{{short description|South African rugby union player|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Tonderai Chavhanga | image = | fullname = <!--if different--> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|12|24|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Harare]], Zimbabwe | height = {{height|m=1.84}} | weight = {{convert|86|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}} | nickname = | occupation = | school = [[Prince Edward School]], [[Harare]] | university = [[University of the Free State]] | relatives = | position = [[Wing (rugby union)|Wing]] | currentclub = | youthyears1 = 2002–2003 | youthclubs1 = {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}} | years1 = 2003–2004 | clubs1 = {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}} | apps1 = 3 | points1 = 5 | years2 = 2004–2009 | clubs2 = {{Rut|Stormers}} | apps2 = 37 | points2 = 70 | years3 = 2005–2009 | clubs3 = {{Rut|Western Province}} | apps3 = 40 | points3 = 80 | years4 = 2010–2011 | clubs4 = {{Rut|Lions}} | apps4 = 11 | points4 = 10 | years5 = 2010–2011 | clubs5 = {{Rut|Golden Lions}} | apps5 = 8 | points5 = 5 | years6 = 2011–2013 | clubs6 = [[Dragons (rugby union)|Newport Gwent Dragons]] | apps6 = 28 | points6 = 50 | years7 = 2013 | clubs7 = {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}} | apps7 = 0 | points7 = 0 | years8 = 2014–2015 | clubs8 = {{Rut|Sharks (Currie Cup)|CC=y}} | apps8 = 16 | points8 = 20 | years9 = 2014–2015 | clubs9 = {{Rut|Sharks}} | apps9 = 5 | points9 = 5 | repyears1 = 2003 | repteam1 = South Africa Under-21 | repcaps1 = 3 | reppoints1 = 10 | repyears2 = 2003 | repteam2 = [[South Africa national rugby sevens team|South Africa Sevens]] | repcaps2 = | reppoints2 = | repyears3 = 2005–2008 | repteam3 = {{nrut|South Africa}} | repcaps3 = 4 | reppoints3 = 30 | repyears4 = 2007 | repteam4 = [[Emerging Springboks]] | repcaps4 = 2 | reppoints4 = 10 | clubupdate = 8 May 2015 | repupdate = 25 March 2015 }}
'''Tonderai Chavhanga''' (born 24 December 1983) is a South African [[rugby union]] player.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/southafrica/rugby/player/14877.html|title=Tonderai Chavhanga|publisher=ESPNscrum|access-date=2019-11-04}}</ref> Chavhanga has played for the national team, the [[South Africa national rugby union team|Springboks]], having been capped four times.
==Childhood== Chavhanga was born in [[Harare]], [[Zimbabwe]]. He was raised by his mother, who had a strong influence on his religious views. His mother worked in construction and built the house in which he grew up. Although poor his mother supported him financially and was the biggest influence on him. His father played very little role in his life, as he remarried and was uninvolved in his up bringing.
Chavhanga played rugby for the first time in Grade 5, at Harare's government-owned Blakiston Primary School. Even at a young age, Tonderai's speed qualities were evident as he was much quicker than his peers. He made first team rugby for three consecutive years at primary school and made the Harare Schools Representative team for three straight years playing fullback. Chavhanga attended [[Prince Edward School]] in Zimbabwe on a scholarship. He was the youngest player in the history of the school to play for the school's first team.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}
==Career== Chavhanga played for the [[Stormers]] in the international [[Super Rugby]] competition. He left Cape Town in 2010 after he signed a two-year contract with the Lions in September 2009.
Chavhanga made his international debut for the Springboks as a 21-year-old on 11 June 2005 on the right wing, in a home game against [[Uruguay national rugby union team|Uruguay]] at the [[Basil Kenyon Stadium]] in [[East London, South Africa|East London]]. The Springboks notched up a large victory, winning 134–3. Chavhanga scored six tries in the match and now holds the South African record for the most number of tries scored in one game.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}} He missed the end of year touring matches, because of a quad muscle injury.
He was selected as part of the Springboks squad to tour New Zealand and Australia. He was on the bench for the game against the [[All Blacks]] in Christchurch. He could run the 100 meters in 10.27 seconds, possibly making him the fastest rugby player in South African history.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}
Chavhanga joined [[Wales|Welsh]] regional side [[Dragons (rugby union)|Newport Gwent Dragons]] in September 2011, but was released at the end of the 2012–2013 season.<ref>[http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/dragons/9267599.Tonderai_wings_in_to_Parade/ Chavhanga joins Dragons]</ref>
He returned to South Africa and was included in the {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}} squad for the [[2013 Currie Cup Premier Division]] season.<ref name="SA Rugby Squad – Toyota Free State Cheetahs : 2013 Absa Currie Cup Premier Division">{{SA Rugby Squad | teamid=12654 | team=Toyota Free State Cheetahs | compid=1294 | comp=2013 Absa Currie Cup Premier Division | accessdate=3 June 2016}}</ref>
=== Test history === {| class="wikitable unsortable" |- ! No. !! Opponents !! Results (SA 1st) !! Position !! Tries !! Dates !! Venue |- | 1. || {{ru|URU}} || align="center"|134–3 || [[Wing (rugby union)|Wing]] || align="center"|6 || 11 June 2005 || [[Basil Kenyon Stadium]], [[East London, South Africa|East London]] |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 2. || {{ru|NZL}} || align="center"|6–33 || Replacement || || 14 July 2007 ||[[Lancaster Park|AMI Stadium]], [[Christchurch]] |- | 3. || {{ru|WAL}} || align="center"|43–17 || Wing || || 7 June 2008 ||[[Free State Stadium]], [[Bloemfontein]] |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 4. || {{ru|WAL}} || align="center"|37–21 || Wing || || 14 June 2008 ||[[Loftus Versfeld Stadium|Loftus Versfeld]], [[Pretoria]] |}
==Xenophobia== He made a strong statement against xenophobia when he addressed media, in his capacity as a [[South Africa national rugby union team|Springbok]] on the 2008 [[xenophobic]] attacks. He also clearly stated that he was a Shona, a Zimbabwean ethnic tribe.
==See also== *[[List of South Africa national rugby union players]] – Springbok no. '''768'''
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100413144355/http://www.lionsrugby.co.za/index.php/all-rugby/super-14/player-profiles/277-tonderai-chavhanga Lions profile] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20131216155221/http://www.genslin.us/bokke/SARugby.html Tonderai Chavhanga] on Springbok Rugby Hall of Fame *[http://www.sarugby.com/news/Player/pid=25850.html Tonderai Chavhanga] on SARugby.com *[http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_1810.html Tonderai Chavhanga] on itsrugby.co.uk *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p93mxSU2bJc Tonderai Pace Explosion] Witness the express pace on YouTube.com *[http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,15995_5575353,00.html Tondie transfers to Lions] *[http://www.newportgwentdragons.com/personnel.aspx?pr=222916 Newport Gwent Dragons squad]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chavhanga, Tonderai}} [[Category:1983 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Rugby union wings]] [[Category:South African rugby union players]] [[Category:South Africa international rugby union players]] [[Category:Stormers players]] [[Category:Dragons RFC players]] [[Category:Alumni of Prince Edward School]] [[Category:Lions (United Rugby Championship) players]] [[Category:South African expatriate rugby union players in Wales]] [[Category:Sharks (rugby union) players]] [[Category:South Africa international rugby sevens players]] [[Category:Male rugby sevens players]] [[Category:21st-century South African sportsmen]] [[Category:Rugby union players from Harare]]