By Daniel Nhakaniso
Zimbabwe rugby sensation Tapiwa Mafura has revealed how former Springboks legend Jaque Fourie inspired him into pursuing a career as a professional rugby player.
The 28-year-old lightning quick versatile back, who can play both fullback and wing, has enjoyed a superb start to his career at the Johannesburg-based rugby union side Lions following his recent move from the Free State Cheetahs.
After winning back to back Currie Cup titles with the Pumas and the Cheetahs, Mafura has already scored 20 points in this season’s Currie Cup campaign as he seeks a hat-trick of successive titles in South Africa’s premier cup competition.
He was also named the Player of the Tournament in the Rugby Africa Cup competition after guiding the Zimbabwe Sables to their first continental title in 12 years.
And Mafura has now opened up on how he looked up to Fourie during his childhood days.
Fourie, who is now the defence coach at the Lions, was at the peak of his athletic prowess regarded as one of the finest centres of his generation
A powerful presence in the midfield, Fourie was always a threat on the gainline, but he was also blessed with plenty of pace and an exceptional rugby brain.
For a decade, he terrorised defences and ended his international career in 2013 having picked up 72 caps for the Springboks.
“I looked up to coach Jaque,” Mafura admitted in an interview with the South African newspaper The Star this week, as he recalled his rugby heroes during his youth.
“He doesn’t know, but when I was in high school my teacher used to have Stormers posters in his classroom and Coach Jaque was one of the guys he had up there. There were a lot of guys, like (Gio) Aplon and Bryan Habana.”
Born and bred in the Hwange, Zimbabwe, Tapiwa’s family moved to South Africa in 2005 when he was aged nine.
The Mafura family settled and laid down their roots in Ermelo where Tapiwa enrolled at the Ermelo Christian School to complete his primary schooling years.
Tapiwa is a product of Ermelo High School having begun at the school from grade 8 and completing his matric in 2014.
His story is not one having grown up in the sport but that of discovering it in grade 8 at the school.
With guidance from his teammates and coach, Tapiwa took to the sport like a duck in water, excelling at every turn.
His prowess on the field earned him a spot on the school’s first rugby team which garnered him massive attention and led him to provincial colours, playing for the Mpumalanga Pumas Academy A-team.
“I started playing rugby when I was in Grade 8,” he explained.
“I didn’t know anything about rugby but I was quite quick.
“My coach put me on the wing, and ever since that I have loved rugby and playing in different positions. I got to North-West University and started playing fullback there. That is when my professional career started.
Tapiwa attended NWU, pursuing an Industrial Psychology and Labour Relations qualification.
During his time at the institute, Tapiwa played for the varsity team, earning himself a winners medal as the team won the Varsity Cup in 2016 and lost in the finals to Stellenbosch University in 2017.
His efforts at Varsity Cup Level were noted and he received an award for the Varsity Cup Backline Player of the Year.
It also garnered him massive attention which eventually led to the deal with the Free State rugby union.
“I went to the Cheetahs in 2018 and we won the cup, playing under Franco Smith. In 2020, I moved to Nelspruit to go play for the Pumas for two years, then in 2022 moved back to play for the Cheetahs again.
A former multiple Currie Cup winner – he was a part of the Cheetahs squad that won the championship in 2019 and played a significant role in helping the Pumas to a famous triumph in 2022 – Mafura is now ready for the next stage of his journey.
He made his debut for the Lions against the Sharks at the beginning of this season’s Currie Cup, and has since then notched up another three outings.
His ability to burn the opposition was also laid bare as early as the Lions’ victory over the Pumas last month, when he scored a hat-trick of tries in their 75-21 demolition of his former team
“The Lions have been on a really nice journey these past few years. I was intrigued by the way they are playing, and I love what the guys have got going on here.
“Now that I am part of it, I am grateful and blessed to be here … They are a group of guys that are trying to win. The goal right now is to win the Currie Cup. I can also see us contending in the URC (United Rugby Championship) and making the Lions a great team.”