| Full name | Siviwe Sonwabile Soyizwapi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 7 December 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Maclear, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 75 kg (165 lb; 11 st 11 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Dale College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Siviwe Sonwabile 'Shakes' Soyizwapi (born 7 December 1992 in Maclear) is a South African rugby union player, who is currently contracted by the South African Rugby Union to play for the South Africa Sevens national team. [1] His usual position is fullback or winger.
He played for the Border Bulldogs at the Under-18 Academy Week in 2010, earning a call-up to the South African Under-18 High Performance team before joining the Eastern Province Kings Academy. He played for them at the Under-21 Provincial Championship level in 2012 and 2013, finishing the latter competition as the top try scorer. [2]
He made his first class debut in the 2012 Currie Cup promotion/relegation series against the Free State Cheetahs. [3] Three appearances followed in the 2013 Vodacom Cup (scoring one try), as well as five appearances in the 2013 Currie Cup First Division (where he scored three tries) before reverting to the U21 side for the remainder of the season.
[4] He was initially named in the Southern Kings squad for the 2013 Super Rugby season, but was later released to the 2013 Vodacom Cup squad. Having made just four first-team appearances, he was recalled to the Super Rugby squad following an injury to Hadleigh Parkes, [5] [6] and made his Super Rugby debut in the 28–28 draw against the Brumbies in Canberra. [7] [8] He made three starts and three substitute appearances during the 2013 season.
In June 2014, he was selected in the starting line-up for the Eastern Province Kings side to face Wales during a tour match during a 2014 incoming tour. He played the entire match and scored the first try for the Kings in the 57th minute of the match as the Kings suffered a 12–34 defeat. [9]
Shortly before the start of their 2014 Super Rugby season, the Stormers signed Soyizwapi on a loan deal to provide cover for them at wing and full-back, following injuries to Cheslin Kolbe and Jaco Taute. [10] However, he returned to the Kings shortly afterwards.
In October 2013, Soyizwapi was called into a South Africa Sevens training squad before the 2013 Dubai Sevens. [11] In November 2015, he joined the South African Sevens team on a two-year contract. [12]
In December 2019, Soyizwapi captained the Blitzboks squad in the World Rugby Sevens Series in Dubai. He led the South African Sevens team to the finals against the All Blacks Sevens, earning his very first gold medal with an emphatic 15-0 win on his birthday on 7 December. [13]
In 2022, He was part of the South African team that won their second Commonwealth Games gold medal in Birmingham. [14] [15] [16] [17]
Mpho Mbiyozo is a former South African rugby union player who played with Western Province and the Eastern Province Kings between 2005 and 2013. He usually played as a flanker.
Demetri Catrakilis is a former South African professional rugby union player for the Southern Kings in the Pro14. He previously played for Premiership side Harlequins, Top 14 side Montpellier in France, for the Stormers and the Southern Kings in Super Rugby, for Western Province in the Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup competition and for the UCT Ikey Tigers in the Varsity Cup. His regular playing position is fly-half.
Virgile Lacombe was a French rugby union footballer who usually played in the hooker position. He became a coach with Stade Toulousain after retiring.
Rynier Mark Bernardo is a South African rugby union player who currently plays as a lock for the Free State Cheetahs in the South African Currie Cup.
Petrus Willem van der Walt is a South African-born Japanese rugby union player who represents Japan at international level and is currently playing with NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes in the Japanese Top League. His regular position is lock or flanker.
Elric van Vuuren is a former South African rugby union player that played Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup rugby for the Mighty Elephants, Border Bulldogs and SWD Eagles between 2006 and 2015. He also made two appearances for the Southern Kings during the 2013 Super Rugby season. His regular position was full-back, centre or fly-half.
Sergeal Phillipe Petersen is a South African rugby union player for the Stormers in Super Rugby and Western Province in the Currie Cup. His regular position is winger.
Burrie Gildenhuys "BG" Uys is a South African rugby union player, who most recently played with the Free State Cheetahs. His regular position is prop.
Thembelani Bholi is a South African rugby union player for the Southern Kings in the Pro14. His regular position is flanker, but he can also play as a lock.
In 2014, the Eastern Province Kings will participate in the Currie Cup and the Vodacom Cup competitions. The Eastern Province U21 team will also play in the 2014 Under-21 Provincial Championship and the Eastern Province U19 team in the 2014 Under-19 Provincial Championship. As part of the Southern Kings franchise, a number of players also participated in friendlies for this franchise.
Selvyn Davids is a South African rugby union player for the South African Sevens team. His regular position is centre or winger.
Mark Richards is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with the Sharks XV. His regular position is winger.
The Southern Kings participated in their first ever Super Rugby competition in 2013. They won three, drew one and lost twelve of their matches during the regular season to finish fifth and last in the South African Conference and fifteenth and last on the overall log. Their top try scorer in the competition was Wimpie van der Walt, who got six tries, and their top points scorer was Demetri Catrakilis, who scored 142 points. As a result of finishing bottom of the South African Conference, they had to play a two-legged promotion/relegation play-off series against the Lions. The Lions beat them 44–42 on aggregate to return to Super Rugby in 2014 at the expense of the Kings.
Dewald Dawid Human is a South African rugby sevens player, currently playing with the South Africa national team. He can play as a fly-half or fullback.
Hillegard Muller du Plessis is a South African rugby union player for the Sharks in United Rugby Championship and the Currie Cup. He is former rugby sevens player for the South Africa Sevens team. Having won two World Rugby Sevens Series titles, as well as a Commonwealth Games gold medal.
Johannes Christoffel Pretorius is a South African rugby sevens player for the South Africa national team and a rugby union player for the Emirates Lions in the United Rugby Championship and the Currie Cup. His regular position is flanker.
Sakoyisa Makata is a South African rugby sevens player for the South Africa national team, where his regular position is a forward.
Angelo Davids is a South African rugby sevens player for the South Africa national rugby sevens team, where his regular position is wing and back. He also plays for the DHL Stormers in super rugby and the Western Province in the currie cup.
Unathi Elis Mali is a South African rugby union and sevens player.
Mathrin Simmers is a South African rugby sevens player.
