Darron Paul Nell (born 3 August 1980) is a South African professional rugby union player who most recently with the Eastern Province Kings.
Nell played rugby for the Free State Cheetahs between 2002 and 2008, mainly appearing as a flanker or number 8, before a short spell in France with Castres and then moving to the Eastern Province Kings where he was converted to a lock.
Nell started playing his rugby for the Free State Cheetahs, making his first class debut for them during the 2002 Vodacom Cup competition.
[4] He returned to action during the 2005 Currie Cup qualifying series, starting their final match of the series and scoring a try in a 43–0 victory over the Griffons,[5] before making a further two appearances in the Premier Division, but didn't feature in the play-off stages of the competition, where the Free State Cheetahs eventually beat the Blue Bulls 29–25 in the final to win the title for only the second time in their history.
[19] A year later, when his contract at Castres expired, he returned to South Africa to join Port Elizabeth-based side the Eastern Province Kings for the 2010 Currie Cup First Division season.
[23] He also played off the bench in both legs of their promotion/relegation series against the Pumas, but the Kings failed to win promotion to the 2011 Currie Cup Premier Division.
Nell scored two tries in four appearances during the 2011 Vodacom Cup, as a points deduction scuppered the Kings' chances of reaching the quarter-finals.
[28] Nell made seven appearances in the 2012 Vodacom Cup to help the Kings reach the quarter-finals for only the third time in their history, where they lost 30–19 to the Pumas.
[29] Nell was a vital part of the Kings' 2012 Currie Cup First Division squad; he played in thirteen matches as they reached the final of the competition for the third consecutive season.
Nell scored the Kings' first try in the final as they ran out 26–25 winners over the Pumas[30] to clinch the title for the second time in three seasons.
After the conclusion of the Super Rugby campaign, Nell made five starts in the 2013 Currie Cup First Division and scored one try in their match against the Border Bulldogs.