Aphelele Fassi

Aphelele Fassi

Fassi playing for the Sharks in 2023
Full name	Aphelele Onke Okuhle Fassi
Born	(1998-01-23) 23 January 1998 (age 27) King William's Town, South Africa
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2+1⁄2 in)
Weight	92 kg (203 lb; 14 st 7 lb)
School	Dale College Boys' High School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback / Wing Current team Sharks / Sharks (rugby union) Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2018 Sharks XV 8 (24) 2018– Sharks (rugby union) 18 (20) 2019– Sharks 86 (146) Correct as of 30 March 2024 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2021– South Africa 15 (35) 2022– South Africa 'A' 1 (5) Correct as of 13 September 2025

Aphelele Onke Okuhle Fassi (born 23 January 1998) is a South African professional rugby union player for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship and the Currie Cup. ^[1] His regular position is wing or fullback.

Club career

His professional career began in 2018 with the Natal Sharks in the Currie Cup. ^{[2] [3]} He was praised for his speed and technique and won the championship in his first season. ^[4]

International career

In June 2021, Aphelele Fassi was selected for the first time with the Springboks by Jacques Nienaber to prepare for the British Lions' tour of South Africa. ^[5] He gets his first cap on July 2, 2021 against Georgia in Pretoria. ^{[6] [7]} This is his first international try. ^[8] Later that year, he was selected to play in the Rugby Championship and played a match against Argentina, scoring another try. ^[9] After this promising first international season, he is elected best young South African player for the year 2021. ^[10]

Test match record

As of 13 September 2025

Opponent	P	W	D	L	Try	Pts	%Won
Argentina	3	2	0	1	4	20	66.67
Australia	3	2	0	1	1	5	66.67
England	1	1	0	0	0	0	100
Georgia	2	2	0	0	1	5	100
New Zealand	2	2	0	0	0	0	100
Portugal	1	1	0	0	0	0	100
Wales	3	2	0	1	1	5	66.67
Total	15	12	0	3	7	35	80

International tries

As of 23 November 2024

Try	Opposing team	Location	Venue	Competition	Date	Result	Score
1	Georgia	Pretoria, South Africa	Loftus Versfeld Stadium	2021 July tests	2 July 2021	Win	40–9
2	Argentina	Gqeberha, South Africa	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium	2021 Rugby Championship	14 August 2021	Win	32–12
3	Australia	Perth, Australia	Perth Stadium	2024 Rugby Championship	17 August 2024	Win	12–30
4	Argentina	Santiago del Estero, Argentina	Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades	2024 Rugby Championship	21 September 2024	Loss	29–28
5	Argentina	Mbombela, South Africa	Mbombela Stadium	2024 Rugby Championship	28 September 2024	Win	48–7
6
7	Wales	Cardiff, Wales	Millennium Stadium	2024 Autumn Nations Series	23 November 2024	Win	12–45

References

1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Aphelele Fassi". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
2. "Sharks unearth 'special' youngster in Durban". www.news24.com. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
3. "A peek at Sharks future". rugby365.com. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
4. "Fassi has star power". www.sarugbymag.co.za. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
5. "Springboks name Lions series squad laden with World Cup winners, while Fassi, Dweba, Wiese called up". www.news24.com. 5 June 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
6. "L'Afrique du Sud avec 18 champions du monde contre la Géorgie". www.rugbyrama.fr. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
7. "How Aphelele Fassi impressed Bok coach to earn debut after 'close contact' Mapimpi ruled out". www.news24.com. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
8. "Wonder wing Aphelele Fassi cherishes 'visualised' Bok try on Test debut". www.news24.com. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
9. "Nienaber hails 'unbelievably talented' Fassi". www.sarugbymag.co.za. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
10. "Aphelele Fassi: Sharks star searching for consistency after stellar year". www.planetrugby.com. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.

External links

• Aphelele Fassi at Springboks
• Aphelele Fassi at European Professional Club Rugby
• Aphelele Fassi at ESPNscrum (archived)
• Aphelele Fassi at ItsRugby.co.uk