Mandisa Williams

Mandisa Williams

Date of birth	(1984-11-08) 8 November 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth	Jongilanga, South Africa
Occupation(s)	Commentator
Rugby union career
Position(s) Number 8 Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 1999–2016 Imonti Penguins () Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 2000-16 Border () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2004–16  South Africa National sevens team Years Team Comps  2016 South Africa

Mandisa Williams (born 8 November 1984)[1] is a retired women's rugby union player from Jongilanga, Eastern Cape, South Africa. She played for Imonti Penguins, Border Bulldogs and the South Africa women's national rugby union team[2] as a Number 8.[3]

Career

Williams started playing rugby for Jogalanga Women, a club founded by her father, in 1999.[4] When she was 16, she was invited to Border Bulldogs trials and was selected for the team to play in the women's Currie Cup.[2] Shortly afterwards she made her international debut for South Africa in 2004.[4] In 2006, she was awarded the South African Rugby Union's Women's player of the year award[5] after playing in South Africa's first women's World Cup campaign at the 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup.[2]

In 2012, Williams was named as captain of the South Africa women's national rugby sevens team for the inaugural IRB Women's Sevens Series.[6] During the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup, Williams served as captain however after South Africa's first match, she was banned for 16 weeks for eye-gouging and missed the rest of the tournament.[3] She appealed against this but failed to overturn the ban.[7] Williams retired from rugby in 2016.[8]

Personal life

Williams studied sports management at Walter Sisulu University.[4] Following retirement, she became a sports commentator.[9]

References

1. "Mandisa Williams". Eurosport. 8 November 1984. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
2. "Woman in a man's world". Mail & Guardian. 5 March 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
3. "2014 Women's Rugby World Cup: South Africa captain Mandisa Williams banned for gouging". ESPN. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
4. "2007 May gSTAR: Mandisa Williams". Gsport.co.za. 1 May 2007. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
5. "Du Preez SA's best in 2006". News24.com. 1 November 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
6. "South Africa unveil women's Sevens line-up". IRB. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
7. "Springbok Women's captain Mandisa Williams loses appeal against 16-week ban". SA Rugby Mag. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
8. "Border duo to shake up Dubai Sevens". Daily Dispatch. Retrieved 9 November 2017 – via PressReader.com.
9. "Blitzboks still in the hunt in Singapore". Sport24. Retrieved 9 November 2017.