Just more than 10 years ago, he almost quit rugby but now Mdantsane-born scrumhalf Ntando “Tyson” Kebe finds himself in the Southern Kings starting 15 for their Super Rugby opener against the Sharks at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium this afternoon at 3pm.The former Bulldog was snatched by the Kings from Border earlier this year following successful trials at the Port Elizabeth-based franchise.
Kebe, growing up in Mdantsane, never imagined himself playing rugby, let alone in what is arguably the most competitive rugby competition on the globe.
In fact, the 27-year-old had no plans to get involved.
However, wanting to pass time, Kebe started playing at Thubalethu High in Fort Beaufort.
Just like any other young lad playing the sport of the oval ball, Kebe’s dream at the time was to make the Craven Week team.
When his Craven Week ambitions failed to materialise, he wanted to quit to focus on his studies.
“I was about to give up when in Grade 11 thinking there was no future after not making it for the Craven Week,” he said.
But he continued “just for fun” until he enrolled with the University of Fort Hare.
It was here that his star would start shining and to this day Kebe is adamant he owes his rugby career “to the teammates and coaches I was with at Fort Hare”.
He recalled: “Here I am talking about people who saw in me what I did not see because for me the whole rugby thing was about having fun because my plan was to follow the academic route and make a living out of it.
“Those guys told me that I was gifted and that I can go far.”
One of those people who influenced him was Elliot Fana, who he reunited with at the Bulldogs last year.
“Tyson”, who actually is a lookalike of the great heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson, took his advice and never looked back.
While still at UFH, he was crowned the university’s FNB player of the year for 2011 – a year in which he was also the backline player that rocks in the Varsity Shield.
The next stop for Kebe would be the Border Bulldogs, where he scooped the Player of the Year award in 2012.
His career would take a knock thanks to the infamous Andre Kilian era at the East London-based provincial union and he headed for the Boland Cavaliers.
In 2013 he was named Boland Player of the Year.
After his brief but successful stint at Boland, Kebe moved to Griquas for the Vodacom Cup in 2014 before returning to Border.
Kebe, who was the Bulldogs vice-captain and one of their most influential players before signing up with the Kings, is at peace with leaving Border.
“The Bulldogs is a team that is growing and that is on the right track.
“I am confident my departure is not going to have a negative impact on how they perform because there are young and equally capable back up players.”
His immediate goal is to make a valuable contribution in the Kings by ensuring they finish in a respectable position by the end of the season.
Two to three seasons playing Super rugby is enough, he said. Thereafter he has ambitions of going abroad “for the big money” to finish his career in grand style.
Kebe enters the limelight
The former Bulldog was snatched by the Kings from Border earlier this year following successful trials at the Port Elizabeth-based franchise.
Kebe, growing up in Mdantsane, never imagined himself playing rugby, let alone in what is arguably the most competitive rugby competition on the globe.
In fact, the 27-year-old had no plans to get involved.
However, wanting to pass time, Kebe started playing at Thubalethu High in Fort Beaufort.
Just like any other young lad playing the sport of the oval ball, Kebe’s dream at the time was to make the Craven Week team.
When his Craven Week ambitions failed to materialise, he wanted to quit to focus on his studies.
“I was about to give up when in Grade 11 thinking there was no future after not making it for the Craven Week,” he said.
But he continued “just for fun” until he enrolled with the University of Fort Hare.
It was here that his star would start shining and to this day Kebe is adamant he owes his rugby career “to the teammates and coaches I was with at Fort Hare”.
He recalled: “Here I am talking about people who saw in me what I did not see because for me the whole rugby thing was about having fun because my plan was to follow the academic route and make a living out of it.
“Those guys told me that I was gifted and that I can go far.”
One of those people who influenced him was Elliot Fana, who he reunited with at the Bulldogs last year.
“Tyson”, who actually is a lookalike of the great heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson, took his advice and never looked back.
While still at UFH, he was crowned the university’s FNB player of the year for 2011 – a year in which he was also the backline player that rocks in the Varsity Shield.
The next stop for Kebe would be the Border Bulldogs, where he scooped the Player of the Year award in 2012.
His career would take a knock thanks to the infamous Andre Kilian era at the East London-based provincial union and he headed for the Boland Cavaliers.
In 2013 he was named Boland Player of the Year.
After his brief but successful stint at Boland, Kebe moved to Griquas for the Vodacom Cup in 2014 before returning to Border.
Kebe, who was the Bulldogs vice-captain and one of their most influential players before signing up with the Kings, is at peace with leaving Border.
“The Bulldogs is a team that is growing and that is on the right track.
“I am confident my departure is not going to have a negative impact on how they perform because there are young and equally capable back up players.”
His immediate goal is to make a valuable contribution in the Kings by ensuring they finish in a respectable position by the end of the season.
Two to three seasons playing Super rugby is enough, he said. Thereafter he has ambitions of going abroad “for the big money” to finish his career in grand style.
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