Ngia Selengbe changed his outlook on rugby in his early teens. For the winger, it was all for the love of the game rather than to obtain a bursary to lessen the financial pressure on his parents.

“A few weeks into rugby training I completely fell in love with the sport. I didn’t need to play – I wanted to,” says Selengbe, who started his early years at Queens High School in Johannesburg.

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“During my u16 year I was fortunate enough to attend King Edward VII School (KES). This offered me the opportunity to showcase my talent against the best schoolboys in my age group,” explains Selengbe.

He later went on to represent the Lions Craven Week B side in 2018 and a year later, cracked the Craven Week A side leading to a junior Lions contract.

“I’m really enjoying my time at the Lions. It has become my home and working with coach Mziwakhe Nkosi has been incredible. He goes out of his way to make sure I’m the best player I can be,” he adds.

Looking ahead to this weekend’s SA Rugby U20 Cup Final at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday, Selengbe describes the tournament as being a “blast” so far. The Lions U20 face up to Western Province U20 in what promises to be an exciting finisher to the youth competition.

It’s been 20 months without fans. This Saturday, for the Lions u20’s final, we welcome our Members back.

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“It’s such an honour to play with guys who are Junior Boks and the cherry on top is playing at Emirates Airline Park where I grew up watching the senior team during the days of Vodacom Super Rugby,” the winger recalls.

When Ngia Selengbe is not tormenting defenders between the four lines, the Wits student concentrates on his studies in psychology and economics. His new activity is learning how to swim, which he describes as “fun”.

Pressure is something the Congolese national has had to deal with most of his life. But Selengbe believes it’s part of growing up and how he manages challenges, defines him as a person.

“I truly believe in speaking up when things get tough. I find that breaking down my difficulties piece by piece helps me a lot and most importantly confiding in those close to me,” he concludes.

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