Cheetahs secure four talented players
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The Free State Cheetahs are delighted to confirm the signing of centre Ali Mgijima with the Toyota Cheetahs.
He will play with Rewan Kruger, Andisa Ntsila and Laurence Victor, who also recently renewed their contracts with the Toyota Cheetahs.
Ali, Rewan and Laurence are all products of the Toyota Academy.
Ali Mgijima
In 2014, Mgijima was included in the Free State U. 19 squad making three appearances as a replacement. He started the 2015 season by featuring in the Varsity Cup for the Bloemfontein-based CUT Ixias. He also appeared for the Free State U. 21's.
Mgijima joined the Toyota Cheetahs in 2016 and made the squad for the Currie Cup qualification series. He made his debut in May of that year, defeating the Pumas.
During the 2017 Super Rugby season, Mgijima was named on the bench for the Cheetahs' match against the Sunwolves and made his debut.
Mgijima joined the Pumas in 2020, and the Toyota Cheetahs are delighted to welcome him back home.
Rewan Kruger
Rewan Kruger has committed for another two seasons with the Toyota Cheetahs.
He made his debut for the Toyota Cheetahs on 20 November 2021 as a substitute for Enver Brandt on the left wing. In the next match against Baia Mare of Romania, he came on in the second half to replace Tian Meyer.
He made his Currie Cup debut for the Toyota Cheetahs against the Griquas on 15 January 2022. He played in eleven of the thirteen Currie Cup matches as a substitute for Toyota Cheetah captain Ruan Pienaar.
This B.Com Accounting Kovsie student could not ask for a better rugby school because Ruan Pienaar, 38-year-old Cheetah captain who played in 88 tests in his 438 first-class matches since 2004, is a brilliant rugby master.
As a junior, Rewan played for Grey College, Free State Craven Week (2016), SA Schools (2016), and SA U. 20 (2017-'18).
Andisa Ntsila
Andisa Ntsila will stay in the Free State for two more years.
Andisa Ntsila, who hails from Komani (Queenstown), boasts experience representing the SWD Eagles, the Sharks, the Southern Kings, and Toyota Cheetahs, respectively. At the same time, he also featured in the SA A team in 2017 against the French Barbarians.
Ntsila attended Queen's College and represented SWD Eagles u.19. Ntsila made three starts for SWD U21 in the Under-21 Provincial Championship the following season.
Ntsila played Varsity Cup rugby for NMMU Madibaz at the start of 2015, starting six of their seven matches in the number eight jersey.
Soon after the 2015 Varsity Cup finished, Ntsila played for SWD Eagles in the 2015 Vodacom Cup. He made his Currie Cup debut on 12 June 2015 in a match against the Leopards.
In July 2016, Ntsila was drafted into the Southern Kings squad. He played 49 matches for them before he joined the Toyota Cheetahs in 2020, making his debut for the Cheetahs on 10 October 2020 against the Pumas in the Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein.
Laurence Victor
The talented young prop, Laurance Victor, signed with the Toyota Cheetahs.
Victor joined the Cheetahs in 2022, playing for the Toyota Cheetahs u.20. He has been named in the SWD Craven Week u.13 and u.16. teams.
Hailing from George, Western Cape. Victor is the product of George Suid Primary School.
Victor currently has 7 Currie Cup caps.