Seven great Zimbabwe-born players representing other nations

David Pocock is an Australian rugby player who was born in Gweru Zimbabwe. He is former Australian captain for the Under 20s.

The flanker grew up in Gweru but later left for Australia during the Land Redistribution exercise implemented by the Zimbabwean government from about 2000. His family left to settle in Brisbane, Australia in 2000. He became a professional Rugby player making his Wallabies debut against the All Blacks in Hong Kong in 2008.

As a professional rugby player Pocock had his breakthrough year in 2009 when he featured in 13 of the 14 Tests played by Australia including a man of the match effort in the drawn Test against Ireland at Croke Park, as well as a maiden Test try during the 33-12 win over Wales at Cardiff.

More popularly known as ‘The Beast’, Mtawarira was born in August 1985 in Harare, Zimbabwe.

He attended Churchill Boys High School for 5 years before being given a full scholarship to Peterhouse Boys’ School. At the age of 15, while at Churchill, he was spotted by legendary Zimbabwean Coach Joey Muwadzuri who invited him to join the Under 19 side at the National Schools Festival.

Notably, despite living in South Africa and representing the country internationally, Mtawarira was a Zimbabwean national until late June 2010; he qualified for South Africa by three years’ residency, as allowed under International Rugby Board rules.

Takudzwa ‘Zee’ Ngwenya is a professional rugby union player who plays for the United States national rugby union team and French team CA Brive as a wing.

He was once touted as one of the fastest rugby wingers in the world (2010). He is the eldest of three boys, he first played rugby in Zimbabwe for the Mashonaland Club and for Vainona High School, from which he graduated in 2003.

After moving to the USA, he played for the Plano Rugby Club in Plano, Texas and went on to play for the Dallas Athletic Rugby Club for a few years. He was clocked at 10.5 hand time for the 100 m dash.

He plays in the back row, starting 8 for Scotland, but can be played in the second row. The back-rower was born on 5 February 1990 in Marondera, Zimbabwe, to a Zimbabwean father and Scottish mother. It is because of his mother’s heritage that he is able to play for Scotland. He retired in September 2019 due to concussion issues but would have been a great addition to a Zimbabwe team prior.

The former Stormers man is now playing for England in the Six Nations while also playing for Exeter Chiefs in the Premiership. He is capable of covering both lock and back row positions.

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Born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, the powerful prop started off his career with the Lions in the Super 14 competition, then he joined the Stormers for the start of the 2008 season before joining the Saints. He then moved to Sale before ending his career with the Ospreys. Despite being Zimbabwean-born Mujati made 12 appearances for the Springboks during the 2008 season prior to leaving for Northampton in 2009. He's recently retired.

Evans was born in Harare, Zimbabwe, and educated at Wellington College, Berkshire. He earned his first cap for the Scottish rugby union side in June 2008 vs Argentina. Evans' rugby career ended aged 24 on his tenth appearance for Scotland when he suffered a serious neck injury.