Thierry Kounga Kuaté
Thierry Marcial Kounga Kuaté (born 15 June 1994)[1] is a Cameroonian rugby union player who most recently played for the Sharks in the Currie Cup.[2] His regular position is prop.
| Full name | Thierry Marcial Kounga Kuaté | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 15 June 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Bandjoun, Cameroon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In 2013 and 2014, he played club rugby and provincial rugby in South Africa, where he was generally known as David Kuate. He was then contracted to the Waratahs in Australia, where he was nicknamed Darche, Darcheville or Dashville after French Guianan footballer Jean-Claude Darcheville, before signing with French club Carcassonne for 2016 and 2017.
Professional career
Raiders / Falcons
Kounga Kuaté was born in Bandjoun, Cameroon. He left Cameroon in 2012 to journey to South Africa, where he settled in Johannesburg, where he joined club side Raiders. He represented them in the 2013 SARU Community Cup, making four appearances as they finished third in Pool C of the competition.
In 2014, he had a trial at Nelspruit-based side the Pumas and featured for them in a pre-season friendly,[3] but instead joined Kempton Park-based side the Falcons. He made his first class debut for the Falcons against the Pumas, playing off the bench in a 6–26 defeat in the opening round of the 2014 Vodacom Cup,[4] and also started their next home match of the competition, a 29–40 defeat to the Leopards.[5]
Waratahs / Eagles
When Australian Super Rugby side the Waratahs toured South Africa in March 2014 during the 2014 Super Rugby season, Kounga Kuaté was invited to train with the side and joined the team for the remainder of their South African tour in Durban and Cape Town. Waratahs coach Michael Cheika offered Kounga Kuaté a contract to play with the Waratahs and, despite a difficult visa application process and a contract offer from the Sharks, he accepted the offer and made the move to Sydney,[6] joining the Randwick club for the Shute Shield competition.[2]
He appeared for the Waratahs' Gen Blue side during the 2014 Pacific Rugby Cup in their match against Argentine side Pampas XV.[7]
Carcassonne
He agreed a two-year deal in 2016 to play for French club Carcassonne.[2]
References
- "Liste des délégations en déplacement au Gabon". Marcassins Rugby Club de Bonabéri (in French). 11 June 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
- "Thierry KOUNGA KUATE à l'USC". US Carcassonne (in French). 11 March 2016. Archived from the original on 30 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- "Team Announcement". Pumas. 19 February 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
- "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 6–26 Steval Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
- "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 29–40 Leopards XV". South African Rugby Union. 22 March 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
- "Thierry Marcial Kounga Kuate's long journey from Cameroon to the NSW Waratahs". Sydney Morning Herald. 3 April 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
- "Gen Blue team named for Pampas match". Waratahs. 26 February 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
- "Rencontre amicale Cameroun - Gabon" (in French). Journal du Cameroun. 11 May 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
External links
- Stats on It's Rugby