Jaco van der Walt

​South African playmaker Jaco van der Walt joined Edinburgh in November 2017 before making his debut for the club against Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

As a highly regarded youth prospect, van der Walt progressed through the Golden Lions academy, representing the Ellis Park outfit at every possible age-grade. The playmaker was subsequently selected in the South African Schools squad following impressive form for the Johannesburg-based side.

Van der Walt made his first-team debut for the Golden Lions during the opening match of the 2014 season before going on to make 33 appearances for the 2015 Currie Cup winners, scoring 147 points in the process.

The stand-off made his Super Rugby debut for the Emirates Lions in 2015 and played a major role in helping the side reach last season’s Super Rugby final.

Van der Walt scored his first try for the club in the team’s European Challenge Cup victory over Stade Francais at BT Murrayfield in 2017.

The stand-off enjoyed an excellent 2018/19 campaign and finished the season as the winner of the Guinness PRO14 Golden Boot.

Van der Walt played a major role as Edinburgh Rugby returned to action in 2019-20 following the Covid-19 caused season suspension.

The stand-off was named Player of the Match in the decisive 1872 Cup sealing win over Glasgow Warriors in September 2020, while he grabbed an assist in the Guinness PRO14 Semi-Final against Ulster that same season.

Van der Walt committed his future to the club in January 2021 by penning a new long-term deal.