Zingisa April

Zingisa Nelson April (born 19 June 1990 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player for the Eastern Province Elephants in the Currie Cup and in the Rugby Challenge.[1] He normally plays as a flanker.

Zingisa April
Full nameZingisa Nelson April
Date of birth (1990-06-19) 19 June 1990
Place of birthPort Elizabeth, South Africa
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight93 kg (14 st 9 lb; 205 lb)
SchoolIthembelihle Comprehensive School, New Brighton
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker
Current team Eastern Province Elephants
Youth career
2009–2011 Eastern Province Kings
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014 Lowestoft & Yarmouth 4 (25)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014–2015 Free State XV 12 (40)
2016 Griffons 4 (0)
2017–present Eastern Province Elephants 26 (45)
Correct as of 25 August 2019

Career

Youth / club rugby

April played his school rugby at Ithembelihle High School, New Brighton until 2009 under the tutelage of Theo Pieterse,[2] who guided the school to being named the School Team of the Year in 2012.[3]

He joined the Eastern Province Academy after high school and represented the Eastern Province U19 side in the 2009 Under-19 Provincial Championship, scoring tries in their matches against Border U19[4] and Pumas U19[5] as they won all six of their matches in the regular season. He also started in their semi-final victory over the Falcons U19s[6] and the final, which they lost to Boland U19s.[7]

He was a key member for the Eastern Province U21 side over the next two seasons, making eight appearances in both the 2010 and 2011 Under-21 Provincial Championships. April enjoyed a similar season in 2010 than he did in 2009 with the Under-19s; he helped the side to top the log after the regular season and then made it the way to the final, where they were defeated, this time by the Falcons U21s.[8] This was once again the case in 2011, as the side reached the final, which they lost to the Border U21 side in Wellington.[9]

He wasn't offered a senior contract by Eastern Province and played amateur club rugby for Spring Rose.[10] He also played sevens rugby for the Eye of the Tiger Academy[11] and later played club rugby in George.[10]

Free State XV : 2014

In 2014, April joined Bloemfontein-based side Free State XV for the 2014 Vodacom Cup competition. He made his first class debut by starting their 52–47 victory over the SWD Eagles in their first match in the competition.[12] He also started their next match, a 28–20 victory over the Boland Cavaliers in Malmesbury, scoring his first senior try in the final ten minutes of the match.[13] He started their matches against the Sharks XV,[14] Border Bulldogs[15] and Western Province,[16] as well as their final match of the regular season against Kenyan side Simba XV. April scored four tries in a match that saw Free State win 77–10[17] to finish in second position on the Northern Section log to qualify for the quarter finals. April scored another try in their quarter final match the Blue Bulls; however, it wasn't enough as the side form Pretoria won 22–21 to eliminate the Free State XV from the competition.[18] April's six tries was the joint-highest for his side, along with centre Nico Lee.[19]

Lowestoft & Yarmouth

In September 2014, April – along with scrum-half Unathi Kongwana – joined English side Lowestoft & Yarmouth on an exchange deal sponsored by Canterbury South Africa.[20] He made four appearances for the team in the London 3 North East league, scoring a try in each of his first three matches[21] and a brace in his final match, a 37–27 victory over Billericay.[22]

Free State XV : 2015

April once again played for the Free State XV in the 2015 Vodacom Cup. He made five appearances and scored tries in their matches against the Boland Cavaliers[23] and against his hometown side, the Eastern Province Kings in a 50–45 victory.[24] The Free State XV again qualified for the quarter finals, where they lost to the Blue Bulls for the second consecutive year. April came on as a replacement in their 21–44 defeat in Pretoria.[25]

Griffons

April joined Welkom-based side the Griffons prior to the 2016 season.

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References
  1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Zingisa April". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  2. "Homegrown Hero 2013". Sport Elizabeth. August 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  3. "EP Rugby congratulates Ithembelihle High School". Eastern Province Rugby Union. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  4. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border 0-32 Eastern Province". South African Rugby Union. 29 August 2009. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  5. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Pumas 18-25 Eastern Province". South African Rugby Union. 12 September 2009. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province 37-15 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 10 October 2009. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province 29-39 Boland". South African Rugby Union. 16 October 2009. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  8. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province 36-53 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 15 October 2010. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province 19-23 Border". South African Rugby Union. 14 October 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  10. "Community rugby: Legends on the field". Mail & Guardian. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  11. "Eye of the Tiger Academy earned their stripes at George 7′s". Grassroots Rugby. 20 January 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  12. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State XV 52-47 SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 8 March 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  13. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Regent Boland Cavaliers 20-28 Toyota Free State XV". South African Rugby Union. 15 March 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  14. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State XV 22-23 Cell C Sharks XV". South African Rugby Union. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  15. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State XV 54-17 Border Bulldogs". South African Rugby Union. 5 April 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  16. "SA Rugby Match Centre – DHL Western Province 28-15 Toyota Free State XV". South African Rugby Union. 12 April 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  17. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State XV 77-10 Tusker Simba XV". South African Rugby Union. 26 April 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  18. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State XV 21-22 Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 3 May 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  19. "SA Rugby Top Scorers – 2014 Vodacom Cup". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  20. "Canterbury SA donates kit to rugby charity". Grassroots Rugby. 17 September 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  21. "Zingisa April - L&Y 1st XV - Lowestoft & Yarmouth Rugby Club". Pitchero. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  22. "Billericay 27 - 37 L&Y - L&Y 1st XV - Lowestoft & Yarmouth Rugby Club". Pitchero. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  23. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State XV 52-15 Boland Cavaliers". South African Rugby Union. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  24. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State XV 50-45 EP Kings". South African Rugby Union. 18 April 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  25. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Blue Bulls 44-21 Toyota Free State XV". South African Rugby Union. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
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