The Daily Dispatch E-Edition

Border duo sign for Lions and Cheetahs

ANATHI WULUSHE

The Border Craven Week duo of outside centre Asemahle Nongogo and inside centre Liyabona Maplanga have signed professional contracts with the Lions and Cheetahs respectively.

Hudson Parks High’s Nongogo, 18, will ply his trade for the Golden Lions Junior team, while Queen’s College’s Maplanga,18, will play for Free State’s Cheetahs’ low-ranked side.

Both players had a brilliant 2022 rugby season — for their schools and for Border in the Craven Week.

They did not make the SA Schools squad in July though.

In Border’s disappointing Craven Week campaign, during which they lost two of the three matches they played, Nogongo and Maplanga were the standout stars.

The Border centre pairing showed their ability to read the game, playing a unique brand of rugby.

The East London-born Nongogo said being signed by the Lions was a dream come true.

“It is very exciting and a dream come true for me and my family.

“I have always played the game to become a professional rugby player one day.

“This is just a step closer to where we [as a team] want to be — to be a well-respected and winning franchise, hopefully as a team we can build a programme like that,” Nongogo said.

“Entering the Lions next year as a junior will be exciting as I will get a chance to learn from great people and guys I consider my idols to develop my own rugby career and work my way up to the top of the food chain brick by brick.

“My goal is to hopefully make my Currie Cup debut in the coming years and go through each stepping stone year after year,” Nongogo said.

For Queen’s Maplanga, raised by a single parent in Enkululekweni, in Komani, rugby has always been his first love.

In 2019, when in Grade 9 at Kwa-Komani High, the talented player got a rugby scholarship to attend Queen’s College, going from strength to strength as a player.

Two big franchises showed interest in signing the powerhouse.

“I got the contract through Ronnie [Cooke], who is my agent,” Maplanga said.

“The Sharks and Blue Bulls were the two other teams interested in signing me, however, I chose the Cheetahs.

“I feel so excited to sign with the Cheetahs, I chose them because they have been my favourite team since I started playing rugby.

“I am planning to put my effort in for the team and win some trophies together and also grow together as the team I always wanted to play for.

“This is the first step to being a professional rugby player, even though I will be playing for the Under 20s in the Under 20 Currie Cup, which is not a bad competition.

“The Currie Cup is the oldest rugby competition around the world, so I’ll be very happy to be one of the players experiencing this competition and also I will be showcasing my talent, whereby I could attract some of the big teams in the URC.”

Sport

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2022-10-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-10-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://dispatch.pressreader.com/article/281990381404966

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