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Shakes Soyizwapi

Full name	Siviwe Sonwabile Soyizwapi
Date of birth	(1992-12-07) 7 December 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth	Maclear, South Africa
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
Weight	75 kg (165 lb; 11 st 11 lb)
School	Dale College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback/ Wing Current team South Africa Sevens Youth career 2010 Border Bulldogs 2012–2013 Eastern Province Kings Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2012–2016 Eastern Province Kings 35 (45) 2013 Southern Kings 6 (0) Correct as of 9 October 2016 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2016–present South Africa Sevens 89 (280) Correct as of 15 November 2018
Medal record Men's rugby sevens Representing  South Africa Olympic Games 2024 Paris Team competition Commonwealth Games 2022 Birmingham Team competition

Siviwe Sonwabile 'Shakes' Soyizwapi (born 7 December 1992 in Maclear) is a South African rugby union player, who is currently contracted by the South African Rugby Union to play for the South Africa Sevens national team. His usual position is fullback or winger.

Youth rugby

He played for the Border Bulldogs at the Under-18 Academy Week in 2010, earning a call-up to the South African Under-18 High Performance team before joining the Eastern Province Kings Academy. He played for them at the Under-21 Provincial Championship level in 2012 and 2013, finishing the latter competition as the top try scorer.

Professional career

Eastern Province Kings

He made his first class debut in the 2012 Currie Cup promotion/relegation series against the Free State Cheetahs. Three appearances followed in the 2013 Vodacom Cup (scoring one try), as well as five appearances in the 2013 Currie Cup First Division (where he scored three tries) before reverting to the U21 side for the remainder of the season.

Southern Kings

He was initially named in the Southern Kings squad for the 2013 Super Rugby season, but was later released to the 2013 Vodacom Cup squad. Having made just four first-team appearances, he was recalled to the Super Rugby squad following an injury to Hadleigh Parkes, and made his Super Rugby debut in the 28–28 draw against the Brumbies in Canberra. He made three starts and three substitute appearances during the 2013 season.

In June 2014, he was selected in the starting line-up for the Eastern Province Kings side to face Wales during a tour match during a 2014 incoming tour. He played the entire match and scored the first try for the Kings in the 57th minute of the match as the Kings suffered a 12–34 defeat.

Stormers

Shortly before the start of their 2014 Super Rugby season, the Stormers signed Soyizwapi on a loan deal to provide cover for them at wing and full-back, following injuries to Cheslin Kolbe and Jaco Taute. However, he returned to the Kings shortly afterwards.

Sevens

In October 2013, Soyizwapi was called into a South Africa Sevens training squad before the 2013 Dubai Sevens. In November 2015, he joined the South African Sevens team on a two-year contract.

In December 2019, Soyizwapi captained the Blitzboks squad in the World Rugby Sevens Series in Dubai. He led the South African Sevens team to the finals against the All Blacks Sevens, earning his very first gold medal with an emphatic 15-0 win on his birthday on 7 December.

In 2022, He was part of the South African team that won their second Commonwealth Games gold medal in Birmingham.

He competed for South Africa at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. They defeated Australia to win the bronze medal final.

References

1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Shakes Soyizwapi". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
2. "SA Rugby Try Scorers – 2013 Absa Under 21 Competition". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
3. Green, Michael (23 October 2012). "'Elektriese' King Shakes". Media24 (in Afrikaans). Beeld. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
4. "Siviwe "Shakes" Soyizwapi called up to replace injured Parkes". Rugby 15. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
5. "Southern Kings name reduced 35-man Super Rugby squad". Rugby15. 12 February 2013. Archived from the original on 15 February 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
6. "Parkes blow for Kings". Sport24. 30 March 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
7. "Soyizwapi sizzles for Kings". Sport Live. 9 April 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
8. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Brumbies 28–28 Southern Kings". South African Rugby Union. 5 April 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province Kings 12–34 Wales". South African Rugby Union. 10 June 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
10. "Stormers sign Kings' Soyizwapi". Sport24. 17 February 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
11. "Kings players called up to the Blitzbok training squad". Rugby15. 25 October 2013. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
12. "New recruits Soyizwapi, Agaba in strong Academy line-up for Dubai" (Press release). South African Rugby Union. 27 November 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
13. "Blitzboks down All Blacks for emphatic Dubai 7s win". supersport.com. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
14. Mostert, Herman. "Team SA squad named for 2022 Commonwealth Games". news24.com. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
15. "Soyizwapi, Plaatjies to lead SA Sevens teams at Commonwealth Games". sarugby.co.za. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
16. "South Africa stun Fiji to win men's rugby sevens Commonwealth gold". the Guardian. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
17. "Australia and South Africa win rugby sevens gold at Commonwealth Games". www.world.rugby. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
18. "Springbok Sevens squad named for 2024 Olympic Games". SA Rugby. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
19. "South Africa - Rugby Sevens Olympic Games Paris 2024". www.world.rugby. 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
20. Glover, Ben; Bone, Alyssa (27 July 2024). "Aussie devastation as captain's send-off turns clash for bronze". Nine. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
21. Baloyi, Charles (28 July 2024). "Men's rugby sevens clinch Team South Africa's first medal in Paris". SABC. Retrieved 4 August 2024.

External links

• Siviwe Soyizwapi at Springbok Sevens
• Siviwe Soyizwapi at the World Rugby Men's Sevens Series (archived)
• Siviwe Soyizwapi at Olympedia
• Siviwe Soyizwapi at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics
• Siviwe Soyizwapi at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
• Siviwe Soyizwapi on Instagram

• South African rugby union players
• Southern Kings players
• Eastern Province Elephants players
• Living people
• 1992 births
• People from Mthatha
• Rugby union fullbacks
• Rugby union wings
• Rugby sevens players at the 2020 Summer Olympics
• Olympic rugby sevens players for South Africa
• Rugby sevens players at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
• Rugby sevens players at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
• Commonwealth Games medallists in rugby sevens
• Commonwealth Games gold medallists for South Africa
• Medallists at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
• Alumni of Dale College Boys' High School
• Rugby sevens players at the 2024 Summer Olympics
• Olympic bronze medalists for South Africa
• Medalists at the 2024 Summer Olympics