Nomawethu Mabenge

Last updated

Nomawethu Mabenge
Date of birth (1996-08-27) 27 August 1996 (age 28)
Height1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight81 kg (179 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Winger
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2021–Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 11 (30)

Nomawethu Mabenge (born 27 August 1996) is a South African rugby union player who plays as an Outside Back for the EP Queens and the South Africa women's national rugby union team. In 2022 she was nominated for the International Rugby Players Women's Try of the Year award. [1]

Contents

Early life

"Weto" Mabenge is from Gqeberha, formerly Port Elizabeth, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. [2]

Career

In September 2022 Mabenge was named in the South Africa squad for the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup, held in New Zealand. [3] Mabenge scored South Africa’s first try at the World Cup, in their opening match against France, and in total scored five tries in seven appearances through 2022 for South Africa. [4]

Mabenge was nominated for the "International Rugby Players Women’s Try of the Year" for her try during the South Africa, v Spain on 12 August 2022 in Potchefstroom. She was said to have "combined strength, agility and pace to run in from halfway against Spain to score". [5]

Personal life

Mabenge is nicknamed "Sbu" after her male counterpart in the South African rugby team Sbu Nkosi. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Africa national rugby union team</span> National sports team

The South Africa national rugby union team, commonly known as the Springboks, is the country's national team governed by the South African Rugby Union. The Springboks play in green and gold jerseys with white shorts, and their emblem is the Springbok, a native antelope and the national animal of South Africa. The team has represented South African Rugby Union in international rugby union since 30 July 1891, when they played their first test match against a British Isles touring team. Currently, the Springboks are the reigning World Champions, having won the World Cup a record four times. South Africa are the only team to have won half of the Rugby World Cups they have participated in, and are also the second nation to win the World Cup consecutively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JP Pietersen</span> Rugby player

Jon-Paul Roger "JP" Pietersen is a South African former rugby union player for the Sharks in the Currie Cup. He generally played fullback or wing, but occasionally he played at outside centre. He played in 69 tests for the Springboks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pierre Spies</span> Rugby player

Pierre Johan Spies is a retired South African rugby union player. He usually played as a Number 8, but could also play as a flanker and at times was deployed on the wing. Between 2005 and 2015, he spent the majority of his career playing Super Rugby for the Bulls and domestic South African rugby for the Blue Bulls, followed by stints in the Japanese and French rugby championships. He represented South Africa internationally between 2006 and 2013.

Elton Thomas Jantjies is a South African professional rugby union player who plays as fly-half.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Kitshoff</span> Rugby player

Steven Kitshoff is a South African professional rugby player who currently plays for the Stormers. His playing position is loosehead prop. He represents the South Africa national team and has previously played for Bordeaux in the French Top 14 and Western Province in the Currie Cup. He joined Ulster for the 2023–24 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eben Etzebeth</span> South African rugby player (born 1991)

Eben Etzebeth is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship and the South Africa national rugby team. He made his international debut for the Springboks in 2012 and has since won 130 caps, making him the Springboks' most capped player. His regular playing position is as a loosehead lock. He is widely regarded as one of the best locks of his generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willie le Roux</span> South African rugby union player

Willem Jacobus le Roux is a South African professional rugby union player. He is a versatile back-line player who generally plays as a fullback or wing, though earlier in his career he played mostly as a fly-half. He plays for the South Africa national team and for the Blue Bulls in the United Rugby Championship. He was born in Stellenbosch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trevor Nyakane</span> South Africa international rugby union player

Trevor Ntando Nyakane is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship and also the South Africa national rugby team, His regular playing position is prop and he has the ability to play at both loosehead and tighthead.

Raymond Kofi Rhule is a Ghanaian-born South African rugby union player for La Rochelle in the French Top 14.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheslin Kolbe</span> South African Rugby Union player

Cheslin Kolbe is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for Tokyo Sungoliath in the Japan Rugby League One and the South Africa national team. His regular position is wing, but he also plays at fullback. He has also recently featured at fly half for Toulouse in the Top 14, and as a scrum half internationally. Kolbe was a member of the South Africa Sevens team that won a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. He has won the Rugby World Cup twice with South Africa, in 2019 and 2023. Kolbe was nominated for 2019 World Rugby Player of the Year but lost to teammate Pieter-Steph du Toit. He previously played for Toulouse, Toulon, Stormers, and Western Province. He has also won the Rugby Championship and the Lions Series with the Springboks, the Top14 and Champions Cup with Toulouse, the Currie Cup with Western Province, and the Challenge Cup with Toulon. He is one of the highest paid rugby players in the world, with a reported salary of between ¥130–155 million yen per season.

Lukhanyo Am is a South African professional rugby union player for the South Africa national team and the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship. His regular positions are centre and wing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malcolm Marx</span> Rugby player

Malcolm Justin Marx is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the South Africa national rugby team and Kubota Spears in the Japan Rugby League One. His regular position is hooker, but he did play as a flanker at youth level for the Golden Lions.

Jean-Luc du Preez (born 5 August 1995 is a South African rugby union player for Sale Sharks in the English Premiership. He made his debut for South Africa in 2016 and his regular position is flanker, although he also plays at lock and number eight.

Makazole D-rex Mapimpi is a South African professional rugby union player for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship and South Africa national team. He usually plays as a winger and centre. He was part of the winning Springboks of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. He became the first South African to score a try in a World Cup Final.

S'busiso Romeo Nkosi is a South African professional rugby union player for the South Africa national team and the Free State Cheetahs in Currie Cup. His regular position is winger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aphelele Fassi</span> Rugby player

Aphelele Onke Okuhle Fassi is a South African professional rugby union player for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship and the Currie Cup. His regular position is wing or fullback.

Henco van Wyk is a South African professional rugby union player for the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup. His regular position is outside centre. He was selected for the SA Schools Team in 2019.

The 2022 Currie Cup Premier Division was the 84th edition of the top tier of the Currie Cup, the premier domestic rugby union competition in South Africa. It was sponsored by beer brand Carling Black Label and organised by the South African Rugby Union.

Canan Moodie is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the Bulls in the URC and South Africa national team. His regular position is wing.

Eloise Webb is a South African rugby player. She has represented South Africa internationally in rugby sevens and fifteens.

References

  1. "Lukhanyo Am and Nomawethu Mabenge Nominated for World Rugby Awards". CCFM.org.za. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  2. "Women put Gqeberha on rugby map". Heraldlive.co.za. 6 November 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  3. "SPRINGBOK WOMEN SQUAD FOR WORLD CUP IN NZ NAMED". Rugby365.com. 21 September 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  4. "Am and Mabenge nominated for world rugby 2022 awards". Ruggas.co.za. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  5. "Am, Mabenge top award contenders". Therep.co.za. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  6. "Springbok Women seal series win over Spain, a great omen for upcoming World Cup". News24.com. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2023.