Tendai Mtawarira facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tendai Mtawarira

Mtawarira in 2008
Full name	Tendai Mtawarira
Date of birth	(1985-08-01) 1 August 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth	Harare, Zimbabwe
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	120 kg (260 lb; 18 st 13 lb)
School	Churchill School Peterhouse Boys' School
Occupation(s)	Rugby union player
Rugby union career
Position(s) Loosehead Prop Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2020 Old Glory DC 2 (0) Correct as of 5 December 2022 Correct as of 7 July 2019 Super Rugby Years Team Apps (Points) 2007–2019 [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]] 159 (30) Correct as of 7 July 2019 National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2008–2019 South Africa (tests) 117 (10) 2010 South Africa (tour) 1 (0) 2014–2015 Springboks 2 (0) 2016 Springbok XV 1 (0) Correct as of 3 November 2019

Tendai Mtawarira (born 1 August 1985) is a Zimbabwean-South African retired professional rugby union player who last played for Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby and previously for the South Africa national team and the [[{{{tan}}}|{{{t}}}]] in Super Rugby. He was born in Zimbabwe and qualified for South Africa on residency grounds, before later acquiring South African citizenship. Mtawarira, a prop, is known by the nickname Beast.

Mtawarira made his debut for South Africa against Wales on 14 June 2008. With 117 caps, he is the most capped prop in South African history and the fourth most capped Springbok of all time behind Eben Etzebeth, Victor Matfield and Bryan Habana.

With his 117 caps, Mtawarira is the 17th most capped international forward of all time and the 6th most capped prop of all time. He is also a 2019 Rugby World Cup Winner.

He owns a security company in South Africa and a community-based organisation known as The Beast Foundation.

Early life

Mtawarira was born on 1 August 1985 in Harare, Zimbabwe. He attended Churchill School in Harare for five years before being given a full scholarship to Peterhouse Boys' School, an independent school in Mashonaland East. At the age of 15, while at Churchill, he was spotted by Zimbabwean coach Joey Muwadzuri who invited him to join the Under 19 side at the National Schools Festival. Later that year Muwadzuri invited him to be part of Cats and Dogs Rugby Academy Team that won the National Seniors 7's tournament. He played with Dan Hondo, Pete Benade, Tonderai "Kawaza" Chavhanga, among others.

Playing career

After a strong 2008 Super 14 season with the Sharks it was apparent that he had great potential and his speed would be beneficial with the new rules (ELV's).

He was then selected in the Springbok squad and made his debut against Wales on 14 June 2008. At first received limited game time. Later he had the opportunity to be a reserve during the test against the Wallabies in Perth. Once he came on, his impact was significant; he went on to be a part of the starting lineup for all the subsequent Tri-nations tests.

A highlight of Mtawarira's career to date came in the first test of the British & Irish Lions tour in 2009. Scrumming against Phil Vickery, Mtawarira dominated his more experienced opponent, leading to Vickery being substituted after 45 minutes, and a man-of-the-match award for Mtawarira. However, he conceded several penalties in the second test when playing opposite Welsh prop Adam Jones. Similarly, in the third test, Mtawarira was largely ineffectual in the scrum, with the returning Vickery and replacement John Hayes subduing him up front.

On 16 June 2018, Mtawarira played his 100th test match against England. He was dropped to the bench for South Africa's loss to Australia on 8 September 2018, and sustained a neck injury against New Zealand on 6 October 2018, meaning he missed the Springboks' 2018 tour to Europe.

Mtawarira was named in South Africa's squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. South Africa went on to win the tournament, defeating England in the final. Mtawarira's scrummaging in the final was described as destructive, and South Africa won many scrum penalties.

As well as his 117 Test matches, Mtawarira has played uncapped games for the Springboks against the Barbarians in 2010 and 2016, and against World XVs in 2014 and 2015. He has also played twice for the Barbarians.

Mtawarira also holds the record for the most Super Rugby caps by a South African with 160 caps.

Test Match record

Against	P	W	D	L	Tri	Pts	%Won
Argentina	17	13	1	3	0	0	79.41
Australia	21	10	2	9	0	0	52.38
British & Irish Lions	3	2	0	1	0	0	66.67
England	11	8	1	2	0	0	77.27
Fiji	1	1	0	0	1	5	100
France	6	5	0	1	0	0	83.33
Ireland	7	3	0	4	0	0	42.86
Italy	6	5	0	1	1	5	83.33
Japan	3	2	0	1	0	0	66.67
Namibia	2	2	0	0	0	0	100
New Zealand	20	6	1	13	0	0	32.5
Samoa	3	3	0	0	0	0	100
Scotland	5	4	0	1	0	0	80
United States	1	1	0	0	0	0	100
Wales	11	9	0	2	0	0	81.82
Total	117	74	5	38	2	10	65.38

Pld = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, Tri = Tries Scored, Pts = Points Scored

Test tries

Tries	Opposition	Location	Venue	Competition	Date	Result
1	Italy	Cape Town, South Africa	Newlands	Test match	21 June 2008	Won 26–0
1	Fiji	Wellington, New Zealand	Westpac Stadium	2011 Rugby World Cup	17 September 2011	Won 49–3

See also

In Spanish: Tendai Mtawarira para niños