| Full name | S'busiso Romeo Nkosi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | (1996-01-21)21 January 1996 (age 29) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Barberton,South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft11+1⁄2 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 97 kg (15 st 4 lb; 214 lb)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University of KwaZulu-Natal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
S'busiso Romeo Nkosi (born 21 January 1996) is a South African professionalrugby union player for theSouth Africa national team and theFree State Cheetahs inCurrie Cup.[3] His regular position is winger.
Nkosi grew up inBarberton. In 2012, his localPumas team called him up to represent them at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week tournament, where Nkosi made three appearances.He attended Barberton High School till Grade 10 there after moving toJohannesburg to attendJeppe High School for Boys, where he earned selections in theGolden Lions' Under-18Craven Week team in both 2013 and 2014. He scored a try in the unofficial final of the 2013 tournament inPolokwane, but his side fell short, losing 29–45 to Western Province.[4]
After high school, Nkosi fell in love with Durban and decidedDurban to join theSharks. He made eleven starts for theSharks U19 team in the2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship, scoring seven tries – he scored two tries against theLeopards U19 in Durban[5] and a further two tries on his return to Johannesburg to face theGolden Lions U19s,[6] a try in both their home and away matches againstBlue Bulls U19,[7][8] and one try againstWestern Province U19.[9] His try-scoring exploits saw him finish as his side's top try scorer, and joint-sixth overall in Group A of the competition,[10] in a disappointing season for the Sharks that saw them finish bottom of the log.[11]
Nkosi made twenty appearances for theUKZN Impi in the2016 Varsity Shield competition, scoring twenty four try againstUWC[12] and two in their 63–30 victory over theTUT Vikings[13] as his side won seven of their eight matches in the competition. They would have finished joint-top of the log withWits,[14] but had 12 points deducted for fielding an ineligible player, being promoted to third place on the log and missing out on the title play-offs and a shot at promotion to theVarsity Cup.[15]
In March 2016, Nkosi was included in aSouth Africa Under-20 training squad,[16] and made the cut to be named in a reduced provisional squad a week later.[17] He was released from the South Africa Under-20s training camp to play two matches for theSharks XV in the2016 Currie Cup qualification series – playing off the bench in a 48–18 victory overNamibian side theWelwitschias in his first class debut[18] and starting their 24–16 victory overWestern Province a fortnight later[19] – before being included in the final South Africa Under-20 squad for the2016 World Rugby Under 20 Championship tournament to be held inManchester,England.[20] He started in their opening match in Pool C of the tournament as South Africa came from behind to beatJapan 59–19.[21] He also started their other two pool matches as South Africa were beaten 13–19 byArgentina in their second match,[22] but bounced back to secure a 40-31 bonus-point victory overFrance in their final pool match[23] to secure a semi-final place as the best runner-up in the competition. Nkosi suffered a thigh injury which ruled him out of the remainder of the competition,[24] so he didn't feature in the semi-final – where they faced three-time championsEngland, with the hosts proved too strong, knocking South Africa out of the competition with a 39–17 victory[25] – or their final match, the third-place play-off againstArgentina. Argentina beat South Africa for the second time in the tournament, convincingly winning 49–19[26] to condemn South Africa to fourth place in the competition.
Nkosi was included in the Sharks' squad for the2016 Currie Cup Premier Division,[27] but did not get any game time, instead making three appearances for theSharks U21 team in the2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship. At the end of October 2016, he was included in theSharksSuper Rugby squad for the2017 season.[28]
Nkosi was named in South Africa's squad for the2019 Rugby World Cup.[29] South Africa went on to win the tournament, defeatingEngland in the final.[30]
In 2024, Nkosi was banned from professional play for use of a banned substance and will only be eligible to play again after serving his ban for a total of 3 years.[31][32]
