Refuoe Emmanuel "Fiffy" Rampeta (born 23 March 1995) is a South African professional rugby union player who last played for the Free State XV in the domestic Currie Cup.[1] His regular position is flanker.

Fiffy Rampeta
Full nameRefuoe Emmanuel Rampeta
Date of birth (1995-03-23) 23 March 1995 (age 29)
Place of birthBloemfontein, South Africa
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight95 kg (14 st 13 lb; 209 lb)
SchoolLouis Botha Technical High School
UniversityUniversity of the Free State
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker
Current team Griffons
Youth career
2007–2016 Free State Cheetahs
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015–2016 UFS Shimlas 5 (5)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016 Free State XV 10 (10)
Correct as of 22 April 2018
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013 South Africa Schools 1 (0)
Correct as of 22 April 2018

Rugby career

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2007–2013: Schoolboy rugby

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Rampeta was born in Bloemfontein and he represented the Bloemfontein-based Free State at various youth levels, from as early as primary school level, when he represented them at the Under-13 Craven Week tournaments in both 2007 and 2008. At high school level, he played for Free State at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week tournaments in 2010 and 2011, before progressing to their Under-18 team playing at the premier high school rugby union tournament in South Africa, the Under-18 Craven Week. He also played at the Craven Week on two occasions – at the 2012 tournament in Port Elizabeth and the 2013 tournament in Polokwane, appearing in all three matches in each of those tournaments. After the 2013, he was also included in a South Africa Schools squad,[2] and he played for them in one match, a 17–13 victory over their counterparts from France.[3]

2014–2016: Youth rugby, Varsity Cup and first class debut

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After high school, Rampeta joined the Free State's youth system. He made seven appearances for the Free State U19 during the 2014 Under-19 Provincial Championship regular season, scoring one try in their 54–15 victory over Leopards U19[4] as his team finished in second place to qualify for the semi-finals.[5] He started their semi-final match against Western Province U19, but could not prevent his side losing 22–29 to be knocked out of the competition.[6]

At the start of 2015, Rampeta played in the Varsity Cup competition for Bloemfontein-based university side UFS Shimlas.[7] He scored a try in his only start, a 23–21 victory over NMMU Madibaz,[8] Despite being named on the bench for five matches, he only came on as a replacement in two more matches. The second of those appearances was in the final against NWU Pukke, with Shimlas winning the match 63–33[9] to win the Varsity Cup for the first time in their history. He made just a single appearance in the latter half of the season, coming on as a replacement for the final eight minutes of the Free State U21s' 60–28 victory over Leopards U21 in the 2015 Under-21 Provincial Championship.[10]

Rampeta made two starts for UFS Shimlas in the 2016 Varsity Cup, but his side endured a disappointing season, failing to retain their title by finishing in fifth place on the log to miss out on the semi-finals.[11] He was included in the Free State XV squad that participated in the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series,[12] and he made his first class debut on 9 April 2016, playing off the bench in a 32–17 victory over Namibian side the Welwitschias.[13] After further appearances as a replacement in matches against the Blue Bulls[14] and Western Province,[15] he made his first start in a 29–15 win over the Golden Lions XV.[16] He remained in the run-on side, making a further six starts throughout the competition. He scored his first senior try in his eighth appearance, a 23–14 victory over the Leopards,[17] and followed it up with another in their 33–49 defeat to the Griffons a week later.[18] Rampeta made a total of ten appearances in the competition, helping the Free State XV to finish in sixth place on the log.[19]

Rampeta made five appearances for the Free State U21 team in the 2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship; he started the first three matches, scoring a try in their 43–26 victory over Leopards in the opening round,[20] and played off the bench in their final match of the regular season, scoring another try in a 44–45 defeat to Eastern Province U21.[21] Free State U21 finished in fourth place on the log to qualify for the title play-offs,[22] and Rampeta played off the bench in their 23–26 defeat to Western Province U21 in the semi-final.[23]

In November 2016, he was named in the Cheetahs Super Rugby team's training squad as the team prepared for the 2017 Super Rugby season.[24] It was also announced that he would join the Griffons on loan for the 2017 SuperSport Rugby Challenge series after his involvement in the 2017 Varsity Cup.[25]

References

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  1. ^ "SA Rugby Player Profile – Fiffy Rampeta". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  2. ^ "SA Rugby Squad – South Africa : 2013 SA Schools 2013". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  3. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 17–13 France". South African Rugby Union. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  4. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Free State U19 54–15 Leopards U19". South African Rugby Union. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  5. ^ "SA Rugby Log – 2014 Absa Under 19 Competition". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  6. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Free State U19 22–29 Western Province U19". South African Rugby Union. 18 October 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  7. ^ "SA Rugby Squad – FNB UFS SHIMLAS : 2015 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  8. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB NMMU MADIBAZ 21–23 FNB UFS SHIMLAS". South African Rugby Union. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  9. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB UFS SHIMLAS 63–33 FNB NWU-PUKKE". South African Rugby Union. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  10. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Free State U21 60–28 Leopards U21". South African Rugby Union. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  11. ^ "SA Rugby Log – 2016 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  12. ^ "SA Rugby Squad – Toyota Free State XV : 2016 Currie Cup Qualifying". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  13. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State XV 32–17 Windhoek Draught Welwitschias". South African Rugby Union. 9 April 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  14. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Blue Bulls 20–17 Toyota Free State XV". South African Rugby Union. 16 April 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  15. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State XV 31–36 DHL Western Province". South African Rugby Union. 22 April 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  16. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Xerox Golden Lions XV 15–29 Toyota Free State XV". South African Rugby Union. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  17. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State XV 23–14 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 17 June 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  18. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Down Touch Griffons 49–33 Toyota Free State XV". South African Rugby Union. 25 June 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  19. ^ "SA Rugby Log – 2016 Currie Cup Qualifying". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  20. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards U21 26–43 Free State U21". South African Rugby Union. 6 August 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  21. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Free State U21 44–45 EP U21". South African Rugby Union. 15 September 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  22. ^ "SA Rugby Log – 2016 SA Rugby U21 Provincial Champs". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  23. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – WP U21 26–23 Free State U21". South African Rugby Union. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  24. ^ "Cheetahs pak Stormers in Zim" [Cheetahs take on Stormers in Zimbabwe]. Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). 19 November 2016.
  25. ^ "Griffons wil 2017 ook 'n suksesvolle jaar maak". Pale Toe! (in Afrikaans). 23 November 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.[permanent dead link]