IT’S almost nine years now since Zimbabwe-born tear-away winger Takudzwa Ngwenya scored one of the most famous try in American rugby history.
BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
Ngwenya — then a relatively unknown 23-year-old winger — stepped and outraced South Africa’s Bryan Habana, widely considered the fastest man in world rugby at the time, to score a wonder try on the game’s biggest stage — the Rugby World Cup.
Ngwenya, a former student at Vainona High School, has since featured in two further Rugby World Cups for the US Eagles, and amassing 36 caps and scoring over 70 points.
Now almost nine years to that memorable night at the Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier, another locally-bred rugby player stands on the threshold of becoming only the second Zimbabwe-born player to play for the US rugby team.
Deven Marshall recently took a giant step towards following in Ngwenya’s footsteps after featuring for the USA Under-20 side during the World Rugby Under20 Trophy tournament held in Harare.
A product of Hellenic Academy in the capital, Marshall was a permanent feature in the Young Eagles side which finished a commendable fifth in the prestigious eight-nation tournament played at Harare Sports Club.
The towering 1,95m lock rarely put a foot wrong during the tournament as he collected everything at lineouts and secured vital possession for the USA.
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He also showed his tremendous ball-carrying skills, breaking the line on a number of occasions.
Marshall, who qualified to represent the US, through his father told Standardsport during the sidelines of the week-long global youth rugby tournament how he was hoping to emulate Ngwenya by playing for the USA senior side.
“My ultimate goal is to be an Eagle [USA senior rugby side player] and play at the Rugby World Cup in the future,” Marshall said after his team’s 30-32 extra-time victory over Uruguay last Sunday.
“Obviously, Takudzwa Ngwenya is the last Zimbabwe-born player to play for America. He’s a fantastic rugby player who has scored some brilliant tries against some top teams all over the world. No one can forget that try against South Africa where he outsprinted Brian Habana, so obviously he has been an inspiration,” he said.
Marshall grew up in Harare where he did his primary education at Sharon School, a small Jewish school in Avondale, but it was at Hellenic Academy where his rugby flourished — representing the school’s first XV for three years.
“I had the opportunity to play for the Hellenic Academy first team for three years. I also represented Zimbabwe in water polo when I was 16 and 17 years old and when I was 18 I was selected for the B team and then pulled out and moved to America where I am today,” said Marshal, who also excelled in javelin, discus and shot-put during high school.
After being overlooked for the Zimbabwe Under-18 side for the Coca Cola Craven Week tournament held annually in South Africa, Marshal admits he never imagined he would come back as a USA Under-20 rugby team player.
“Obviously, I was very disappointed not to make the Craven Week side and when I moved to America I thought that was the end of my rugby career.
Luckily, I never gave up, I kept hitting the gym while in America and eventually emailed the US Under-20 coach and was lucky enough to be invited for trials and made the team, which was quite amazing.
“When I left here six months ago I never imagined I would come back here so soon and let alone, as a player for the USA Under-20 rugby team. “I’m playing for a country I truly love; America has given me an opportunity I never imagined was possible. They believed in me and singing the national anthem gave me a few tears,” Marshall said.
While playing for the USA senior side is his ultimate goal, Marshall said his immediate goal was to make next year’s Under-20 side again and help the team qualify for the top tier World Under-20 Championship.
“My goal is to make the Under-20 side again next year and qualify for the World Rugby Under-20 Trophy and hopefully help the team qualify for the World Under-20 Championship. It would be nice to go on and compete against the Junior All Blacks and the Junior Springboks and some of the other top rugby-playing nations,” said Marshall.
