Born and raised in Nelspruit, Daniel Maartens represented the Mpumalanga Pumas at every age-group level, before completing his schooling. A move to Bloemfontein soon followed and Maartens’ physical prowess saw him bypass the U19 Currie Cup by immediately being called up to the U21 squad, where he emerged as a pillage beyond compare. Three years spent in the U21 Currie Cup brought a tally of 25 tries and countless turnovers, garnering further attention for the title winning Shimlas team in the Varsity Cup, who soon realised that the region had unearthed a gem.

Comparisons to Heinrich Brussouw were in abundance and with the breakdown being so crucial to a team’s success, Maartens earned a Guinness Pro 14 call-up in 2017. As he reaches the prime of his career, the Openside’s work rate and tackle count have proven to be invaluable at every level of the game, including the world-renowned Currie Cup. Returning home to the Pumas in time for the 2020 Super Rugby SA competition, Daniel scored 4 tries in 7 appearances during the Covid-interrupted season. Adding power to numerous line breaks, Maartens is a name to remember.