Luther Obi

Luther Obi

Personal information
Full name	Luther Banks St Charles Obi
Born	29 April 1993 Aba, Nigeria
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	90 kg (14 st 2 lb)
School(s) attended	St Benedict's College
Club information
Playing position	Winger
Current club	Blue Bulls / Bulls
Youth career
2006–09	Golden Lions
2012	Leopards
Amateur team(s)
Years	Team
2013–14	NWU Pukke	16	(45)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Pts)^†
2013–14	Leopards	23	(90)
2015	Eastern Province Kings	13	(25)
2016–	Blue Bulls	2	(0)
Representative team(s)^‡
2013	S.A. Under-20	5	(20)
* Senior club appearances and points correct as of 15 November 2015. † Appearances (Points). ‡ Representative team caps and points correct as of 20 November 2013.

Luther Banks St Charles Obi (born 29 April 1993 in Aba) is a Nigerian-born South African rugby union player, currently playing with the Blue Bulls.^[1] His regular position is as a winger.

Career

Youth and Varsity rugby

As a student at St Benedict's College in Bedfordview, Obi represented the Golden Lions in youth competitions. He played for them at the 2006 Under-13 Craven Week competition and for their Under-16 side at the 2009 Grant Khomo Week.

He joined Potchefstroom-based side the Leopards in 2012 and represented the Leopards U19 side in the 2012 Under-19 Provincial Championship competition. He finished as the third-highest try scorer in that competition, scoring ten tries.^[2]

In 2013, he played Varsity Cup rugby for the NWU Pukke, scoring four tries for the side.^[3]

Leopards

His first class debut came in the 2013 Currie Cup First Division competition. He missed out on the first game of the season, but started in their second match against the Falcons.^[4] He started each of the remaining matches of the season, making 14 appearances in total. His first senior try came in their match against the Griffons,^[5] scoring a dramatic try in injury time that secured a 34–28 victory for the Leopards. He was once again the match-winner against the Boland Cavaliers, with the second of his two tries coming with four minutes left to beat the Cavaliers 22–17.^[6][7] He scored another brace in their match against the Falcons^[8][9] to end the season with a tally of eight tries, joint-sixth in the competition.^[10]

He was subsequently included in the Lions wider training group prior to the 2014 Super Rugby season.^[11]

Eastern Province Kings

In February 2015, Obi – along with fellow Leopards winger Sylvian Mahuza – started training with Port Elizabeth-based side the Eastern Province Kings, following a dispute about the validity of their contracts with the Leopards.^[12] An agreement was reached and Obi officially joined the Kings on 27 February.^[13]

Bulls

After just one season at the Kings, Obi joined the Pretoria-based Bulls side for the 2016 Super Rugby season.^[14]

Representative rugby

In 2013, he was included in the South Africa Under-20 side that competed at the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship.^[15] He scored four tries in his five appearances and finished joint-second in the try-scoring charts behind compatriot Seabelo Senatla,^[16] helping the S.A. Under-20 side to third place in the competition.

References

1. "SARU Player Profile Luther Obi". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
2. "SA Rugby Try Scorers – 2012 ABSA Under 19 Competition". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
3. "SA Rugby Try Scorers – 2013 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
4. "Match Breakdown: Leopards vs Valke". South African Rugby Union. 5 July 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
5. "Match Breakdown: Down Touch Griffons vs Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 27 July 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
6. "Leopards vs Regent Boland Cavaliers". South African Rugby Union. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
7. "Obi strikes late as Leopards climb third". South African Rugby Union. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
8. "Valke vs Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 24 August 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
9. "Leopards beat Valke to stay in top four". South African Rugby Union. 24 August 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
10. "SA Rugby Try Scorers – 2013 Absa Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
11. "Agt van Pumas, Luiperds na Leeus". Media24 (in Afrikaans). Beeld. 15 November 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
12. "Official Statement on Luther Obi and Sylvian Mahuza" (Press release). Eastern Province Rugby. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
13. "Kings secure services of Obi and Mahuza" (Press release). Eastern Province Rugby. 27 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
14. "Haastige Obi groet Kings óók". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). 14 November 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
15. "Steenkamp leads powerful SA U20 JWC squad". South African Rugby Union. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
16. "IRB JWC 2013 Statistics". International Rugby Board. Retrieved 20 November 2013.