Cliven Loubser Bio
Cliven Sven James Loubser (born 24 February 1997) is a Namibian rugby union player who currently plays for Anthem Rugby Carolina in Major League Rugby (MLR). A fly-half by trade, he represents Namibia at international level and made his test debut for his country in 2017 against Russia. Standing 1.76 m (5 ft 9½ in) tall and weighing 85 kg (13 st 5 lb), Loubser has built his career across southern Africa, England, and the United States.
After developing through respected youth and amateur systems in South Africa and Namibia, Loubser moved into professional rugby in 2020 with Yorkshire Carnegie in the RFU Championship. He later joined the Utah Warriors in MLR before signing with Anthem Rugby Carolina, where he continues to feature as a first-five-eighth.
Early Life and Background
Cliven Sven James Loubser was born on 24 February 1997 in Rehoboth, Namibia, a town known in Namibian sport for producing a steady stream of rugby talent. Growing up in this environment, he was introduced to the game at a young age and progressed through the country’s schoolboy system.
He attended Windhoek Gymnasium, one of Namibia’s most prominent secondary schools and a traditional source of national players. At Gymnasium, Loubser developed the technical foundations of his play, particularly the distribution, kicking, and decision-making skills that would later define him as a fly-half. His time at the school coincided with Namibia’s growing investment in age-group rugby, which gave promising schoolboys clearer pathways to representative teams.
During his school years, Loubser began attracting attention from regional age-grade sides in neighbouring South Africa. The proximity of Namibia’s southern border to strong rugby unions in the Northern and Eastern Cape regions allowed talented teenagers like Loubser to be identified and invited into youth structures beyond their home country.
Path to Rugby
Loubser’s formal rugby development began when he linked up with Eastern Province U19 in 2016, his first season in a South African youth system. The move gave him access to higher-level coaching and more competitive fixtures than were typically available at the schoolboy level, and helped him adjust to the demands of provincial-style rugby.
In 2017, he progressed to the Sharks U21 setup in Durban, one of the most respected age-group programmes in South African rugby. Playing alongside and against future professionals, Loubser sharpened his game-management skills and grew into the fly-half role. The same year, he was selected by Namibia for his first senior international tour, making his test debut against Russia in 2017.
The following season, in 2018, Loubser joined UP Tuks, the University of Pretoria’s rugby club that competes in South Africa’s university competitions. The environment allowed him to balance academic commitments with high-level rugby, and it served as a bridge between his youth career and senior professional rugby. In 2019, he returned to Namibia to play for the Welwitschias, the country’s flagship amateur side and the traditional feeder to the national team.
Cliven Loubser Career
Early Career (2016–2019)
Loubser’s early senior years were split between the Welwitschias in Namibia and youth rugby in South Africa. After spells with Eastern Province U19 in 2016 and the Sharks U21 in 2017, he spent 2018 with UP Tuks, where he continued to develop as a playmaker. The Welwitschias amateur stint from 2019 to 2020 gave him consistent game time at a senior level and kept him in the national team picture.
These formative seasons allowed Loubser to establish himself as Namibia’s preferred fly-half option. By combining domestic amateur rugby with international duty, he built the experience and conditioning needed to make the jump to fully professional rugby abroad.
RFU Championship Breakthrough (2020)
In 2020, Loubser signed with Yorkshire Carnegie in England’s RFU Championship, the second tier of English rugby. The move represented his first full-time professional contract and a significant step up in intensity, training load, and weekly competition.
Playing in England exposed Loubser to a different style of rugby, with a greater emphasis on set-piece accuracy, kicking territory, and structured phase play. His stint at Carnegie, although brief, helped him adapt to professional standards and prepared him for a return to franchise rugby.
Utah Warriors Era (2021–2023)
Following his time in England, Loubser joined the Utah Warriors in Major League Rugby ahead of the 2021 season. The move marked his entry into North American professional rugby and reunited him with a high-tempo, ball-in-hand style of play.
Across three seasons with the Warriors from 2021 to 2023, Loubser became a reliable presence at fly-half. He contributed both as a goal-kicker and a distributor, helping the franchise compete in the MLR standings. His performances in Utah strengthened his reputation as one of the leading Namibian playmakers in the United States.
Anthem Rugby Carolina Era (2024–Present)
In 2024, Loubser transferred to Anthem Rugby Carolina, another MLR franchise, where he continues to operate as a starting fly-half. The move signalled a fresh chapter in his professional career and placed him within a new team environment and coaching setup.
At Anthem Rugby Carolina, Loubser has been tasked with directing the team’s attacking shape and managing territory through his kicking game. His arrival has added experienced international leadership to the squad, and he has continued to be available for Namibia’s international commitments alongside his MLR schedule.
Driving Style and Strengths
Loubser is recognised for his composure at first receiver, his reliable goal-kicking, and his ability to control field position through a varied kicking game. As a fly-half, he combines distribution skills with sound tactical decision-making, allowing him to suit both territory-based and expansive attacking systems. His international experience with Namibia and his exposure to English and American rugby have given him a well-rounded skill set.
Notable Events and Milestones
A defining milestone in Loubser’s career came in 2017 when he made his test debut for Namibia against Russia, becoming one of the country’s younger fly-halves to feature at senior international level. His subsequent moves to Yorkshire Carnegie, the Utah Warriors, and Anthem Rugby Carolina each marked clear steps in his professional growth, and his continued selection for Namibia reflects his standing within the national set-up.
Cliven Loubser Career Wins
Verified individual match or tournament win totals for Cliven Sven James Loubser are not available in the supplied sources, so a detailed win tally cannot be presented. What is confirmed is a career progression that includes representative honours with Namibia from 2017 onwards, professional appearances in the RFU Championship with Yorkshire Carnegie, and stints in Major League Rugby with the Utah Warriors and Anthem Rugby Carolina.
Major League Rugby Highlights
Loubser has been a starting fly-half for two MLR franchises, spending three seasons with the Utah Warriors from 2021 to 2023 before joining Anthem Rugby Carolina in 2024. Specific match-by-match win counts are not documented in the supplied material, and so cannot be listed with certainty.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond his MLR and English rugby spells, Loubser has represented Namibia internationally since 2017 and played for the Welwitschias at amateur level. Detailed regional or representative win totals are not recorded in the provided sources.
Cliven Loubser Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Cliven Sven James Loubser’s parents and broader family background is not available in the supplied sources. As a result, details of any family members, siblings, or sporting lineage cannot be included with confidence.
Personal Life
Verified information about Loubser’s personal life, including marital status, spouse, or children, is not available in the supplied sources. Any non-football personal details have therefore been omitted to avoid speculation.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 Major League Rugby season, Cliven Sven James Loubser remains a key figure at Anthem Rugby Carolina, where he is expected to continue as the team’s primary fly-half. His experience across the RFU Championship and MLR provides a steady hand at first receiver, and his goal-kicking remains a core part of the franchise’s points-scoring threat.
For Namibia, 2025 is likely to bring further international duty, with Loubser’s senior test debut dating back to 2017 against Russia. He remains part of the country’s fly-half depth chart, balancing MLR commitments with national team selection windows.
Loubser’s outlook for 2025 centres on consistency, leadership at fly-half, and continued availability for both Anthem Rugby Carolina and Namibia. With established partnerships in the United States and a settled role at first five-eighth, he is positioned to remain a steady contributor at club and international level.