Zinhle shows her fire on the field
She says she’s lucky in that she gets to gym while still at work.
As intense about her ambitions off the field as she is on it, Springbok Women’s vice-captain Zinhle Ndawonde is making a double impact by cutting people down as a rugby player and saving people’s lives as a firefighter.
Born and raised in Inanda township outside Durban, Ndawonde was first introduced to the game when she started playing touch rugby at school.
Called up to the Springbok Women’s Sevens team in 2016, she gained crucial international experience in the short format, representing the country at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast.
Eager to showcase her ability in the traditional format, the dynamic centre got her chance when she made her debut last year for the Springbok Women’s side.
Having already established herself as a senior member of the team, she played a key role at the recent Women’s Rugby World Cup qualifying tournament on home soil, as the national squad booked their spot at the 2021 showpiece in New Zealand.
“I started playing rugby in 2008, so it took a very long time to get to where I am now,” Ndawonde said this week.
“In 2016, when I was first called up to the Springbok Women’s Sevens team, I realised what could happen in life if you work hard toward something.
“It was then that I made a promise to myself that I would do whatever it takes to make it to the top in the sport.”
Spreading her wings and flaunting her talent at the highest level, Ndawonde said she had followed a stricter training regimen in recent seasons, in an attempt to reach her full potential.
“In the last few years my discipline has improved in terms of my training and my diet, and I have been working very hard on improving my fitness levels and lifestyle in general,” said the 30-year-old player.
“This certainly paid off because the last few years have been an incredible journey. The Rugby World Cup Sevens remains one of my main highlights, and I would love to be part of the 2021 World Cup in New Zealand in the 15-a-side code.”
As much as her ferocity might cause tension on the field of play, however, Ndawonde uses that same intensity to ease concerns in difficult situations when she swaps her rugby kit for her firefighter’s uniform.
Though she started her professional career by chance six years ago, Ndawonde has become as passionate about her role as a firefighter at King Shaka International Airport in Durban as she is about the game of rugby.
“As the oldest sibling in my family I had to assist with providing for my family when I finished school, and this was the only job opportunity available at the time that allowed me to do so,” she recalled.
“So I applied for the position, and after completing the necessary qualifications and getting down to it, I really started loving it.”
Her profession also gelled with her sporting career, with both requiring significantly high fitness and skill levels.
“The good thing about having a job that requires one to be fit and strong is that it complements my rugby because I need to pass a series of fitness tests every month,” she said.
“I also have the luxury of being able to gym while at work.”
Having spent two weeks in camp with the national squad in Port Elizabeth, Ndawonde was part of the team who were set to play three Tests over the next fortnight.
After facing Spain in Despatch today, they are due to meet Scotland in a twoTest series in Cape Town.
Looking ahead, Ndawonde believed these fixtures will help in strengthening the team’s platform in their early preparations for the 2021 World Cup.
“We need to hit the ground running when we take the field, but we are in a good space as a team and we know that everything we do going forward will be important with an eye on preparing for the World Cup,” she said.