Takudzwa Ngwenya

Takudzwa Ngwenya (born 22 July 1985) is a former rugby union player who played on the wing for the United States national rugby union team and Biarritz Olympique in the Top 14. He made his mark in the 2007 Rugby World Cup with tries against South Africa[1] and Samoa.

Takudzwa Ngwenya
Date of birth (1985-07-22) 22 July 1985
Place of birthHarare, Zimbabwe
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight187 lb (13 st 5 lb; 85 kg)
SchoolVainona High School
UniversityBrookhaven College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007–2016
2016
2016–2018
2018		 Biarritz Olympique
San Diego Breakers
CA Brive
San Diego Legion		 239
6
26
8		 (430)
(10)
(35)
(5)
Correct as of 17 February 2018
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007–2016 United States 36 (65)
Correct as of 19 June 2016
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
2006–2009 United States 5

Early career

Ngwenya was born in Harare, Zimbabwe. The oldest of three boys, Ngwenya first played rugby in Zimbabwe for the Mashonaland Club and for Vainona High School, from which he graduated in 2003. After moving to the United States, he played for the Plano Rugby Club in Plano, Texas and went on to play for the Dallas Athletic Rugby Club for a few years. He was clocked at 10.5 hand time for the 100 m dash. DARC Rugby sent him to play for the Texas Select Side and the USA Under 19 national team, then the national Sevens team that came first in Bangkok and the 2007 North America 4.

Professional career

Ngwenya was offered a one-month trial at Saracens in England's Guinness Premiership by new coach Eddie Jones. However, he got a considerably better offer from Biarritz in France's Top 14, initially signing a two-year contract with them on 6 November 2007. [2] Between 2007 and 2016 Ngwenya played regularly for Biarritz, as a winger. Ngwenya scored 2 tries in the 2007-08 Heineken Cup. In the 2009–10 Heineken Cup he helped the club make their first final since the 2006. He scored 6 tries in the competition which placed him as joint second top try scorer. [3] Ngwenya also had a stellar year in the 2009–10 Top 14 season, starting in 21 games and winning 7 tries.[3] In the 2010–11 Heineken Cup Ngwenya scored 5 tries, again tying for second. During the 2011–12 Top 14 season Ngwenya collected five tries in the Top 14 and added 4 more in the Heineken Cup[4] Ngwenya crossed the whitewash for Biarritz seven times in all competitions during both the 2012–13 and 2013–14 seasons.[5]

Ngwenya playing for Biarritz in 2013

After a season with the San Diego Breakers in the inaugural PRO Rugby season Ngwenya headed back to France and the Top 14 after signing with CA Brive.[6]

Club statistics
As of match played 17 February 2018.
Club statistics
Club Season League Heineken Cup Amlin Challenge Cup Other Total
Division Apps Tries Apps Tries Apps Tries Apps Tries Apps Tries
Biarritz Olympique 2007–08 Top 14 19 8 3 2 0 0 — 22 10
Biarritz Olympique 2008–09 Top 14 21 10 6 0 0 0 — 27 10
Biarritz Olympique 2009–10 Top 14 21 7 8 6 0 0 — 29 13
Biarritz Olympique 2010–11 Top 14 25 9 7 5 0 0 — 32 14
Biarritz Olympique 2011–12 Top 14 19 5 6 4 3 0 — 28 9
Biarritz Olympique 2012–13 Top 14 26 6 5 1 2 0 — 33 7
Biarritz Olympique 2013–14 Top 14 21 5 0 0 5 2 — 26 7
Biarritz Olympique 2014–15 Pro D2 21 7 0 0 0 0 — 21 7
Biarritz Olympique 2015–16 Pro D2 21 9 0 0 0 0 — 21 9
San Diego Breakers 2016 PRO Rugby 6 2 0 0 0 0 — 6 2
CA Brive 2016–17 Top 14 13 2 0 0 7 5 — 20 7
CA Brive 2017–18 Top 14 6 0 0 0 0 0 — 6 0
Total 207 68 35 18 10 2 271 95

International tries

Try Opposing team Venue Competition Date Result Score Ref.
1  SamoaStade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne2007 Rugby World Cup26 September 2007Lost21–25[7]
2  South AfricaStade de la Mosson, Montpellier2007 Rugby World Cup30 September 2007Lost15–64[8]
3  UruguayRio Tinto Stadium, SandyTest match8 November 2008Won43–9[9]
4  JapanMizuho Rugby Stadium, NagoyaTest match16 November 2008Lost19–29[10]
5  JapanPrince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, TokyoTest match22 November 2008Lost17–32[11]
6  RussiaInfinity Park, Glendale2010 Churchill Cup5 June 2010Won39–22[12]
7  PortugalEstádio Universitário de Lisboa, LisbonTest match13 November 2010Won22–17[13]
8  CanadaBMO Field, TorontoTest match6 August 2011Lost22–28[14]
9  RomaniaStadionul Arcul de Triumf, BucharestTest match24 November 2012Won34–3[15]
10  CanadaBMO Field, Toronto2015 Rugby World Cup Qualifier24 August 2013Lost11–13[16]
11  RomaniaStadionul Arcul de Triumf, BucharestTest match8 November 2014Won27–17[17]
12  FijiStade de la Rabine, VannesTest match21 November 2014Lost14–20[18]
13  JapanKingsholm, Gloucester2015 Rugby World Cup11 October 2015Lost18–28[19]
14  Argentina XVBBVA Compass Stadium, Houston2016 Americas Rugby Championship6 February 2016Draw35–35[20]

References
  1. "Rugby World Cup Match Report, South Africa 64 USA 15. BBC News online, 30 September 2007.
  2. "Takudzwa Ngwenya pour deux ans à Biarritz" (in French). Biarritz Olympique. 6 November 2007. Retrieved 15 November 2007.
  3. "Rugby - Player statistics Ngwenya Takudzwa - club stats".
  4. "Eagles Abroad: Season in Review, Part One". Archived from the original on 8 February 2013.
  5. "Taku Nwenya". http://www.itsrugby.fr/joueur_10159.html. itsrugby. Retrieved 16 June 2014. External link in |website= (help)
  6. "Taku Ngwenya Headed To Brive". TIAR. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  7. "Rugby World Cup, Pool A - Saint-Etienne, 26 September 2007, 20:00 local, 18:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  8. "Rugby World Cup, Pool A - Montpellier, 30 September 2007, 20:00 local, 18:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  9. "Uruguay Tour - Sandy, 8 November 2008, 16:00 local, 23:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  10. "United States of America Tour - Nagoya, 16 November 2008, 15:00 local, 06:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  11. "United States of America Tour - Tokyo, 22 November 2008, 19:00 local, 10:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  12. "Churchill Cup, Pool B - Glendale, 5 June 2010, 15:30 local, 21:30 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  13. "United States of America Tour - Lisbon, 13 November 2010, 15:00 local, 15:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  14. "United States of America Tour - Toronto, 6 August 2011, 14:00 local, 21:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  15. "United States of America Tour - Bucharest, 24 November 2012, 16:00 local, 14:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  16. "2015 Rugby World Cup Qualifier - Toronto, 24 August 2013, 16:00 local, 23:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  17. "United States of America Tour - Bucharest, 8 November 2014, 18:30 local, 16:30 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  18. "Fiji Tour - Vannes, 21 November 2014, 19:00 local, 18:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  19. "Rugby World Cup, Pool B - Gloucester, 11 October 2015, 20:00 local, 19:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  20. "Americas Rugby Championship - Houston, 6 February 2016, 19:10 local, 03:10 GMT +1d". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
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