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FOR Thabani “TJ” Maguranyanga, the recent Africa Cup Sevens tournament was a bittersweet experience.
On one hand, the France-based rugby forward saw the Zimbabwe Cheetahs fail to reach the final of the first leg of the new format that was played in Mauritius last weekend.
The Cheetahs were dumped out at the quarter-final stage by a plucky Burkina Faso side after a 21-24 defeat.
They, however, bounced back by thrashing hosts Mauritius 42-7 and then Kenya 28-19 to clinch the fifth-place finish and should head into the second leg of the Africa Cup eager to atone for their disappointment.
On a brighter note, though, the 21-year-old Maguranyanga finally got his much-awaited international debut for the Zimbabwe sevens team and was able to tick one more item off his bucket list.
“It’s a monumental milestone for me. I have finally got the opportunity to realise my lifelong dream of representing my country at the senior level.
“Now, I can contribute as a foreign-based player and give back to my nation, something I encourage my fellow brothers abroad to also do.
“Whether it be for the Cheetahs or Sables, we are stronger together!”
In 2021, Maguranyanga signed with French side ASM Clermont Auvergne, making him the youngest Zimbabwean to ply his trade in that country. However, his time in Europe did not get off to the best of starts as he was dogged by injuries, including for one season and another potentially career-ending injury last year.
“The injury was tough, it was a season-ender, and frustrating,” he said.
“The unfortunate incident occurred during a kick-off in which I took heavy contact mid-air and landed in an awkward position on my right leg.
“It was a crushing blow. I was devastated to get such an injury, especially since it happened at a critical time in the season.
“It was just before our play-off games so I was deeply disappointed that I couldn’t join my teammates on the field in our quest to become the champions of France.”
He has, however, since arrived on the Cheetahs scene with a bang.
Maguranyanga was projected to sit on the sidelines for 12 months and could have missed the Africa Cup and his debut, were it not for the French club’s medical team.
He went under the knife and cut off the rehabilitation time by three months.
“The surgery was a success, thanks to the expertise of Dr Van Hille, a top surgeon, who has worked on many top athletes in Europe and performed the reconstruction of my ACL and posterolateral corner.
“Initially, the estimated rehabilitation period after surgery was a minimum of 12 months, however, due to the innovative approach adopted by Dr Van Hille and the Clermont medical staff, I was cleared to play in just 10 months.
“This was such a blessing and a significant achievement considering the severity of my injury,” he said.
Despite Maguranyanga still being sidelined by injury, Cheetahs coach Ricky Chirengende reached out to the player, expressing his desire to bring him into the fold.
“Yes, coach Ricky (Chirengende) reached out and informed me that they had been following me closely during my time in France.
“He also told me that my recent performances at club level had earned me a place on the squad for the 2024 Africa Cup, which will serve as a qualifier for the Challenger Series Sevens World Circuit.
“I was elated, understanding the immense privilege of representing one’s country.
“It’s a dream I’ve had since my early days of playing rugby as a child.
With the debut and injury scare in his rear view mirror, Maguranyanga seems committed to the Cheetahs’ cause both at the Africa Cup and future assignments.
“At the moment, my primary focus is on the Cheetahs and our goal of winning the Africa Cup.
“I’m feeling fantastic; my body is in excellent shape, and I owe a big thank you to the medical staff at Clermont who invested a lot of time and resources into my rehabilitation.”
Maguranyanga will be in action again this weekend when the Cheetahs take part in the second leg of the Africa Cup in Mauritius. Zimbabwe have been placed in Pool C alongside neighbours South Africa, and Nigeria and hosts Mauritius for the tournament slated for July 6 and 7.
Online Reporter