SA Young Rugby Player of the Year, Aphele Fassi: 24 Year Old Is a Superstar for Sharks and Springboks

• Sharks player Aphele Fassi was crowned the Young Player of the Year at the recent SA Rugby awards
• The young Sharks and Springbok star has a habit of scoring in his first games for club and country
• Aphelele Fassi is not related to Brenda Fassie as many think even though his nickname is the 'Weekend Special'

Aphelele Fassi is only 24-years-old but the talented Sharks and Springboks players is definitely a star of the present and for the future.

Fassi was recently named the Young Player of the Year at the SA Rugby Awards and his win hardly came as a surprise to anyone.

Growing up in King Williams Town in the Eastern Cape, Fassi attended Dale College Boys' High School where his sporting prowess really shone.

According to Rugby World, Fassi represented Border U16 and U18 national rugby tournaments and also represented Border for cricket, scoring three hundred during his last year at school. Fassi opted to take up rugby professionally.

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When it comes to soccer, Fassi supports DStv Premiership Champions, Mamelodi Sundowns.

Fassi was snapped up by the Sharks soon after leaving school and plays as either a Fullback or Wing for the team, The Sharks website confirmed.

He made his debut for the KwaZulu-Natal side in the Currie Cup where he scored in his first game. Since then he's grown from strength to strength, continuing to wow crowds on a constant basis. His exciting and energetic performances have also earned him the nickname, 'Weekend Special.'

Is Aphelele Fassi related to Brenda Fassie?

It's surprisingly a common question on Google, Aphelele is not related to the popular South African hitmaker. His nickname 'Weekend Special' was purely given to him for his performances on the field and not because of Brenda's hit song.

Fassi has a habit of scoring tries in his debut matches

Aphelele scored on his first outing for the Sharks and did the same when representing the Springboks for the first time. Fassi made his debut against Georgia as the Boks prepared for the British & Irish Lions series, and scored with his first touch of the game.

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Aphelele has a bright future ahead of him

At only 24-years-old and already a star player, Fassi will be looking to continue his fine performances in the future. With the Rugby World Cup taking place next year and the Springboks looking to defend their title, there's no doubt that Fassi will be an instrumental part of the team.

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi named rugby player of the year, Aphelele Fassi wins Young Player of the Year

In other rugby-related news, Springbok captain Siya Kolisi took home the prestigious Player of the Year award at the annual SA Rugby Awards to cap off an incredible year for the Sharks player, Sports Brief reported.

Fellow Sharks star, Aphelele Fassi, also had a day to remember as he was crowned the Young Player of the Year. Siya was the only Springbok to play in all 13 tests in 2021, Sport24 reported.

He captained South Africa to a series win over the touring British & Irish Lions in August and helped the Boks finish the year as the number one ranked rugby team in the world. The Boks also finished the year as the No 1-ranked side in the world.