AT just 22 years old, fullback and wing, Aphelele Fassi, has already been labelled a “game breaker” by rugby fundis and media across the country.
Last year, the Dale College-educated Fassi made 15 Super Rugby appearances (out of 17) for the Durban-based Sharks franchise. He showed power, pace and skill, while exploiting shoddy defence from any opponent. His exciting and consistent play led to him being named the Currie Cup Player of the Year by his franchise.
Fassi’s talent was spotted while playing at the 2016 and 2017 Standard Bank Kearsney Easter Rugby Festivals, the latter as captain of Dale’s 1st XV. At the culmination of his successful festivals, the 82kg, 1.9m speedster was offered a bursary to the Sharks Academy and has gone on to prove how right the selectors were.
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Historically the Kearsney festival has provided a platform from which gifted young rugby players can springboard to the next level of the game and hopefully secure a future in the professional game. Talent scouts converge on schoolboy festivals around the country.
At the end of all Kearsney festivals, since the inaugural one in 2008, three gifted players have been offered bursaries valued at R100 000 each. This includes a contract with the Sharks Academy, accommodation and a tuition bursary with one of its education partners.
Fassi wasted little time in forcing his way into the Sharks Currie Cup mix in 2018, his first year out of school, and ran in a try on debut and earned his first Premier Division winners’ medal at the age of 20. He made his Super Rugby debut last year, already has 21 Super Rugby caps and has scored 20 Super Rugby points.
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Sharks coach, Sean Everitt, hailed the gifted young player’s ability to vary his game and has been impressed by his deceptive agility, super silky skillset and rapidly improving kicking game.
Born in King Williams Town, Fassi has also reaped consistent praise from the country’s rugby writers.
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