Future star: Zingisa Ndiki
28 Apr 2010
This Wynberg Boys speedster is one of the most underrated young players in the country.
Ndiki made a big impression at the 2009 Craven Week, scoring three tries in three matches for Western Province. He also featured for WP Academy in 2007 and WP U16 at the Grant Khomo Week in 2006. But the 1.76m, 90kg wing won’t take part in the U18 Craven Week this year as he turns 19 in April, and he hasn’t been offered a junior contract by Province.
‘I have spoken to Hennie Bekker about playing for the WP U19s this season but nothing has been confirmed,’ says Ndiki. ‘I’ve heard that the Sharks are interested in me, so I might end up at their academy next year. It’s disappointing because I want my rugby future to be in Cape Town.’
Ndiki hails from Khayelitsha and attended St Pauls Primary School before moving to Wynberg Boys Junior in Grade 2. But it was at Wynberg Boys High where his rugby talent was spotted.
‘I’ve coached Zingisa from U15 level and brought him up to the 1st XV when he was in Grade 10, so I’ve been coaching his entire high school career,’ says Wynberg 1st XV head coach Jerry Posthumus.
‘He was always the biggest boy in the group and was quick. What makes him different to other big players is that he has an eye for the gap. He doesn’t just bash it up, he looks for try-scoring opportunities.
‘He has all the attributes to be a star wing and has even improved on his kicking game in the past six months. He just needs to work on his handling.’
Ndiki says he hopes to emulate 19-year-old wing Wandile Mjekevu, who has been given an opportunity to play Super 14 rugby by the Lions this year.
‘I played against Wandile at the U16 Grant Khomo Week and performed well against him, so I believe I could make it professionally next year,’ says Ndiki. ‘Right now I’m focused on playing well for Wynberg but I hope to confirm my future either with WP or the Sharks quite soon.’
By Gareth Duncan
– This article first appeared in SA Rugby magazine
6 Comments
28 Apr 2010, 11:14 am
Bathathe Zingi…
Gareth you’re doing a shoddy job mate, where are his 100m & 40m sprint times? This guy can score 20 tries a season but if we don’t know his sprint time he is ****…so get us those times!
28 Apr 2010, 11:40 am
this guy lands up at Sharks academy then its criminal. Hennie Bekker catch a g.damn wake up, and Rassie stop hauling your check book for the already waning stars its time you started recognizing some rising ones instead. In few years time going to be scraping barrels again.
28 Apr 2010, 12:14 pm
@Transformation(Transformation): Tsk tsk. His sprint times don’t matter! It is his hurdling times! Get with the programme, man
28 Apr 2010, 16:12 pm
I’ve seen this guy… Really bad handling, until he gets that sorted – Think WP have enough “quick” wings coming up!
28 Apr 2010, 18:18 pm
Yeah I’ve seen him play too. Very strong and powerful WHEN he catches the ball but average hands at best.
He’s also a year old for his grade so he’s playing against kids a year younger than him this year
28 Apr 2010, 20:00 pm
I have also seen this boy play, no hands. There are at least 4 better wings in the Western Cape schools at the moment. I would advise him to go the 7′s route for 2 years, work on skills and then come back to 15′s.
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