Zimpapers Logo

 

Mthokozisi Dube in Johannesburg, South Africa
THE self-effacing Tendai Mtawarira, who left Zimbabwe as a teenager more than a decade ago in pursuit of an opportunity in Durban, had more modest ambitions.
Little did he know that in just over a decade, his name would be counted among a mere 55 rugby players in the world to have reached the impressive milestone of a Century of Test caps in the international game.

“I remember coming to the Sharks Academy as an eager teenager just wanting to impress the coaches and get a spot in the Sharks team. That’s all I was thinking about at the time,” he said in an exclusive interview at a Johannesburg hotel.
Remarkably, his 10-year run in the green and gold strip has yielded a massive 99 Tests, two tour matches against the Barbarians and two fixtures against the World XV.

Thousands across the globe will watch the 32-year-old trot onto the field this afternoon to play what becomes his 100-Test milestone against England.

Locally, the soft-spoken star will join an illustrious list that includes John Smit, Percy Montgomery, Bryan Habana, Jean de Villiers and Victor Matfield, who all surpassed the 100 Tests mark. Without a doubt, rugby enthusiasts who will attend the match scheduled for Free State’s Toyota Stadium, some 430km from Johannesburg, owe him a rousing ovation as he becomes the first black African to achieve the feat.

“I never thought in my wildest dreams I would play 100 (Test) games for the Springboks,” said the legendary front-row star.

“It means so much more to kids out there, especially the not-so-privileged. I was once one of those kids back in Zimbabwe. I didn’t have much,” he added.
Springboks’ stand-in captain Siya Kolisi, a big admirer of the man popularly known as “The Beast”, says the achievement is an important story for the entire continent.

“(It’s an achievement) that all people in South Africa and even those from countries around the world can appreciate,” Kolisi says.

But one thing is certain — the journey has not been without obstacles, chief among them, efforts to have him deported by a South African legislator in January 2010.

Former National Assembly sports committee chairman Butana Komphela questioned the eligibility of the Harare-born ace to don the Springboks jersey, insisting that only “bona fide” people should represent South Africa in its national teams – not foreign players.

Later that same year, the government reaffirmed its policy that only South African natives would be allowed to represent the country in international competition, which made him ineligible for selection to the Springboks.

At the time, his application for South African citizenship had been tied up in red tape. Fortunately, on 25 June 2010, the South African Rugby Union (SARU) announced that the then Minister of Home Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma had granted his request for South African citizenship.

The ardent Christian, Mtawarira, is overly grateful to his mother for her prayers. He believes her intercession has always carried him through.

“My mom was the prayer warrior at home, always interceding for us. I went through a lot of challenges, but my mom was always there praying for me.”

Besides the prayers, Mtawarira said his parents had to lay out their life savings for him to move to South Africa.

The history-making “Shona Springbok”, as many prefer to call him, has been singularly loyal to the Durban-based Super Rugby side Sharks since his competition debut back in 2007. But it seems unbefitting for anyone to talk about Beast’s career without talking about his scrummaging performance against the British & Irish Lions in 2009. He singlehandedly ended the career of veteran Phil Vickery in this series and in doing so, announced himself as a world-class loosehead comparable with legends such as Os du Randt.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus paid tribute to Mtawarira, describing him as a great servant to Springbok rugby and an exceptional professional.

“His contribution to Springbok rugby during the past decade has been enormous and I want to congratulate him on reaching 100 Test caps for South Africa. It is a special achievement,” said Erasmus.

Incredibly, his scrummaging, over the years has remained as solid as ever. He has been immense in defence, running the ball with an intensity and ferocity as a hallmark of his game.

Bigtime Strategic Group founder and CEO, Justice Maphosa, who has followed his game over the years, will fly down to the Free State to watch the game at the invitation of Beast. He believes his work ethic has helped keep him at the highest level.

“The Beast strikes me as someone really focused on what he wants to achieve. He has really made us proud, hoisting Zimbabwe’s flag so high,” Maphosa said.

The man of the moment, Mtawarira, still believes, despite his age, that his brightest rugby days lie ahead.

“I want to play the best rugby ever,” he said.

“I believe my best days are ahead of me. I’m just making sure that every opportunity that comes my way, I make it my own and grab it with both hands,” he added assertively.

The Beast recalls a 2008 phone call that totally changed his life, for the better, of course. It was a quick call from his mother. She went straight to the point immediately after exchanging pleasantries. God had given his mum a vision that he would marry a certain girl she had seen teaching at Sunday School at her Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) church in Harare.

“I was shocked. I refused because I knew I had everything under control,” Mtawarira said.

But, for the next six months, mum would not budge. “I promise you this is from God, you have to meet this girl,” she kept saying.

As if that was not enough, Mtawarira’s mother approached the mother of Kuziva Makore, now his wife. She was equally shocked by the “revelation” and seemingly played diplomatic about it saying they would “seek the Lord” about it.

Eventually, Mtawarira gathered his courage and gave her a call.

“From the first moment we spoke, we just had this incredible connection. When I saw her after three months of communicating on the phone, I just knew she was the one,” said Mtawarira.

Exactly three days after seeing her for the first time, he proposed.

“After three days of meeting her face to face, I proposed and we got married in 2010. We’ve been together for eight years and have two kids.”
He hastens to say he has no regrets at all.

“After all, mum was right!” On his future, the Sharks prop plans to get more involved in his businesses when he retires from the game.

“I’ve got stuff that I’m doing on the side. I’m a shareholder at a local security company and I’m a director as well.”
Empowering himself started a while back when he was still at the Sharks Academy.

“I studied marketing and now I opened my own marketing company . . .”
But his true passion lies in the game of rugby and he assures his fans he will not be lost to the game when his playing days are over.

“I want to create a state-of-the-art academy (in Zimbabwe), not just for rugby, but somewhere where kids can go and have the best coaches and facilities.”
For now though, his utmost dream remains to win the World Cup before he calls it a day on his playing career.

“I want to be part of the 31 squad that will go to Japan next year. My dream remains to win the World Cup.”

Beast has featured in two World Cups so far, which ended disappointingly. In fact, his worst moment in the game was losing to New Zealand at the 2015 World Cup by just two points. But, all that’s in the mind of this gentle giant  today is becoming the first Springbok Prop in history to reach 100 Test caps in the Green and Gold.

Go Bokke!