Makazole Mapimpi may be one of rugby’s quietest players but actions speak louder than words and the Sharks want the veteran around to mentor their youth.
Mapimpi, who turns 35 in July, has extended his contract with the Sharks for two more years, as the Durban union goes through a process of revaluating their squad. Rising star Ethan Hooker is another to have renewed his contract and he is exactly the young back that can learn from Mapimpi.
Last week it was confirmed that prop Ntuthuko Mchunu is leaving for Cape Town and the Stormers. This is a pity because the homegrown talent has come through the Sharks’ ranks from Maritzburg College but the good news is that fellow loosehead Ox Nche is to stay at The Tank.
Joining Mchunu on the way out is another locally produced player in James Venter, who was schooled at Glenwood High. Venter is joining Gloucester. The Sharks have locked in promising hooker Ethan Bester, the Hilton College product, and Zimbawean flanker Tino Mavesere.
Mapimpi is popular with Sharks and Springbok fans because of his never-say-die attitude and his evergreen ability to score tries.
Last week, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said he has been impressed with Mampipi’s conditioning. Erasmus said match analysis data had revealed that Mapimpi is quicker than ever, despite his ripe age for a wing.
Erasmus said he would continue to pick older players like Mapimpi as long as they produced the goods. Mapimpi played a try-scoring role in the Sharks’ Challenge Cup triumph last season.
Mapimpi made his Test debut at 27 in 2018 and a year later he scored six tries at the 2019 World Cup, including South Africa’s first-ever try in a final. Unfortunately, his 2023 World Cup ended badly when he suffered a broken cheek bone playing against Tonga. This was after he had nailed a hat-trick against Romania.
It took a while for the unassuming Mapimpi to break through into top-level rugby. He had stints with Border, the Southern Kings and the Cheetahs before hitting the big time with the Sharks.
Mapimpi’s 32 tries in 46 Tests ties him with third-placed Jaque Fourie on the all-time Springbok try-scoring list. Only Joost van der Westhuizen (38) and Bryan Habana (67) have scored more.
Sharks director of rugby Neil Powell is delighted that Mapimpi will extend his stay with the club.
“The old stalwart, Makazole Mapimpi. I think of a guy who came from the Cheetahs into the Sharks team and became a Springbok,” he said.
“He is somebody who will give you 100 percent effort, 100 percent of the time. So it is great that we’ve managed to secure his services for the next few years.”
Sharks defence coach Joey Mongalo confirmed that Mapimpi will mentor the rising stars in their squad.
“He is truly like fine wine. The older he gets, or rather the wiser he gets, the better rugby player he becomes,” he explained.
“He has such a massive influence on the whole environment. The young players like Litelihle Bester and guys like Hakeem Kunene, all these outside backs are learning massive lessons from a guy like that.
“It’s massive for the union to be retaining his services, not only for who he is as a man, as a player, but also what he’s doing for the next tier of our outside backs.”