Tonderai Chavhanga

Tonderai Chavhanga
Date of birth (1983-12-24) 24 December 1983
Place of birth Masvingo, Zimbabwe
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
Weight 86 kg (13 st 8 lb; 190 lb)
School Prince Edward School, Harare
University University of the Free State
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Youth Career
2002–2003 Free State Cheetahs
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2003–2004 Free State Cheetahs 3 (5)
2004–2009 Stormers 37 (70)
2005–2009 Western Province 40 (80)
2010–2011 Lions 11 (10)
2010–2011 Golden Lions 8 (5)
2011–2013 Newport Gwent Dragons 28 (50)
2013 Free State Cheetahs 0 (0)
2014–2015 Sharks (Currie Cup) 16 (20)
2014–2015 Sharks 5 (5)
Correct as of 8 May 2015
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2003 South Africa Under-21 3 (10)
2003 South Africa Sevens ()
2005–2008 South Africa 4 (30)
2007 Emerging Springboks 2 (10)
Correct as of 25 March 2015

Tonderai Chavhanga (born 24 December 1983 in Masvingo, Zimbabwe) is a South African rugby union player. Chavhanga has played for the national team, the Springboks, having been capped four times.

Career

He played for the Stormers in the international Super Rugby competition. Tonderai Chavhanga left Cape Town in 2010 after he signed a two-year contract with the Lions in September 2009.

Chavhanga made his international debut for the Springboks as a 21-year-old on 11 June 2005 on the right wing, in a home game against Uruguay at the Basil Kenyon Stadium in East London. The Springboks notched up a large victory, winning 134 points to three. Chavhanga scored six tries in the match and now holds the South African record for the most number of tries scored in one game. He missed the end of year touring matches, because of a quad muscle injury.

He was selected as part of the Springboks squad to tour New Zealand and Australia. He was on the bench for the game against the All Blacks in Christchurch.

He could run the 100 meters in 10.27 seconds, possibly making him the fastest rugby player in South African history.

In September 2011 Chavhanga joined Welsh regional side Newport Gwent Dragons.[1] He was released by Newport Gwent Dragons at the end of the 2012–2013 season.

He returned to South Africa and was included in the Free State Cheetahs squad for the 2013 Currie Cup Premier Division season.[2]

Childhood

He was raised by his mother, who had a strong influence on his religious views. His mother worked in construction and built the house in which he grew up. Although poor his mother supported him financially and was the biggest influence on him. His father played very little role in his life, as he remarried and was uninvolved in his up bringing. Chavhanga attended Prince Edward School in Zimbabwe on a scholarship. He was the youngest player in the history of the school to play for the school's first team.

Xenophobia

He made a strong statement against xenophobia when he addressed media, in his capacity as a Springbok on the 2008 xenophobic attacks. He also clearly stated that he was a Shona, a Zimbabwean ethnic tribe.

He played rugby for the first time in Grade 5, at Harare's government-owned Blakiston Primary School. Even at such a tender age, Tonderai's speed qualities were very evident as he was much quicker than his peers. He made first team rugby for three consecutive years at primary school and made the Harare Schools Representative team for three straight years playing fullback.

References

  1. ↑ Chavhanga joins Dragons
  2. ↑ "SA Rugby Squad – Toyota Free State Cheetahs : 2013 Absa Currie Cup Premier Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
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