Zintle Mpupha

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Zintle Mpupha
Date of birth (1993-12-25) 25 December 1993 (age 30)
Place of birthXesi, Cape Province, South Africa
Height1.61 m (5 ft 3 in)
Weight69 kg (152 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly Half
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2021– Exeter Chiefs (0)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
?–Present South Africa 18 (91)
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
2013–Present South Africa

Zintle Mpupha is a South African women's rugby union player and cricketer from Xesi, Eastern Cape, South Africa.[1] She played cricket for Border cricket team and rugby for Border Bulldogs as well as the South Africa women's national rugby sevens team as a fly half.[2]

Rugby[edit]

Mpupha played rugby for Border Bulldogs. In 2013 she was first called up to the South Africa national women's rugby sevens team.[3] However, due to studying for a degree at the University of Fort Hare, she stopped playing rugby sevens and started playing rugby union while at university.[3] In 2016, after graduating, Mpupha returned to the South Africa rugby sevens team. In 2017, she was offered a professional contract with the South Africa women's national rugby sevens team. This meant that she had to move to Stellenbosch, Western Cape to train with the team which meant she was unable to continue playing for either the Border cricket or rugby teams.[1]

In 2021 she became the first South African to play in the Premier 15s after she signed with Exeter Chiefs Women.[4][5]

Mpupha was selected to represent South Africa at the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town.[6][7] She was also named in South Africa's women's fifteens team for the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.[8]

Cricket[edit]

Mpupha started playing cricket and played for the Border cricket team's under-19s when she was 14[9] and made her cricket debut for the Border cricket team in 2011.[10] Following this she was called up to the South Africa national women's under-19 cricket team.[9]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Mvumvu, Zingisa (31 October 2017). "Border high-riding star has bigger fish to fry in Sevens". Dispatch Live. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  2. ^ DDR (31 October 2017). "Border stars in the Bok world Sevens frame". Dispatch Live. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Mpupha gets second shot with Bok Women's Sevens". SARFU. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  4. ^ "SA Rugby welcomes stint in England for Zintle Mpupha". SA Rugby. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Exeter sign South Africa international Mpupha". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  6. ^ "South Africa name Rugby World Cup Sevens squads". SA Rugby. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  7. ^ Mostert, Herman (2 September 2022). "Veteran Cecil Afrika recalled as Blitzboks name Rugby World Cup Sevens squad". Sport. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  8. ^ "Springbok Women squad for Rugby World Cup in NZ named". SA Rugby. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Mpupha in SA cricket squad". Daily Dispatch. Retrieved 9 November 2017 – via PressReader.com.
  10. ^ "Zintle Mpupha". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2017.