Tendai Mtawarira Biography - Early Life, Age, Career, Wife and Controversies

Tendai Mtawarira, also known as Beast, is a retired rugby player from Zimbabwe and South Africa. He last played for Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby and before that, he played for the South Africa national team and the Sharks in Super Rugby. Mtawarira was born in Zimbabwe but moved to South Africa and later became a South African citizen.

He played his first game for South Africa against Wales on 14 June 2008. With 117 games, he holds the record for the most games played by a prop in South African history and is the fourth most capped player for the Springboks, after Victor Matfield, Bryan Habana, and Eben Etzebeth. 

Globally, Mtawarira ranks 17th for the most games played by a forward and 5th for the most games played by a prop. He also won the Rugby World Cup in 2019. Besides rugby, he owns a security company and runs a community organization called The Beast Foundation.

Early Life

Tendai Mtawarira, also known as Beast, was born on 1 August 1985 in Harare, Zimbabwe. He is currently 38 years old. He attended Churchill School in Harare for five years and then received a full scholarship to Peterhouse Boys' School in Mashonaland East.

At 15, while at Churchill, Mtawarira was noticed by Zimbabwean coach Joey Muwadzuri. Muwadzuri invited him to join the Under 19 team at the National Schools Festival. Later that year, he became part of the Cats and Dogs Rugby Academy Team, which won the National Seniors 7's tournament. He played alongside Dan Hondo, Pete Benade, and Tonderai "Kawaza" Chavhanga.

Career

Tendai Mtawarira joined the Natal Sharks in Super Rugby in 2008. He made a significant impact that season, helping the team secure a victory against Wales in Pretoria. His strong performance in the 2008 Super 14 season showed his potential and speed, which fit well with the new rules.

In June 2008, Mtawarira was selected for the Springbok squad and made his debut against Wales. Initially, he had limited playing time but soon became a reserve for the test against the Wallabies in Perth. His performance was so impressive that he became a starter for all the following Tri-Nations tests.

One of the highlights of Mtawarira's career was during the first test of the British & Irish Lions tour in 2009. He dominated Phil Vickery, earning a man-of-the-match award. Despite some challenges in subsequent tests, his overall performance remained strong.

On 16 June 2018, Mtawarira played his 100th test match against England. Although he faced some setbacks, including a neck injury in October 2018, he bounced back and was named in South Africa's squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. South Africa won the tournament, defeating England in the final, where Mtawarira's scrummaging was described as destructive.

In addition to his 117 Test matches, Mtawarira played in uncapped games for the Springboks and the Barbarians. He also holds the record for the most Super Rugby caps by a South African, with 160 caps.

Personal Life

Tendai Mtawarira's wife is Kuziva Mtawarira. Some people think Kuziva is a model. Tendai and Kuziva have two children, a daughter named Talumba and a son named Wangu. Even though Tendai and Kuziva are from Zimbabwe, their children were born in Durban, South Africa, and consider Durban their home.

Tendai Mtawarira is 183 centimeters tall, which is 1.83 meters. This impressive height is one of the things his fans admire about him.

Citizenship Controversy

Although Tendai Mtawarira was eligible to play for South Africa according to IRB rules, his Zimbabwean nationality was an issue in 2009 and 2010. South Africa typically allows only its citizens to represent the country, but exceptions can be made. In November 2009, after receiving approval from South Africa's sports minister Makhenkesi Stofile, the South African Rugby Union (SARU) officially cleared Mtawarira to play for the Springboks.

In early 2010, there was some political controversy over his citizenship. Butana Komphela, an ANC member, threatened to charge SARU for illegally fielding Mtawarira and potentially deporting him to Zimbabwe. However, Mtawarira affirmed his love for South Africa and his commitment to representing the Springboks, expressing deep pride in wearing the green and gold jersey. Later that year, after his application for South African citizenship was delayed, Minister of Home Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma granted Mtawarira citizenship on 25 June 2010. This made him eligible to play in the 2010 Tri Nations competition.