Luvuyo Pupuma

Luvuyo Phindile "PaPi" Pupuma (born (1992-10-16)16 October 1992) is a South African rugby union player for the Eastern Province Elephants in the Currie Cup and in the Rugby Challenge.[1] He usually plays as a prop.

Luvuyo Pupuma
Full nameLuvuyo Phindile Pupuma
Date of birth (1992-10-16) 16 October 1992
Place of birthJohannesburg, South Africa
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Weight116 kg (256 lb; 18 st 4 lb)
SchoolSt Benedict's College
UniversityUniversity of the Witwatersrand
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Current team Eastern Province Elephants
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013-2017 Wits ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2017 Golden Lions XV 6 (0)
2017–2019 Southern Kings 26 (15)
2019–present Eastern Province Elephants 6 (0)
Correct as of 25 August 2019

Rugby career

Early years

Pupuma was born and grew up in Johannesburg. He attended St Benedict's College in Bedfordview, matriculating in 2011 alongside fellow future professional rugby player, Luther Obi.[2]

After high school, Pupuma studied at the University of the Witwatersrand, and he also played rugby for their senior team in the Varsity Cup in 2013, 2014 and 2017 and in the Varsity Shield in 2015 and 2016.[3] He came into a Wits team that were promoted as champions from the Varsity Shield in 2012 to make their Varsity Cup debut in 2013. They lost all their games at the higher level in 2013 and 2014 and were relegated to the second-tier level for 2015. Pupuma scored four tries in the competition[4] to help his team to the final of the competition, where they lost to UKZN Impi,[5] and five tries in their 2016 campaign,[6] as his team went one better, beating UWC 39–2 in the final[7] to win promotion back to the Varsity Cup for 2017. He had a stand-out season in that competition, helping Wits to their best-ever finish of fifth, and being named in the Varsity Cup Dream Team at the conclusion of the series,[8] appearing as a replacement in their 19–50 defeat to the South Africa Under-20 team.[9]

Golden Lions

Pupuma made his first class debut on 7 May 2016, coming on as a 30th-minute replacement in the Golden Lions XV's Currie Cup qualification match against Free State XV in Randburg.[10] He made one more appearance in the competition, also as a replacement against in their match against SWD Eagles.[11]

He made four appearances for the Golden Lions XV in the 2017 Rugby Challenge,[12] including his first start in first class rugby in their 84–0 victory over Namibian side the Welwitschias.[13] He was also included in their squad for the 2017 Currie Cup Premier Division, but failed to make any appearances in the competition.[14]

Southern Kings

Pupuma was included in the Southern Kings squad for their inaugural season in the Pro14 competition.[15] He made his debut for the Kings in a 10–57 defeat to Welsh side Scarlets in their opening match of the competition, coming on as a second-half replacement,[16] and again appeared as a replacement in their second match, scoring a late try in a 10–32 defeat to Connacht in Galway.[17]

References
  1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Luvuyo Pupuma". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  2. "Alumni 2010 onwards". St Benedict's. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  3. "FNB Wits Player Profiles : Luvuyo Pupuma". Varsity Cup. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  4. "SA Rugby Try Scorers – 2015 FNB Varsity Shield presented by Steinhoff International". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  5. De Vries, Michael (6 April 2015). "Impi sink Wits to claim Shield". Varsity Cup. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  6. "SA Rugby Try Scorers – 2016 FNB Varsity Shield presented by Steinhoff International". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  7. "FNB Wits cap off outstanding Varsity Shield campaign, defeating FNB UWC 39-2 in the final". Varsity Cup. 18 April 2016. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  8. "Varsity Cup Dream Team 2017 announced". Sport24. 17 April 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  9. "Junior Boks lash Dream Team". SA Rugby Magazine. 25 April 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  10. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Xerox Golden Lions XV 15–29 Toyota Free State XV". South African Rugby Union. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  11. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Xerox Golden Lions XV 35–29 SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 16 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  12. "Squad: Xerox Golden Lions XV". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  13. "SUPERSPORT RUGBY CHALLENGE - MATCH 48, POOL STAGE". South African Rugby Union. 10 June 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  14. "Squad: Xerox Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  15. "Player Profile : Luvuyo Pupuma". Guinness PRO14. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  16. "Scarlets seal sensational opening win over Southern Kings". Guinness Pro14. 2 September 2017. Archived from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  17. "Connacht up and running with victory over Southern Kings". Guinness Pro14. 9 September 2017. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
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