Ali Mgijima
{{Short description|South African rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use South African English|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox rugby union biography
| name = Ali Mgijima
| image =
| fullname = Aliqhayiya Mgijima
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|02|11|df=y}}
| birth_place = Adelaide, South Africa
| height = {{height|m=1.78}}
| weight = {{cvt|97|kg|lb stlb}}
| occupation =
| school = HTS Louis Botha, Bloemfontein
| university = Central University of Technology
| relatives =
| position = Centre
| currentclub = {{Rut|Pumas}}
| youthyears1 = 2013–2016
| youthclubs1 = {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}}
| years1 = 2016–2018
| clubs1 = {{Rut|Free State XV}}
| apps1 = 23
| points1 = 20
| years2 = 2017
| clubs2 = {{Rut|Cheetahs}}
| apps2 = 4
| points2 = 0
| years3 = 2017–2018
| clubs3 = {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}}
| apps3 = 10
| points3 = 5
| years4 = 2020–
| clubs4 = {{Rut|Pumas}}
| apps4 = 25
| points4 = 5
| amatyears1 = 2015–2017
| amatteam1 = {{Rut|CUT Ixias}}
| amatapps1 = 11
| amatpoints1 = 5
| clubupdate = 10 July 2022
}}
Aliqhayiya Mgijima (born {{birth date|1995|02|11|df=y}}) is a South African rugby union player for the {{Rut|Cheetahs}} in the Pro14, the {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}} in the Currie Cup and the {{Rut|Free State XV}} in the Rugby Challenge.{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=116551 | name=Ali Mgijima | date=28 March 2017}} His regular position is centre.
Rugby career
=2013: Schoolboy rugby=
Mgijima was born in Adelaide. He moved to Fort Beaufort where he attended primary school before moving to Bloemfontein to attend HTS Louis Botha. In 2013, he was included in the Free State squad that competed at the premier high school rugby union competition, the Under-18 Craven Week held in Polokwane,{{SA Rugby Squad | teamid=14074 | team=Free State | compid=1394 | comp=2013 U18 Craven Week | accessdate=28 March 2017}} where he started all three matches in the inside centre position.
=2014–2016: Youth and Varsity Cup rugby=
In 2014, he was included in the {{Rut|Free State U19}} squad that participated in the Under-19 Provincial Championship, making three appearances as a replacement in the competition.{{SA Rugby Squad | teamid=21134 | team=Free State U19 | compid=2064 | comp=2014 Absa Under 19 Competition | accessdate=28 March 2017}}
He started the 2015 season by featuring in the Varsity Cup for Bloemfontein-based university side {{Rut|CUT Ixias}}. He started five matches and scored one try in a 13–34 defeat to {{Rut|NMMU Madibaz}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=137554 | homeid=23544 | awayid=23594 | leagueid=2194 | hometeam=FNB NMMU MADIBAZ | homescore=34 | awayscore=13 | awayteam=FNB CUT | matchdate=16 February 2015 | date=28 March 2017}} In the second half of the year, he made five appearances – which included one start – for the {{Rut|Free State U21}}s in the Under-21 Provincial Championship.{{SA Rugby Squad | teamid=27014 | team=Free State U21 | compid=2544 | comp=2015 Absa Under 21 Competition | accessdate=28 March 2017}}
He made six appearances for CUT Ixias in the 2016 Varsity Cup and was named in the {{Rut|Free State XV}} squad for the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series.{{SA Rugby Squad | teamid=30764 | team=Toyota Free State XV | compid=2824 | comp=2016 Currie Cup Qualifying | accessdate=28 March 2017}} He made his first class debut on 27 May 2016, starting in their 26–29 defeat to the {{Rut|Pumas}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=158614 | homeid=30764 | awayid=30834 | leagueid=2824 | hometeam=Toyota Free State XV | homescore=26 | awayscore=29 | awayteam=Steval Pumas | matchdate=27 May 2016 | date=28 March 2017}} In his fifth appearance of the season, at home to the {{Rut|Falcons}}, Mgijima scored his first senior try, helping his side to a 33–27 victory,{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=158914 | homeid=30764 | awayid=30824 | leagueid=2824 | hometeam=Toyota Free State XV | homescore=33 | awayscore=27 | awayteam=Hino Valke | matchdate=2 July 2016 | date=28 March 2017}} eventually making six appearances in the competition. He was a key member of the Free State U21s' 2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship campaign, featuring in all seven of their matches. He scored one try for the team, scoring their first try of the season in a 43–26 victory over the {{Rut|Leopards U21}}s{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=162774 | homeid=32094 | awayid=32104 | leagueid=2884 | hometeam=Leopards U21 | homescore=26 | awayscore=43 | awayteam=Free State U21 | matchdate=6 August 2016 | date=28 March 2017}} as the team finished in fourth place on the log to qualify for the semi-finals.{{SA Rugby Log | id=2884 | comp=2016 SA Rugby U21 Provincial Champs | date=28 March 2017}} However, he couldn't prevent them slipping to a 23–26 defeat to {{Rut|Western Province U21}} in the semi-final, a result which saw them eliminated from the competition.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=167474 | homeid=32084 | awayid=32104 | leagueid=2884 | hometeam=WP U21 | homescore=26 | awayscore=23 | awayteam=Free State U21 | matchdate=14 October 2016 | date=28 March 2017}}
=2017: Super Rugby=
During the 2017 Super Rugby season, Mgijima was named on the bench for the {{Rut|Cheetahs}} for their Round Three match against Japanese side the {{Rut|Sunwolves}}, and made his Super Rugby debut by replacing Clinton Swart in the 56th minute of the match.{{cite web | url=http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/match-centre/?season=2017&competition=205&match=517036 | title=Match Centre: Cheetahs 38-31 Sunwolves | work=SANZAAR | date=11 March 2017 | accessdate=12 March 2017}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Free State Cheetahs squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mgijima, Ali}}
Category:South African rugby union players
Category:People from Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality
Category:Cheetahs (rugby union) players
Category:Free State Cheetahs players
Category:Pumas (Currie Cup) players