New Zealander · South Africa · Born 9 July 1977South African-born defender who played five Netball World Cups across two nations, becoming a Silver Ferns centurion after switching allegiance to New Zealand.
Leana de Bruin (née du Plooy) was born on 9 July 1977 in South Africa and played 34 Tests for the Proteas, including at the 1999 World Netball Championships in Christchurch, before relocating to New Zealand in 2000 after a chance conversation with a visiting team manager. Nicknamed 'Vlooi' from her maiden name, she made her Silver Ferns debut in 2003 against England, describing the emotional difficulty of no longer being able to sing the South African anthem. De Bruin went on to earn 104 caps for New Zealand across 14 years, becoming the fifth Silver Fern to reach 100 Test caps at the 2015 World Cup, and playing in five World Cups in total — a rare feat achieved for two different countries (1999 for South Africa, then 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015 for New Zealand). She won Commonwealth Games gold and represented New Zealand at three Commonwealth Games overall, and was jointly named the ANZ Championship's Most Valuable Player in 2011 while playing for an underperforming Southern Steel side. De Bruin retired from international netball in 2016 with 138 combined Test caps across both countries, but was coaxed out of retirement two years later to captain the Adelaide Thunderbirds for a season in Australia's Super Netball league, joining a squad that included South African Bongiwe Msomi and Chelsea Pitman. She has since worked in coaching and administration, including with Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, and runs Leana de Bruin Netball, offering coaching clinics across New Zealand.
Playing at five Netball World Cups across two different countries, a rare feat in the sport
How They Played
Willowy, athletic in-circle defender with strong aerial ability, long reach and effective through-court drives
Lasting Impact
Remembered as a no-nonsense, uncompromising defender who embraced New Zealand as her adopted home while never forgetting her South African roots
Career Honours
- 5x Netball World Cup player (across 2 nations, a rare feat)
- Fifth Silver Fern to reach 100 Test caps
- 2011 ANZ Championship Most Valuable Player (joint)
- 104 caps for New Zealand, 34 for South Africa
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Sting | 2000–2003 | — |
| Capital Shakers | 2004–2007 | — |
| Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic | 2008–2014 | — |
| Northern Stars | 2015–2016 | — |
| Adelaide Thunderbirds | 2018–2018 | — |
New Zealander Athletes