Serial winner Tapiwa Mafura chasing Currie Cup history

Lions wing Tapiwa Mafura will be chasing a special piece of history on Saturday when he plays in his third consecutive Currie Cup final with a different team, as they welcome the Sharks to Ellis Park for the showpiece match.

Mafura was described as a serial winner this week by his teammate, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, as he seems to be a bit of a lucky charm after he won the competition with the Pumas in 2022 and the Cheetahs last year.

He will now hope to clinch a third straight title, this time with the Lions, which will be an extremely unique achievement if he ends up on the winning team.

Unreal feeling

“It feels unreal. Honestly I never thought my career would be going the way it is at the moment. I am just very excited for the weekend, there is a lot at stake. We have been preparing for this since the first game of the season and now we are here,” said Mafura.

“Winning the Currie Cup over the past two years has helped me so much. The composure that comes with having played in a final helps a lot, so that is something I have been telling the guys.

“For some of them it’s their first time (final), so they are leaning on my experience and how I have handled it (this situation) in the past. Obviously it is a different game, different opponents and a different team for me.

“But the excitement is there and it feels like it’s my first time (final) as well. I know I have experience in these types of situations and I will try tap into that.”

Mafura has had a travelled career in SA, since making his senior debut for the Leopards in 2017, with him moving to the Cheetahs, then onto the Pumas, back to the Cheetahs and now to the Lions, where he hopes to stay.

“I am loving it. The culture is amazing, I feel at home and everyone has welcomed me. The coaches and players have been great and my family is also happy here, so I am happy,” said Mafura.

“I feel at home here, honestly if I can end my career here, I would be happy. I have never been this happy in my career since it started and hopefully it can be like this until the end.”

Favourite win

He was asked which Currie Cup title has been the most special, with him admitting that his first with the Pumas, beating the Griquas 26-19 at Griqua Park, was currently top.

“I think the Pumas one was the best because I had just come from the Cheetahs, so obviously I wanted to prove a point to them,” explained Mafura.

“We didn’t play them (the Cheetahs) in the final (in 2022), we played them in the semis, so that felt like a final to me. But it was still the best one because no one gave us a chance (that year).

The 28-year-old Mafura was born in Zimbabwe, before moving to SA where he attended Ermelo High School and North West University, before starting his pro rugby career at the Leopards.

He harbours international ambitions, having made his debut for Zimbabwe six years ago, and after helping them clinch the Rugby Africa title next month, hopes to go to the World Cup with them in 2027.

“I played my first game in 2018 against Brazil. But this was an incredible tournament that we played in now. We played against Namibia, who we always lose against and we managed to beat them,” said Mafura.

“We also played Algeria who we lost to two years ago in the World Cup qualifiers (and beat them 29-3 in the final). So I think that has helped me continue coming back to the Lions and carrying on.

“But the important one for us is next year, the World Cup qualifiers. We have to replicate what we have done this year to qualify for the World Cup.”