Mlungisi Bali (1 June 1990 – 3 January 2018) was a South African rugby union player that played first class rugby for the in 2013 and 2014, and also represented the South Africa Under-20 at the

2010 IRB Junior World Championship The 2010 IRB Junior World Championship was the third annual international rugby union competition for Under 20 national teams, this competition replaced the now defunct under 19 and under 21 world championships. The event was organised by rugby's ...

. His regular position was lock.

Career

Youth

He represented East London side the at the 2006 Under-16 Grant Khomo Week before moving to Pretoria to attend

St. Alban's College St. Alban's College is a private, boarding, English medium and day high school for boys situated in the suburb of Lynnwood Glen in Pretoria in the Gauteng province of South Africa. It was founded in 1963 by Anton Murray. Its history, influence, ...

. He was selected in the ' Under–18 Craven Week side in 2007 (which led to him being named in a South African Schools Academy side that faced the South African Schools side) and in 2008 (which led to his inclusion in the main South African Schools side). He played for the side in the 2008 and 2009 Under-19 Provincial Championships and for the side in the

2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship The 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A was contested from 3 July to 30 October 2010. The tournament (also known as the ''ABSA Under-21 Provincial Championship'' for sponsorship reasons) was the top tier of 2010 edition of the Under-21 ...

. In 2010, he was selected for the South Africa Under-20 side that played at the

in Argentina. He was an unused reserve in their first match against Tonga, but started in their 73–0 victory over Scotland. He played off the bench in their remaining three matches – the final pool stage match against

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, their 36–7 semi-final defeat to eventual winners New Zealand and their third-place play-off match against England.

Griffons

Bali failed to break into the first team at the and made the move to Welkom to join the prior to the 2013 season. He made his provincial first class debut for them during the

2013 Vodacom Cup The 2013 Vodacom Cup was played between 9 March and 18 May 2013 and was the 16th edition of this annual domestic cup competition. The Vodacom Cup is played between provincial rugby union teams in South Africa from the Currie Cup Premier and First ...

competition when he started their match against the . After making a total of seven appearances in the 2013 Vodacom Cup, he was also included in their Currie Cup side and made his debut in that competition on 10 August 2013, in a match against the . He made a total of six appearances in the competition and the same amount in the

2014 Vodacom Cup The 2014 Vodacom Cup was played between 7 March and 16 May 2014 and was the 17th edition of this annual domestic cup competition. This edition of the Vodacom Cup was played between fourteen provincial rugby union teams in South Africa from the Cu ...

, all of them from the start.

Death

Bali was the victim of a stabbing incident at a traditional homecoming ceremony in Mdantsane in December 2017. He was admitted to

Frere Hospital Frere Hospital is a large, provincial, government funded hospital situated in East London, Eastern Cape in South Africa. It was established in 1881 and is a tertiary teaching hospital. Frere Hospital is named after Sir Henry Bartle Frere, Gove ...

East London East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the f ...

, where he died from his injuries on 3 January 2018, aged 27.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bali, Mlungisi 1990 births 2018 deaths Deaths by stabbing in South Africa Griffons (rugby union) players People murdered in South Africa Rugby union flankers Rugby union locks Rugby union players from East London, South Africa South Africa Under-20 international rugby union players South African rugby union players Xhosa people South African murder victims Alumni of St. Alban's College