Abongile Nonkontwana

Abongile Nonkontwana (born 10 April 1995 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player for Ealing Trailfinders in the RFU Championship, having previously played for the Cheetahs from 2018 to 2019.[1] His regular position is lock, but he occasionally plays as a flanker or eighth man.

Abongile Nonkontwana
Date of birth (1995-04-10) 10 April 1995
Place of birthPort Elizabeth, South Africa
Height1.94 m (6 ft 4 1⁄2 in)
Weight108 kg (238 lb; 17 st 0 lb)
SchoolSelborne College, East London /
St. Alban's College, Pretoria
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock / Flanker / Number 8
Current team Bulls
Youth career
2008–2011 Border Bulldogs
2013–2016 Blue Bulls
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2018 Blue Bulls XV 27 (5)
2017 Bulls 3 (0)
2017 Blue Bulls 6 (5)
2018–2020 Free State Cheetahs 13 (5)
2018–2020 Cheetahs 16 (10)
2020– Ealing Trailfinders 0 (0)
Correct as of 8 September 2019
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012–2013 South Africa Schools 2 (0)
2014–2015 South Africa Under-20 3 (0)
Correct as of 19 June 2015

Career

Youth

He represented Border at primary school level, playing for their Under-13 side at the Craven Week competition in 2008. He also played for them in the 2011 Under-16 Grant Khomo Week.

In 2012, Nonkontwana moved to Pretoria to enroll at St. Alban's College. Here, he was selected in the 2012 South African Schools side, making one appearance for them against Wales in George.[2][3]

After appearing for the Blue Bulls at the Under-18 Craven Week competition in 2013, he was again selected in that season's South African Schools side, playing in their match against France.[4]

In 2014, he was included in the South Africa Under-20 squad for the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship. He started their opening match of the competition, a 61–5 victory over Scotland,[5] and came on as a replacement in their 33–24 win over hosts New Zealand.[6] He didn't feature in their final pool match against Samoa[7] and was an unused replacement in the semi-final win over New Zealand.[8] He also didn't feature in the final, where England won the competition by beating South Africa 21–20.[9]

In the second half of 2014, he played for the Blue Bulls U19 side in the 2014 Under-19 Provincial Championship, making eight appearances – mainly as a flanker – as his side made it all the way to the final against Western Province U19. Nonkontwana started the final, but could not prevent his side suffering a 26–33 defeat.[10]

In 2015, he was again called up to a South Africa Under-20 training squad as preparation for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[11] He started in their friendly match against a Varsity Cup Dream Team XV in April 2015[12] before being named in a squad to tour Argentina for a two-match warmup series.[13] He played in both their 25–22 victory in the first match[14] and their 39–28 victory in the second match against Argentina[15] and was subsequently named in the final squad for the World Championship.[16] He started their first match, a 33–5 win over hosts Italy,[17] but did not feature in their remaining two pool matches or the semi-final defeat to England.[18] He was named on the bench for their third-place play-off match against France, but failed to get any game time.[19]

Blue Bulls

Nonkontwana was named in the Blue Bulls squad for the 2015 Vodacom Cup,[20] but did not make any appearances in the competition.

In June 2015, he extended his contract at the Bulls until October 2017.[21]

Ealing Trailfinders

On 7 September 2020, Nonkontwana travels to England to sign for Ealing Trailfinders in the RFU Championship from the 2020-21 season.[22]

References
  1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Abongile Nonkontwana". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  2. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 24-16 Wales". South African Rugby Union. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  3. "Profile: Abongile Nonkontwana". Rugby365. 14 May 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  4. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 17-13 France". South African Rugby Union. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  5. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 61-5 Scotland". South African Rugby Union. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – New Zealand 24-33 South Africa". South African Rugby Union. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Samoa 8-21 South Africa". South African Rugby Union. 10 June 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  8. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 32-25 New Zealand". South African Rugby Union. 15 June 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – England 21-20 South Africa". South African Rugby Union. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  10. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Western Province U19 33-26 Blue Bulls U19". South African Rugby Union. 25 October 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  11. "SARU names large group for Junior Bok trials". South African Rugby Union. 25 March 2015. Archived from the original on 6 December 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  12. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Varsity Cup XV 24-31 South Africa U/20". South African Rugby Union. 21 April 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  13. "SARU names Junior Bok squad for Argentine tour". South African Rugby Union. 29 April 2015. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  14. "Los Pumitas cayeron ante Baby Boks por 25 a 22". Unión Argentina de Rugby (in Spanish). 12 May 2015. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  15. "Los Pumitas cayeron ante Baby Boks por 39 a 28". Unión Argentina de Rugby (in Spanish). 16 May 2015. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  16. "Liebenberg to lead Junior Boks at U20 World Championship in Italy". South African Rugby Union. 20 May 2015. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  17. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Italy U20 5-33 South Africa U20". South African Rugby Union. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  18. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 20-28 England U20". South African Rugby Union. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  19. "SA Rugby Match Centre – France U20 18-31 South Africa U20". South African Rugby Union. 20 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  20. "SA Rugby Squad – Vodacom Blue Bulls : 2015 Vodacom Cup". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  21. "Vodacom Blue Bulls name Absa Currie Cup squad" (Press release). Bulls. 30 June 2015. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  22. "South African powerhouse Abongile Nonkontwana completes move to England". Ruck. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
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