{{Short description|South African rugby union player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}} {{Use South African English|date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox rugby union biography | name = Jixie Molapo | image = | fullname = Matjikinyane Nkosinathi Molapo | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|01|02|df=y}} | birth_place = Middelburg, South Africa | height = {{height|m=1.83}} | weight = {{cvt|95|kg|lb stlb}} | nickname = | occupation = | school = Hoërskool Ben Vorster, Tzaneen | university = Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University | relatives = | position = Winger | currentclub = | youthyears1 = 2008–2013 | youthclubs1 = {{Rut|Limpopo Blue Bulls}} | youthyears2 = 2014–2015 | youthclubs2 = {{Rut|Blue Bulls}} | years1 = 2016–2017 | clubs1 = {{Rut|Eastern Province Kings}} | apps1 = 4 | points1 = 0 | repyears1 = 2012 | repteam1 = South Africa Schools | repcaps1 = 1 | reppoints1 = 5 | clubupdate = 24 May 2018 | repupdate = 25 May 2016 }}
'''Matjikinyane Nkosinathi 'Jixie' Molapo''' (born 2 January 1995) is a South African professional rugby union player, who most recently played with the {{Rut|Eastern Province Kings}}.<ref name="SARU Player Profile Jixie Molapo">{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=45126 | name=Jixie Molapo | date=25 May 2016}}</ref> His usually plays as a right winger.
==Career==
===Youth===
Molapo grew up in Tzaneen in Limpopo province and was selected to represent the {{Rut|Limpopo Blue Bulls}} at various youth levels. He played for them as early as primary school level, when he was included in their squad that played at the Under-13 Craven Week tournament in 2008.
At high school level, he played at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week held in Queenstown in 2011 and at the premier South African schools tournament, the Under-18 Craven Week, held in Port Elizabeth in 2012. He started all three of their matches, scoring a try in their 68–21 victory over Zimbabwe<ref name="Limpopo 68-21 Zimbabwe">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=112911 | homeid=13831 | awayid=13781 | leagueid=1401 | hometeam=Limpopo | homescore=68 | awayscore=21 | awayteam=Zimbabwe | matchdate=12 July 2012 | date=24 May 2016}}</ref> and another in their 20–7 victory over Border<ref name="Border 7-20 Limpopo">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=113001 | homeid=13731 | awayid=13831 | leagueid=1401 | hometeam=Border | homescore=7 | awayscore=20 | awayteam=Limpopo | matchdate=14 July 2012 | date=24 May 2016}}</ref> during the tournament. At the conclusion of the tournament, he was also selected in the South Africa Schools squad. He made one appearance for them during the 2012 Under-18 International Series, starting the match against Wales and scoring a try in a 24–16 victory.<ref name="South Africa 24-16 Wales">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=113251 | homeid=14841 | awayid=14861 | leagueid=1441 | hometeam=South Africa | homescore=24 | awayscore=16 | awayteam=Wales | matchdate=14 August 2012 | date=24 May 2016}}</ref>
He was again selected to represent Limpopo in the 2013 Craven Week tournament which was held in Polokwane and scored a try in their 36–39 loss to Eastern Province Country Districts<ref name="Limpopo Blue Bulls 36-39 Eastern Province CD">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=112614 | homeid=13964 | awayid=13984 | leagueid=1394 | hometeam=Limpopo Blue Bulls | homescore=36 | awayscore=39 | awayteam=Eastern Province CD | matchdate=13 July 2013 | date=24 May 2016}}</ref> in the final of his three starts at the tournament.
In 2014, Molapo moved to Pretoria to join the academy of Limpopo's parent union, the {{Rut|Blue Bulls}}. He was included in the {{Rut|Blue Bulls U19}} squad that played in the 2014 Under-19 Provincial Championship. He started in ten matches during the regular season of the competition, scoring two tries in their 36–11 victory over trans-Jukskei rivals, {{Rut|Golden Lions U19}}<ref name="Golden Lions U19 11-36 Blue Bulls U19">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=126574 | homeid=21164 | awayid=21104 | leagueid=2064 | hometeam=Golden Lions U19 | homescore=11 | awayscore=36 | awayteam=Blue Bulls U19 | matchdate=9 August 2014 | date=24 May 2016}}</ref> and another two tries in their 50–25 victory over {{Rut|Free State U19}}.<ref name="Free State U19 25-50 Blue Bulls U19">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=127204 | homeid=21134 | awayid=21104 | leagueid=2064 | hometeam=Free State U19 | homescore=25 | awayscore=50 | awayteam=Blue Bulls U19 | matchdate=26 September 2014 | date=24 May 2016}}</ref> He helped his side finish top of the log after the regular season to qualify for the semi-finals.<ref name="SA Rugby Log – 2014 Absa Under 19 Competition">{{SA Rugby Log | id=2064 | comp=2014 Absa Under 19 Competition | date=24 May 2016}}</ref> He started their semi-final match against {{Rut|Sharks U19}} and scored one of six tries in a 43–20 victory.<ref name="Blue Bulls U19 43-20 Sharks U19">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=127284 | homeid=21104 | awayid=21144 | leagueid=2064 | hometeam=Blue Bulls U19 | homescore=43 | awayscore=20 | awayteam=Sharks U19 | matchdate=17 October 2014 | date=24 May 2016}}</ref> He also started the final against {{Rut|Western Province U21}} in Cape Town, but ended the match on the losing side as the hosts ran out 33–26 winners.<ref name="Western Province U19 33-26 Blue Bulls U19">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=127304 | homeid=21124 | awayid=21104 | leagueid=2064 | hometeam=Western Province U19 | homescore=33 | awayscore=26 | awayteam=Blue Bulls U19 | matchdate=25 October 2014 | date=24 May 2016}}</ref>
Molapo was included in the Blue Bulls squad for the 2015 Vodacom Cup, but was not selected in any matchday squad during the competition. He played in for the {{Rut|Blue Bulls U21}} team in the 2015 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, starting their first six matches of the competition. He scored tries in their victories over {{Rut|Eastern Province U21}}<ref name="EP Kings U21 20-39 Blue Bulls U21">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=153894 | homeid=27024 | awayid=27044 | leagueid=2544 | hometeam=EP Kings U21 | homescore=20 | awayscore=39 | awayteam=Blue Bulls U21 | matchdate=31 July 2015 | date=24 May 2016}}</ref> and {{Rut|Leopards U21}},<ref name="Blue Bulls U21 41-31 Leopards U21">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=147004 | homeid=27044 | awayid=27054 | leagueid=2544 | hometeam=Blue Bulls U21 | homescore=41 | awayscore=31 | awayteam=Leopards U21 | matchdate=14 August 2015 | date=24 May 2016}}</ref> but went off injured in their match against {{Rut|Western Province U21}}<ref name="Blue Bulls U21 22-51 Western Province U21">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=147014 | homeid=27044 | awayid=26994 | leagueid=2544 | hometeam=Blue Bulls U21 | homescore=22 | awayscore=51 | awayteam=Western Province U21 | matchdate=22 August 2015 | date=24 May 2016}}</ref> and played no further part in the remainder of the competition.
===Eastern Province Kings===
At the start of 2016, Molapo joined the {{Rut|Eastern Province Kings}}. Serious financial problems at the Port Elizabeth-based side saw a number of first team regulars leave the union<ref name="Kings facing player exodus?">{{cite web | url=http://www.rugby365.com/tournaments/super-rugby/69935-kings-facing-player-exodus | title=Kings facing player exodus? | work=Rugby365 | date=11 November 2015 | accessdate=11 November 2015}}</ref> and Molapo was among a number of youngsters that were included in their squad that competed in the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series.<ref name="SA Rugby Squad – EP Kings : 2016 Currie Cup Qualifying">{{SA Rugby Squad | teamid=30864 | team=EP Kings | compid=2824 | comp=2016 Currie Cup Qualifying | accessdate=3 June 2016}}</ref> He was named in the starting lineup for their first match of the season against the {{Rut|SWD Eagles}},<ref name="EP Kings team announced for SWD Eagles match">{{SA Rugby Article | id=3471374 | leagueid=2824 | title=EP Kings team announced for SWD Eagles match | date=5 April 2016 | accessdate=7 April 2016 | url=http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?id=3471374&leagueid=2824 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407142936/http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?id=3471374&leagueid=2824 | url-status=dead | archivedate=7 April 2016}}</ref> playing the entire 80 minutes in a 14–37 defeat.<ref name="EP Kings 14-37 SWD Eagles">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=158164 | homeid=30864 | awayid=30744 | leagueid=2824 | hometeam=EP Kings | homescore=14 | awayscore=37 | awayteam=SWD Eagles | matchdate=9 April 2016 | date=11 April 2016}}</ref> He also started their second match of the season away to the {{Rut|Boland Cavaliers}}, but was once again forced off through injury.<ref name="Boland Cavaliers 37-18 EP Kings">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=158224 | homeid=30734 | awayid=30864 | leagueid=2824 | hometeam=Boland Cavaliers | homescore=37 | awayscore=18 | awayteam=EP Kings | matchdate=16 April 2016 | date=24 May 2016}}</ref>
==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Molapo, Jixie}} Category:South African rugby union players Category:Living people Category:1995 births Middelburg Category:Rugby union wings Category:Bulls (rugby union) players Category:Eastern Province Elephants players Category:21st-century South African sportsmen