Mandisa Williams

Last updated

Mandisa Williams
Date of birth (1984-11-08) 8 November 1984 (age 38)
Place of birth Jongilanga, South Africa
Occupation(s)Commentator
Rugby union career
Position(s) Number 8
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1999–2016 Imonti Penguins ()
Provincial / State sides
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2000-16 Border ()
National team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2004–16Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
National sevens team(s)
YearsTeamComps
 2016 South Africa

Mandisa Williams (born 8 November 1984) [1] is a retired women's rugby union player from Jongilanga, Eastern Cape, South Africa. She played for Imonti Penguins, Border Bulldogs and the South Africa women's national rugby union team [2] as a Number 8. [3]

Contents

Career

Williams started playing rugby for Jogalanga Women, a club founded by her father, in 1999. [4] When she was 16, she was invited to Border Bulldogs trials and was selected for the team to play in the women's Currie Cup. [2] Shortly afterwards she made her international debut for South Africa in 2004. [4] In 2006, she was awarded the South African Rugby Union's Women's player of the year award [5] after playing in South Africa's first women's World Cup campaign at the 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup. [2]

In 2012, Williams was named as captain of the South Africa women's national rugby sevens team for the inaugural IRB Women's Sevens Series. [6] During the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup, Williams served as captain however after South Africa's first match, she was banned for 16 weeks for eye-gouging and missed the rest of the tournament. [3] She appealed against this but failed to overturn the ban. [7] Williams retired from rugby in 2016. [8]

Personal life

Williams studied sports management at Walter Sisulu University. [4] Following retirement, she became a sports commentator. [9]

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References

  1. "Mandisa Williams". Eurosport. 8 November 1984. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "Woman in a man's world". Mail & Guardian. 5 March 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  3. 1 2 "2014 Women's Rugby World Cup: South Africa captain Mandisa Williams banned for gouging". ESPN. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 "2007 May gSTAR: Mandisa Williams". Gsport.co.za. 1 May 2007. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  5. "Du Preez SA's best in 2006". News24.com. 1 November 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  6. "South Africa unveil women's Sevens line-up". IRB. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  7. "Springbok Women's captain Mandisa Williams loses appeal against 16-week ban". SA Rugby Mag. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  8. "Border duo to shake up Dubai Sevens". Daily Dispatch. Retrieved 9 November 2017 via PressReader.com.
  9. "Blitzboks still in the hunt in Singapore". Sport24. Retrieved 9 November 2017.