Namibian bulky flanker Tjiuee Uanivi has extended his contract with French club US Montauban until 2025, the ProD2 league side announced on its social media platforms over the weekend.
The 31-year-old Uanivi joined US Montauban last year from fellow ProD2 league campaigners Massy Essonne (RCME), where he had played prior to the 2021/22 season.
Uanivi’s contract extension follows a superb season with US Montauban, which saw the Namibian international grow in stature as a formidable flanker and club regular.
Before joining RCME, Uanivi also played for English club London Scottish, where he made 16 appearances in all competitions and also left his mark in some of the world’s top divisions of rugby, including the Top 14, Super Rugby and Guinness Pro 12 competitions.
Uanivi, who can play either as second-row or flanker, started as a professional in France at Brive and played there between 2013 and 2015 before signing for the Sharks in South Africa in 2016.
He then joined forces with Scottish giants Glasgow Warriors for the 2016/17 season and moved on to secure a new home at London Scottish in 2017, where he remained until he moved to French side RCME.
The versatile Uanivi has to date amassed over 31 caps for the Namibian senior side, the Welwitschias, since making his debut in 2014 – and those appearances include the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England and 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, where he was selected to start all four games, captaining the team against eventual winners South Africa and Italy.
– ohembapu@nepc.com.na