![]() Ndungane in 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Full name | Akona Zilindlovu Ndungane | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 20 February 1981 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Mthatha, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 93 kg (14 st 9 lb; 205 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Hudson Park High School, East London | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | Eastern Cape Technikon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | Odwa Ndungane (twin brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Akona Zilindlovu Ndungane (born 20 February 1981) is a former South African professional rugby union player whose usual position was on the wing, although he also played as the centre.
He started his career in the Eastern Cape, playing for the Mighty Elephants in 2003 and for the Border Bulldogs in 2004 and 2005, before he was loaned out to the Blue Bulls for two seasons and eventually bought outright by the Pretoria-based side. However, he spent the bulk of his career in Pretoria, where he played for the Bulls in the international Super Rugby competition as well as the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup competition. In 2005, he made his Super 12 debut for the Bulls against the Cats.
In 2004, he was included in the South Africa Sevens side that competed at the IRB Sevens World Series in Bordeaux and London. He also represented the Springboks in 2006 and 2007, and was part of the victorious 2007 Rugby World Cup squad. [1]
He announced his retirement at the conclusion of the 2015 Super Rugby season, having made in excess of hundred appearances for the Bulls in Super Rugby and a similar amount in domestic rugby with the Blue Bulls, Border Bulldogs and Mighty Elephants. [2]
He is the twin brother of winger Odwa Ndungane, who spent most of his career in Durban with the Sharks.
Odwa Mzuzo Ndungane is a former rugby union player that played first class rugby between 2000 and 2017. He played on the wing and spent the bulk of his career playing for the Sharks in the Super Rugby competition.
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