Born in the small Eastern Cape town of Elliotdale, Phumzile Maqondwana attended one of South Africa’s leading rugby institutions, Selborne College. The East London-based school is renowned for its near professional approach to the game, routinely producing well-conditioned athletes who seamlessly transition through the first-class ranks. So impressive was Selborne’s depth that Phumzile found himself on the bench during the early stages of his matric year, but Maqondwana’s intensity and dynamic ball-carrying soon became too destructive to ignore. By the end of the season, he was turning out for Border Country Districts as a No. 8 at the U18 Craven Week, using his remarkable athleticism to provide a rapid link between forwards and backs.

The Free State Cheetahs took notice of Phumzile’s potential, offering him a junior provincial contract and drafting him into the UFS Shimlas Varsity Cup squad. It was here that the physically imposing back rower rose to prominence, forming part of the Varsity Cup XV of the tournament (‘Dream Team’) and duly taking up an offer to join the Golden Lions. Comfortable as either a devastating blindside or pilfering openside flank, Maqondwana form in the Supersport Challenge led the ambitious Mpumalanga Pumas to enlist his services for the Currie Cup & Super Rugby SA tournaments.