played cricket but fell in love with rugby and pursued it.

Is Damian de Allende married?

The 32-year-old is married to Domenica Vigliotti. The lovers started dating in 2019 and got engaged in May 2022. Damian and Domenica tied the knot on November 18th, 2023. Damian de Allende's wedding took place at Belair Pavilion in the Cape Winelands and was graced by the couple's celebrity friends and sports personalities.

The bride's stunning gown had the phrase ''Stronger Together,'' Springbrok's official hashtag during the World Cup. Damian de Allende's wife is an Italian national but has not shared details of her personal or professional life.

Does Damian de Allende have a child?

Damian and his wife are parents to two children, Gabriel and Alessia. Unfortunately, they have not shared further information about them online.

Career

Damian de Allende holds Webb Ellis Cup
Damian de Allende poses with the Webb Ellis Cup during the South Africa Winners Portrait shoot after the Rugby World Cup Final match on October 29, 2023. Photo: Adam Pretty (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Allende's career debuted with the Hamiltons Under-20 before joining the Western Province and playing at the 2012 Vodacom Cup. He made three appearances and scored one try before being included in the 2012 Currie Cup Premier Division squad. In August 2013, he joined Western Province and the Stormers until 2015. He extended his stay with the Stormers until 2019.

In 2019, Damian was part of the winning team at the Rugby World Cup. Afterwards, he joined the Japanese league Saitama Wild Knights, and later joined Irish club Munster on a two-year contract. The athlete's Champions Cup debut for Western Province was in 2020/2021 during a game against Harlequins, where Munster won 21-7. After the season, the father of two returned to Saitama.

De Allende was part of the 2020/2021 Pro14 Dream Team during his first season with Munster. Here are all of Damian de Allende's rugby stats:

  • The player won the 2012 Absa Currie Cup with Western Province, ending an 11-year drought.
  • De Allende was part of the Springboks' next squad for the 2014 Rugby Championship and was in the starting line-up for their opening match against Argentina.
  • He was selected in the starting XV of the South African side against the World XV for a July 2015 game, scoring two tries.
  • Damian won the 2015 SA Vodacom Super Rugby Player of the Year Award.
  • The winger started in all three tests for South Africa during the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa, earning his 50th cap for the Springboks during their third test victory that sealed a series win for the team.

What is Damian de Allende's salary?

Damian de Allende in April 2022
Damian de Allende takes a selfie with fans after Munster's victory in the Heineken Champions Cup Second Leg match against Exeter Chiefs on April 16, 2022. Photo: Harry Murphy (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

According to online sources, Allende is worth between $2 and $3 million, primarily from his professional career, but also includes assets, investments, and brand endorsements. Some notable brands he has worked with include Golden Concept South Africa, Apple, Aldo Shoes South Africa, and Nike.

The player has also appeared on the front cover of fashion magazines like GQ and Men’s Health. His annual salary is an estimated $500,000, according to several sources.

Damian de Allende's height and weight

Damian de Allende's height is 6 feet and 2 inches, while his weight is about 109 kg.

Damian de Allende's Instagram presence

Damian de Allende in October 2023
Damian de Allende at the South Africa men's national rugby team announcement media conference at Salle Jeanne d'Arc on October 19, 2023, in Presles, France. Photo: Steve Haag (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

The Rugby World Cup champion has attracted a massive online following, likely due to his sporting achievements. As of February 2024, Damian has over 128k followers on Instagram. He is also on X (Twitter), boasting over 58.2k followers.

Final word

Damian de Allende has gained popularity for his physical style of play during defence. He is also skilled in holding up ball carriers and slowing down the opposition's attacks. As he flies his country's flag across the globe, sports enthusiasts will be eager to see what becomes of the international athlete in years to come.

READ ALSO: Rugby Vs. American football. Which is the tougher contact sport?

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Rugby and American football are both challenging and take up intense athleticism. Athletes undergo immense training to attain the form required to succeed in them. ESPN ranks American football as the third most brutal sport, while rugby is rated 13th. Check out the above article for a detailed comparison of the two sports.

Authors
Grace Waruguru photo
Grace Waruguru
Grace has over 4 years of experience in article writing and digital media content creation for various local and global brands. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication (Public Relations) from Daystar University, Kenya.