Sylvian Mahuza

Sylvian Mahuza

Personal information
Born	29 July 1993 George, South Africa
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	80 kg (12 st 8 lb)
School(s) attended	Outeniqua High School, George
University	North-West University
Club information
Playing position	Winger / Fullback / Centre
Current club	Golden Lions
Youth career
2009–11	SWD Eagles
2012–13	Leopards
Amateur team(s)
Years	Team
2013–14, 2016–	NWU Pukke	14	(40)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Pts)^†
2013–14	Leopards	14	(75)
2015	Eastern Province Kings	7	(10)
2016–	Golden Lions	0	(0)
Representative team(s)^‡
2013	S.A. Under-20	0	(0)
* Senior club appearances and points correct as of 9 October 2015. † Appearances (Points). ‡ Representative team caps and points correct as of 21 July 2014.

Sylvian Mahuza (born 29 July 1993 in George, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with Currie Cup side the Golden Lions.^[1] He can play as a winger, centre or fullback.

Career

Youth and Varsity Cup rugby

In 2009, he was called up to represent the SWD Eagles Under-16 side at the Grant Khomo Week competition. In 2010 and 2011, he played for their Under-18 side at the Craven Week tournament.

After high school in 2012, however, he moved to Potchefstroom, where he got involved in the youth setup of the provincial side, the Leopards, as well as playing rugby for Varsity Cup side NWU Pukke.

He made eleven appearances in the Leopards U19 team during the 2012 Under-19 Provincial Championship season, scoring three tries. In 2013, he played four matches in the 2013 Under-21 Provincial Championship, which included a match against Border U21 in which he scored two tries.^[2]

In the Varsity Cup competition, he played six matches for the NWU Pukke during the 2013 Varsity Cup competition, scoring two tries. He made eight appearances during the 2014 edition of the competition and ran in six tries (making him the second top try scorer in the competition) as the NWU Pukke reached the final.^[3]

South Africa Under-20

He was also included in the S.A. Under-20 side that played against their Argentinean counterparts prior to the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship,^[4] but failed to make the final squad for the tournament.

Leopards

His first involvement in first team action came during the 2013 Currie Cup First Division season. He made his debut against the Falcons, playing off the bench and scoring his first try within ten minutes of appearing.^[5] He made two further substitute appearances against the Eastern Province Kings^[6] and Pumas.^[7]

His next taste of first class action came during the 2014 Currie Cup qualification tournament. He started in five of their matches during the competition. Prior to the last round of matches, he was the joint-top try scorer in the league, with a brace of tries against the Griffons^[8] and the SWD Eagles^[9] and one each against Griquas^[10] and Boland Cavaliers^[11] putting him on a total of six tries. In their last match of the competition against the Border Bulldogs, Mahuza and team-mate Luther Obi, who was also on six tries for the season before the match – scored four tries each to help the Leopards to a 103–15 victory,^[12] which also meant that Mahuza and Obi finished the competition as joint-top try scorers, with ten tries apiece.^[13]

Eastern Province Kings

In February 2015, Mahuza – along with fellow Leopards winger Luther Obi – started training with Port Elizabeth-based side the Eastern Province Kings, following a dispute about the validity of their contracts with the Leopards.^[14] An agreement was reached and Mahuza officially joined the Kings on 27 February.^[15] He made his debut for the EP Kings by starting their first match of the 2015 Vodacom Cup season, a 19–27 defeat to defending champions Griquas.^[16] After just one season at the Kings, Mahuza left prior to the 2016 Super Rugby season.^[17]

References

1. "SARU Player Profile Sylvian Mahuza". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
2. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 26-17 Border". South African Rugby Union. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
3. "SA Rugby Try Scorers – 2014 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
4. "Baby Boks beaten by Pumas". Sport24. 17 April 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
5. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 50-25 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 5 July 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province Kings 18-22 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 12 July 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 27-35 Steval Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
8. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 70-25 Down Touch Griffons". South African Rugby Union. 5 July 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 51-23 SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 7 June 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
10. "SA Rugby Match Centre – GWK Griquas 33-32 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
11. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Boland 23-55 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 12 July 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
12. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 103-15 Border". South African Rugby Union. 19 July 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
13. "SA Rugby Top Scorers – 2014 Absa Currie Cup Qualifiers". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
14. "Official Statement on Luther Obi and Sylvian Mahuza" (Press release). Eastern Province Rugby. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
15. "Kings secure services of Obi and Mahuza" (Press release). Eastern Province Rugby. 27 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
16. "SA Rugby Match Centre – EP Kings 19-27 GWK Griquas". South African Rugby Union. 21 March 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
17. "EP Rugby Statement". Rugby15. 16 November 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015.