Another superb front ranker to emerge from Zimbabwe, Cleopas Kundiona has all the attributes to suggest a lengthy professional career is on the horizon. A former student of Falcon College, Kundiona first caught the attention of onlookers when he turned out for Zimbabwe at the U18 Craven Weeks of both 2015 and 2016. Seasoned coaches were immediately impressed by his technical maturity and raw power at the set piece. Appearances for Zimbabwe U20 were so dominant that Cleopas earned his international test debut in the Rugby Africa Gold Cup at just 19-years-old. Zimbabwe’s inclusion in South Africa’s Supersport Challenge saw Kundiona entrench himself as the country’s starting tighthead, drawing the interest of the Natal Sharks.

Within a couple of months, Cleopas had followed in the footsteps of countryman Beast Mtawarira, emerging as an U21 Currie Cup player who was soon mixing it up with the senior squad. Whilst Kundiona’s reputation was that of a scrummaging specialist, the move to Durban also led to him thriving in the Sharks’ professional setup, where his commitment to conditioning saw a jaw-dropping element of mobility added to his game. Still only 21-years-old, it has become a common sight for Cleopas to be called into midfield to cause destruction with a marauding ball-carry.