Gino Cupido
| Born | 21 January 2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 94 kg (207 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Hoërskool Strand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Gino Cupido (born 21 January 2005) is a South African professional rugby union footballer who plays for Western Province and the South Africa national rugby sevens team.[1]
Early life
He is from Sir Lowry's Pass Village and attended Strand High School.[2]
Career
In 2023, Cupido represented South Africa in sevens rugby at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago, and for South Africa under-18s in their International Series in the Western Cape. He played for the South A Africa A-side at the Dubai International Invitational in December 2024.[3]
has represented Western Province at junior and senior level, making his debut against Sharks in the Currie Cup in August 2024, and plays at centre in the 15-a-side game.[4][5][6]
He made his debut for South Africa national rugby sevens team at the Hong Kong Sevens in the 2024–25 SVNS series.[7][8] Upon his call-up South Africa coach Phillip Snyman said that he predicted he would go on "to achieve great things in rugby. He may only be 19 but is full of potential and a player I rate highly already".[9] He made a try-scoring debut for South Africa at the tournament, scoring in his opening game against Uruguay, running in from 95 metres in a 40-7 victory for the Springboks.[10]
Cupido featured as South Africa national under-20 rugby union team won the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy, before continuing, after a brief injury hiatus, with South Africa Sevens in the 2025-26 SVNS.[11][12] His performances included scoring a try in the final as South Africa won the 2026 Canada Sevens.[13] He was also a try scorer in the final later that month at the 2026 USA Sevens in New York, and in May in the final of the 2026 Spain Sevens.[14][15]
Honours
- South Africa U20
- World Rugby U20 Championship
Champion (1): 2025
References
- ↑ "Gino Cupido". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ↑ "Blitzboks ready to let Gino out the bottle". sarugbymag.co.za. 27 March 2025. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ↑ "Cupido to debut as Snyman changes three for HK". sarugby.co.za. 19 March 2025. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ↑ "Blitzboks call up teenage speedster". sarugbymag.co.za. 19 March 2025. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ↑ "Exclusive: Blitzboks Newcomer Gino Cupido Eager for Hong Kong Challenge". SportsBoom. 27 March 2025. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ↑ Fortune, Warren (24 Aug 2024). "Sharks compound WP's woes in Cape Town". Rugby365. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ↑ Sherman, Michael (28 March 2025). "Gino Cupido sets sights on Blitzboks debut at Hong Kong Sevens". iol.co.za. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ↑ "Teenager Cupido set for debut in Hong Kong, stalwarts Human and David return". News24.com. 19 March 2025. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ↑ "Snyman has an unknown quantity in Gino Cupido in Hong Kong". Timeslive.co.za. 28 March 2025. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ↑ "Cupido on target as Blitzboks bury Uruguay". sarugbymag. 28 March 2025. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ↑ "Cupido hoping for another cracker year". Springboks.rugby. 20 Jan 2026. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ↑ Harvey, Joe. "'I am ready': Gino Cupido prepared to capitalise on mesmeric 2025". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ↑ "Peerless Blitzboks romp to Vancouver title". svns.com. 9 March 2026. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
- ↑ "HSBC SVNS NEW YORK: Blitzboks clinch gold in New York and seal Series Championship". svns.com. 15 March 2026. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
- ↑ "Australia blitz South Africa to lift Valladolid trophy". svns.com. 31 May 2026. Retrieved 2 June 2026.