Akona Ndungane facts for kids
Ndungane in 2007
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| Full name | Akona Zilindlovu Ndungane | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 20 February 1981 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Mthatha, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 93 kg (14 st 9 lb; 205 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Hudson Park High School, East London | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Eastern Cape Technikon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Odwa Ndungane (twin brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Akona Zilindlovu Ndungane (born 20 February 1981) is a famous former South African rugby union player. He usually played as a wing, which is a position on the side of the field. Sometimes, he also played as a centre, which is a position in the middle.
Contents
Akona Ndungane's Rugby Journey
Akona Ndungane started his professional rugby career in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. He played for two teams there.
Early Career in the Eastern Cape
In 2003, Akona played for the Mighty Elephants. The next year, in 2004, he joined the Border Bulldogs. He stayed with the Bulldogs until 2005. These teams helped him gain experience in professional rugby.
Joining the Blue Bulls and Bulls
After his time in the Eastern Cape, Akona moved to Pretoria. He was first loaned to the Blue Bulls team. Later, they bought him permanently. He spent most of his career playing for teams in Pretoria. He played for the Bulls in the international Super Rugby competition. He also played for the Blue Bulls in local South African competitions. These included the Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup. In 2005, he played his first Super 12 game for the Bulls. This was against the Cats team.
Playing for South Africa
Akona Ndungane also had the chance to represent his country, South Africa, in rugby.
South Africa Sevens Team
In 2004, Akona was chosen for the South Africa Sevens squad. Sevens rugby is a faster version of the game with fewer players. He played in the IRB Sevens World Series tournaments. These events took place in Bordeaux, France, and London, England.
Playing for the Springboks
Akona also played for the main South African national team, known as the Springboks. He represented the Springboks in 2006 and 2007. A big highlight of his career was being part of the team that won the 2007 Rugby World Cup. This was a huge achievement for him and his country.
Retirement from Rugby
Akona Ndungane announced that he would retire from rugby at the end of the 2015 Super Rugby season. By then, he had played over one hundred games for the Bulls in Super Rugby. He also played many games in domestic rugby. These included his time with the Blue Bulls, Border Bulldogs, and Mighty Elephants.
Family Connections
Akona Ndungane has a twin brother named Odwa Ndungane. Odwa was also a professional rugby player. He played as a wing, just like Akona. Odwa spent most of his career playing for the Sharks team in Durban.
See also
In Spanish: Akona Ndungane para niños
