Ryan Kankowski

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Ryan Kankowski
Rugby union career

Full name	Ryan Kankowski
Date of birth	(1985-10-14) 14 October 1985
Place of birth	Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	106 kg (16 st 10 lb)
School	St Andrew's College
Occupation(s)	Professional Rugby Union Player
Playing career
Position	Number eight/Flanker
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2012–13	Toyota Industries Shuttles
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2006–12	Natal Sharks	62	(80)
correct as of 7 May 2013.
Super Rugby
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2006–	Sharks	83	(90)

correct as of 26 May 2013.
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2007–	South Africa	20	(5)
correct as of 5 July 2012.

Ryan Kankowski (born 14 October 1985) is a South African rugby union player, who plays for the Natal Sharks provincially and The Sharks in Super Rugby and has been capped by the Springboks at international level.

Kankowski is a tall, strong, yet pacey and skilled Number eight. He is also capable of playing as an Openside Flanker. He has a natural flair on attack, breaking the line with powerful runs from the back of the scrum, whilst he is unrelenting on defense. He is also an incredibly dangerous runner in open play. His game is reminiscent of that of Zinzan Brooke and, with maturity and leadership qualities that belie his age.

Kankowski was first selected to represent South Africa during the Springboks 2007 end of year tour to Wales & England. He made a try-scoring test debut on the tour as a substitute during South Africa's resounding 34–12 victory over Wales at the Millennium Stadium on 24 November 2007, crossing the line for his team's 5th try as the Springboks got their reign as World Champions of to a winning start. Although possessing the undoubted skills and talent to be a regular international, he has faced stiff opposition from Pierre Spies and the controversial Luke Watson for the Bok number 8 jersey. And with the recent emergence of the young and talented Duane Vermeulen, there is set to be even more competition for the Bok number 8 jersey in the future. As a result, he has mostly been an impact player, with 13 of his 20 Test Caps coming as a substitute. His most productive year was in 2008, when he received multiple nominations for his performances at Super Rugby and provincial level and was subsequently rewarded by being part of the Springboks Incoming Tour, their Tri Nations squad and their end of year Outgoing Tour. He was also part of the Springbok squad selected to play 3 Tests against the British and Irish Lions on their tour of South Africa in 2009.

He received one of his nicknames, "Definite", from his close friends as they believed he would definitely be a Springbok rugby player at some stage.

In June 2012, it was announced that he would join Japanese team Toyota Verblitz for six months.^[1] He would miss the 2012 Currie Cup Premier Division season with the Natal Sharks, but would return to the Sharks for the 2013 Super Rugby season.

Awards & Nominations

2008 SA Rugby Player of the Year nominee

2008 Sasol Player of the Year nominee

2008 Vodacom Super 14 South African Player of the Year

2008 ABSA Currie Cup – Premier Division Player of the Year nominee

References

↑ "Sharks To Release Kankowski". Sharks. 2012-06-21. Retrieved 2012-06-21.

External links

Squads

v t e Sharks – 2013 Super Rugby season

Forwards	Willem Alberts Jacques Botes Anton Bresler Craig Burden Marcell Coetzee Kyle Cooper Keegan Daniel Jean Deysel Bismarck du Plessis Jannie du Plessis Pieter-Steph du Toit Wiehahn Herbst Edwin Hewitt JC Janse van Rensburg Ryan Kankowski Jandré Marais Danie Mienie Derick Minnie Tendai Mtawarira Tera Mtembu Franco van der Merwe Did not play: Dale Chadwick Allan Dell Monde Hadebe Peet Marais

Backs	Meyer Bosman Andries Coetzee Butch James Paul Jordaan Patrick Lambie Piet Lindeque Louis Ludik Charl McLeod Lwazi Mvovo Odwa Ndungane JP Pietersen Cobus Reinach Sean Robinson Sibusiso Sithole François Steyn Jaco van Tonder Riaan Viljoen Fred Zeilinga Did not play: Tian Meyer Tim Whitehead

Coach	John Plumtree / Grant Bashford & Hugh Reece-Edwards (caretakers)

v t e Sharks XV – 2013 Vodacom Cup

Forwards	Willem Alberts Guy Alexander Murray Bondesio Allan Dell Monde Hadebe Robbie Harris Wiehan Hay Ryan Kankowski Simon Kerrod Francois Kleinhans Gideon Koegelenberg Stephan Lewies Khaya Majola Franco Marais Jandré Marais Peet Marais Johan Meyer Danie Mienie Tera Mtembu Brynard Stander Maks van Dyk Did not play: Gregory Bauer Morné du Plessis Julian Redelinghuys

Backs	André Esterhuizen Tyler Fisher Marius Joubert Sizo Maseko Kotaro Matsushima Tian Meyer Gouws Prinsloo Sean Robinson Sibusiso Sithole Stefan Ungerer Jaco van Tonder Hanco Venter Riaan Viljoen Heimar Williams Fred Zeilinga Did not play: Keelin Bastew Robert du Preez Garath Meikle

Coach	Sean Everitt

v t e South Africa – 2012 incoming tours

Forwards	Willem Alberts Marcell Coetzee Keegan Daniel Bismarck du Plessis Jannie du Plessis Eben Etzebeth Ryan Kankowski Juandré Kruger Werner Kruger Tendai Mtawarira Coenie Oosthuizen Jacques Potgieter Pierre Spies Adriaan Strauss Flip van der Merwe Did not play: Dean Greyling Chiliboy Ralepelle Franco van der Merwe

Backs	Gio Aplon Jean de Villiers Bryan Habana Francois Hougaard Zane Kirchner Patrick Lambie Wynand Olivier Ruan Pienaar JP Pietersen François Steyn Morné Steyn Did not play: Bjorn Basson JJ Engelbrecht Elton Jantjies Lwazi Mvovo Joe Pietersen Jano Vermaak

Coach	Heyneke Meyer

v t e Sharks – 2012 Super Rugby season

Forwards	Willem Alberts Jacques Botes Anton Bresler Craig Burden Dale Chadwick Marcell Coetzee Kyle Cooper Keegan Daniel Jean Deysel Bismarck du Plessis Jannie du Plessis Pieter-Steph du Toit Wiehahn Herbst Ryan Kankowski Jandré Marais Tendai Mtawarira Tera Mtembu Ross Skeate Steven Sykes Did not play: Alistair Hargreaves Julian Redelinghuys

Backs	Meyer Bosman Paul Jordaan Marius Joubert Patrick Lambie Louis Ludik Charl McLeod Frédéric Michalak Lwazi Mvovo Odwa Ndungane JP Pietersen Cobus Reinach François Steyn Riaan Viljoen Tim Whitehead Did not play: Conrad Hoffmann

Coach	John Plumtree

v t e Sharks XV – 2012 Vodacom Cup

Forwards	Dale Chadwick Chris Cloete Kyle Cooper Allan Dell Jean Deysel Pieter-Steph du Toit Brendon Groenewald Monde Hadebe Francois Hanekom Ryan Kankowski Francois Kleinhans Stephan Lewies Khaya Majola Jandré Marais Peet Marais Danie Mienie Tendai Mtawarira Tera Mtembu Kurt Schonert Nick Schonert Brynard Stander Braam Steyn Maks van Dyk Did not play: Sibusiso Bongomusa Dube Franco Marais Dean Muir

Backs	Jors Dannhauser Gavin Hauptfleisch Conrad Hoffmann Chris Jordaan Paul Jordaan Marius Joubert Piet Lindeque Wandile Mjekevu Odwa Ndungane Gouws Prinsloo Cobus Reinach Shannon Rick Sibusiso Sithole Rosco Speckman Jaco van Tonder Heimar Williams Fred Zeilinga Did not play: Jared Meyer Hanco Venter

Coach	Sean Everitt

Persondata
Name	Kankowski, Ryan
Alternative names
Short description	South African rugby union player
Date of birth	1985-10-14
Place of birth	Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Date of death
Place of death

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