Jixie Molapo
{{Short description|South African rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}
{{Use South African English|date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox rugby union biography
| name = Jixie Molapo
| image =
| fullname = Matjikinyane Nkosinathi Molapo
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|01|02|df=y}}
| birth_place = Middelburg, South Africa
| height = {{height|m=1.83}}
| weight = {{cvt|95|kg|lb stlb}}
| nickname =
| occupation =
| school = Hoërskool Ben Vorster, Tzaneen
| university = Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
| relatives =
| position = Winger
| currentclub =
| youthyears1 = 2008–2013
| youthclubs1 = {{Rut|Limpopo Blue Bulls}}
| youthyears2 = 2014–2015
| youthclubs2 = {{Rut|Blue Bulls}}
| years1 = 2016–2017
| clubs1 = {{Rut|Eastern Province Kings}}
| apps1 = 4
| points1 = 0
| repyears1 = 2012
| repteam1 = South Africa Schools
| repcaps1 = 1
| reppoints1 = 5
| clubupdate = 24 May 2018
| repupdate = 25 May 2016
}}
Matjikinyane Nkosinathi 'Jixie' Molapo (born 2 January 1995) is a South African professional rugby union player, who most recently played with the {{Rut|Eastern Province Kings}}.{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=45126 | name=Jixie Molapo | date=25 May 2016}} His usually plays as a right winger.
Career
=Youth=
Molapo grew up in Tzaneen in Limpopo province and was selected to represent the {{Rut|Limpopo Blue Bulls}} at various youth levels. He played for them as early as primary school level, when he was included in their squad that played at the Under-13 Craven Week tournament in 2008.
At high school level, he played at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week held in Queenstown in 2011 and at the premier South African schools tournament, the Under-18 Craven Week, held in Port Elizabeth in 2012. He started all three of their matches, scoring a try in their 68–21 victory over Zimbabwe{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=112911 | homeid=13831 | awayid=13781 | leagueid=1401 | hometeam=Limpopo | homescore=68 | awayscore=21 | awayteam=Zimbabwe | matchdate=12 July 2012 | date=24 May 2016}} and another in their 20–7 victory over Border{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=113001 | homeid=13731 | awayid=13831 | leagueid=1401 | hometeam=Border | homescore=7 | awayscore=20 | awayteam=Limpopo | matchdate=14 July 2012 | date=24 May 2016}} during the tournament. At the conclusion of the tournament, he was also selected in the South Africa Schools squad. He made one appearance for them during the 2012 Under-18 International Series, starting the match against Wales and scoring a try in a 24–16 victory.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=113251 | homeid=14841 | awayid=14861 | leagueid=1441 | hometeam=South Africa | homescore=24 | awayscore=16 | awayteam=Wales | matchdate=14 August 2012 | date=24 May 2016}}
He was again selected to represent Limpopo in the 2013 Craven Week tournament which was held in Polokwane and scored a try in their 36–39 loss to Eastern Province Country Districts{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=112614 | homeid=13964 | awayid=13984 | leagueid=1394 | hometeam=Limpopo Blue Bulls | homescore=36 | awayscore=39 | awayteam=Eastern Province CD | matchdate=13 July 2013 | date=24 May 2016}} in the final of his three starts at the tournament.
In 2014, Molapo moved to Pretoria to join the academy of Limpopo's parent union, the {{Rut|Blue Bulls}}. He was included in the {{Rut|Blue Bulls U19}} squad that played in the 2014 Under-19 Provincial Championship. He started in ten matches during the regular season of the competition, scoring two tries in their 36–11 victory over trans-Jukskei rivals, {{Rut|Golden Lions U19}}{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=126574 | homeid=21164 | awayid=21104 | leagueid=2064 | hometeam=Golden Lions U19 | homescore=11 | awayscore=36 | awayteam=Blue Bulls U19 | matchdate=9 August 2014 | date=24 May 2016}} and another two tries in their 50–25 victory over {{Rut|Free State U19}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=127204 | homeid=21134 | awayid=21104 | leagueid=2064 | hometeam=Free State U19 | homescore=25 | awayscore=50 | awayteam=Blue Bulls U19 | matchdate=26 September 2014 | date=24 May 2016}} He helped his side finish top of the log after the regular season to qualify for the semi-finals.{{SA Rugby Log | id=2064 | comp=2014 Absa Under 19 Competition | date=24 May 2016}} He started their semi-final match against {{Rut|Sharks U19}} and scored one of six tries in a 43–20 victory.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=127284 | homeid=21104 | awayid=21144 | leagueid=2064 | hometeam=Blue Bulls U19 | homescore=43 | awayscore=20 | awayteam=Sharks U19 | matchdate=17 October 2014 | date=24 May 2016}} He also started the final against {{Rut|Western Province U21}} in Cape Town, but ended the match on the losing side as the hosts ran out 33–26 winners.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=127304 | homeid=21124 | awayid=21104 | leagueid=2064 | hometeam=Western Province U19 | homescore=33 | awayscore=26 | awayteam=Blue Bulls U19 | matchdate=25 October 2014 | date=24 May 2016}}
Molapo was included in the Blue Bulls squad for the 2015 Vodacom Cup, but was not selected in any matchday squad during the competition. He played in for the {{Rut|Blue Bulls U21}} team in the 2015 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, starting their first six matches of the competition. He scored tries in their victories over {{Rut|Eastern Province U21}}{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=153894 | homeid=27024 | awayid=27044 | leagueid=2544 | hometeam=EP Kings U21 | homescore=20 | awayscore=39 | awayteam=Blue Bulls U21 | matchdate=31 July 2015 | date=24 May 2016}} and {{Rut|Leopards U21}},{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=147004 | homeid=27044 | awayid=27054 | leagueid=2544 | hometeam=Blue Bulls U21 | homescore=41 | awayscore=31 | awayteam=Leopards U21 | matchdate=14 August 2015 | date=24 May 2016}} but went off injured in their match against {{Rut|Western Province U21}}{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=147014 | homeid=27044 | awayid=26994 | leagueid=2544 | hometeam=Blue Bulls U21 | homescore=22 | awayscore=51 | awayteam=Western Province U21 | matchdate=22 August 2015 | date=24 May 2016}} and played no further part in the remainder of the competition.
=Eastern Province Kings=
At the start of 2016, Molapo joined the {{Rut|Eastern Province Kings}}. Serious financial problems at the Port Elizabeth-based side saw a number of first team regulars leave the union{{cite web | url=http://www.rugby365.com/tournaments/super-rugby/69935-kings-facing-player-exodus | title=Kings facing player exodus? | work=Rugby365 | date=11 November 2015 | accessdate=11 November 2015}} and Molapo was among a number of youngsters that were included in their squad that competed in the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series.{{SA Rugby Squad | teamid=30864 | team=EP Kings | compid=2824 | comp=2016 Currie Cup Qualifying | accessdate=3 June 2016}} He was named in the starting lineup for their first match of the season against the {{Rut|SWD Eagles}},{{SA Rugby Article | id=3471374 | leagueid=2824 | title=EP Kings team announced for SWD Eagles match | date=5 April 2016 | accessdate=7 April 2016 | url=http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?id=3471374&leagueid=2824 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407142936/http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?id=3471374&leagueid=2824 | url-status=dead | archivedate=7 April 2016}} playing the entire 80 minutes in a 14–37 defeat.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=158164 | homeid=30864 | awayid=30744 | leagueid=2824 | hometeam=EP Kings | homescore=14 | awayscore=37 | awayteam=SWD Eagles | matchdate=9 April 2016 | date=11 April 2016}} He also started their second match of the season away to the {{Rut|Boland Cavaliers}}, but was once again forced off through injury.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=158224 | homeid=30734 | awayid=30864 | leagueid=2824 | hometeam=Boland Cavaliers | homescore=37 | awayscore=18 | awayteam=EP Kings | matchdate=16 April 2016 | date=24 May 2016}}
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Molapo, Jixie}}
Category:South African rugby union players