The Border Bulldogs have lost yet another promising schools rugby player after the news that Hudson Park’s highly rated loose-forward Sibabalwe Mahashe has signed a professional contract with Gauteng rugby franchise the Lions.
The 18-year-old Mahashe from East London will ply his trade for the Lions’ junior team next year.
“It feels unreal. From 2018 I have always said to my teammates and friends that when I leave high school I would like to sign with the Lions,” Mahashe said.
“Now that it has actually happened I am grateful and would like to thank the Lord for making it possible.
“The Lions franchise is a big one and to be part of that set-up will be a great opportunity for me to make a name for myself in the junior side.
“If everything goes according to plan I’d love to make the senior team,” he said.
“Everyone is quite happy for me and is just as excited as I am for what the future has in store.
“It will all click on my first team gathering or when I attend my first training session with my future teammates,” he said.
Two other big franchises were interested in signing the powerhouse loose-forward.
“My agent was handling everything that had to do with my contract negotiations — the Blue Bulls and the Sharks were interested in me.
“However, my agent and I had a discussion and we came to a final decision that the Lions were my best fit,” he said.
The No 8 had a brilliant 2022 season as both player and captain for Hudson Park and Border in the Craven Week.
In Border’s disappointing Craven Week campaign, where they lost two of the three matches they played, Mahashe was a standout player.
He showed an ability to read the game and played a unique brand of rugby.
In July, Mahashe was the only player from the Border squad to be selected for the SA Schools squad.
Last month, he became the first black player from Hudson Park and the fifth player from Border to captain SA Schools after Mayberry’s Craig Moyle (1984), Hudson Park’s Scott Kemp (1992), Dale College’s Kaunda Ntunja (2000) and Selborne’s Jacques Goosen (2019).
He took the reins of the SA Schools captaincy after Zachary Porthen was ruled out with a concussion and in his first game as skipper.
Mahashe led the side to an impressive 49-17 victory over France at Hoërskool Paarl Gimnasium.
In his second match as captain, he steered the SA team that maintained their status as the only unbeaten side in SA Rugby’s Under-18 International Series when they beat England by 44-41.
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