Ali Mgijima

Aliqhayiya Mgijima (born (1995-02-11)11 February 1995) is a South African rugby union player for the Cheetahs in the Pro14, the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup and the Free State XV in the Rugby Challenge.[1] His regular position is centre.

Ali Mgijima
Full nameAliqhayiya Mgijima
Date of birth (1995-02-11) 11 February 1995
Place of birthAdelaide, South Africa
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight97 kg (214 lb; 15 st 4 lb)
SchoolHTS Louis Botha, Bloemfontein
UniversityCentral University of Technology
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre
Current team Pumas
Youth career
2013–2016 Free State Cheetahs
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015–2017 CUT Ixias 11 (5)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2018 Free State XV 23 (20)
2017 Cheetahs 4 (0)
2017–2018 Free State Cheetahs 10 (5)
2020– Pumas 25 (5)
Correct as of 10 July 2022

Rugby career

2013: Schoolboy rugby

Mgijima was born in Adelaide. He moved to Fort Beaufort where he attended primary school before moving to Bloemfontein to attend HTS Louis Botha. In 2013, he was included in the Free State squad that competed at the premier high school rugby union competition, the Under-18 Craven Week held in Polokwane,[2] where he started all three matches in the inside centre position.

2014–2016: Youth and Varsity Cup rugby

In 2014, he was included in the Free State U19 squad that participated in the Under-19 Provincial Championship, making three appearances as a replacement in the competition.[3]

He started the 2015 season by featuring in the Varsity Cup for Bloemfontein-based university side CUT Ixias. He started five matches and scored one try in a 13–34 defeat to NMMU Madibaz.[4] In the second half of the year, he made five appearances – which included one start – for the Free State U21s in the Under-21 Provincial Championship.[5]

He made six appearances for CUT Ixias in the 2016 Varsity Cup and was named in the Free State XV squad for the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series.[6] He made his first class debut on 27 May 2016, starting in their 26–29 defeat to the Pumas.[7] In his fifth appearance of the season, at home to the Falcons, Mgijima scored his first senior try, helping his side to a 33–27 victory,[8] eventually making six appearances in the competition. He was a key member of the Free State U21s' 2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship campaign, featuring in all seven of their matches. He scored one try for the team, scoring their first try of the season in a 43–26 victory over the Leopards U21s[9] as the team finished in fourth place on the log to qualify for the semi-finals.[10] However, he couldn't prevent them slipping to a 23–26 defeat to Western Province U21 in the semi-final, a result which saw them eliminated from the competition.[11]

2017: Super Rugby

During the 2017 Super Rugby season, Mgijima was named on the bench for the Cheetahs for their Round Three match against Japanese side the Sunwolves, and made his Super Rugby debut by replacing Clinton Swart in the 56th minute of the match.[12]

References
  1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Ali Mgijima". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  2. "SA Rugby Squad – Free State : 2013 U18 Craven Week". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  3. "SA Rugby Squad – Free State U19 : 2014 Absa Under 19 Competition". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  4. "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB NMMU MADIBAZ 34–13 FNB CUT". South African Rugby Union. 16 February 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  5. "SA Rugby Squad – Free State U21 : 2015 Absa Under 21 Competition". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  6. "SA Rugby Squad – Toyota Free State XV : 2016 Currie Cup Qualifying". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State XV 26–29 Steval Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  8. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State XV 33–27 Hino Valke". South African Rugby Union. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards U21 26–43 Free State U21". South African Rugby Union. 6 August 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  10. "SA Rugby Log – 2016 SA Rugby U21 Provincial Champs". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  11. "SA Rugby Match Centre – WP U21 26–23 Free State U21". South African Rugby Union. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  12. "Match Centre: Cheetahs 38-31 Sunwolves". SANZAAR. 11 March 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
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