Petra high rugby player to study in Durban

Ronald Mashinga, Sports Reporter

Petra High School rugby player Cletos Sunduza has been selected to study at the prestigious Sharks Academy in Durban, South Africa, in 2020.

The Sharks Academy is a world class rugby academy accredited to South Africa Rugby and backed by a strategic partnership with the rugby team Sharks that plays in that country’s elite Super 14 league.

It offers a variety of courses designed for young male and female school leavers with a passion for rugby and football, and have a desire to build a career in sport.
Sunduza is completing his Form 6 at Petra High this year. He was the Petra Spartans’ school team rugby captain.

He was called up at international level for the Under-19 sevens rugby team that travelled to Namibia for the Capricorns Sevens tournament in March this year.
Sunduza was awarded the best full-back and players’ player of the year at the Petra School rugby awards in 2018.

“He has been a true role model to a lot of the younger rugby players that look up to him. We wish him all the best,” Petra said in a statement.

“We are proud that he will continue to be an ambassador for Petra College in his new journey in support for our ongoing rugby programmes,” said Petra headmistress Heather Wells.

Celebrated rugby player Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira was also selected by the Sharks Academy in 2006 and he impressed, earning himself South African citizenship enabling him to play for the Springboks.

The Beast helped the Springboks lift the Rugby World Cup in Japan on Saturday after beating England 32-12 in the final.

He has now played 117 Tests since beginning his Test career just after the Boks won the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

In 2018 he became the most capped prop in Springbok history, earning his 100th Test cap, and in 2019 he became the most capped Super Rugby player in South Africa.

The Rugby World Cup in Japan was his third and the Beast has been in a winning series against the British and Irish Lions, contested two Super Rugby finals and won three Currie Cups with the Sharks.