Ryan Kankowski (born 14 October 1985) is a South African professional

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

player, who played for the South Africa national rugby union team between 2007 and 2012. Kankowski plays at number eight or

openside flanker Flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Each team of 15 players includes two flankers, who play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside or openside flankers, numbers 6 and 7 respectively. The name comes fr ...

. Kankowski was first selected to represent South Africa during the Springboks 2007 end of year tour to Wales and England. He made a

try Try or TRY may refer to: Music Albums * ''Try!'', an album by the John Mayer Trio * ''Try'' (Bebo Norman album) (2014) Songs * "Try" (Blue Rodeo song) (1987) * "Try" (Colbie Caillat song) (2014) * "Try" (Nelly Furtado song) (2004) * " Try (Ju ...

-scoring test debut on the tour as a substitute during South Africa's 34–12 victory over Wales at the

Millennium Stadium The Millennium Stadium ( cy, Stadiwm y Mileniwm), known since 2016 as the Principality Stadium ( cy, Stadiwm Principality) for sponsorship reasons, is the national stadium of Wales. Located in Cardiff, it is the home of the Wales national rug ...

on 24 November 2007. Thirteen of his twenty test caps were earned as a substitute. His most productive year was in 2008, receiving award 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 three tests against the British & Irish Lions on their tour of South Africa in 2009. In June 2012, it was announced that he would join Japanese team Toyota Verblitz for six months. He would miss the

2012 Currie Cup Premier Division The 2012 Currie Cup Premier Division was the 74th season in the competition since it started in 1889 and was contested from 11 August to 27 October 2012. The tournament (known as the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division for sponsorship reasons) is the ...

season with the, but would return to the for the

2013 Super Rugby season The 2013 Super Rugby season was the third season of the new 15-team format for the Super Rugby competition involving teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The tournament was won by the Chiefs, who defeated the Canberra-based Brumb ...

. In June 2017, it was announced that Kankowski would join the for the 2017 Currie Cup season.

Awards and nominations

*2008

SA Rugby The South African Rugby Union (SARU) is the governing body for rugby union in South Africa and is affiliated to World Rugby. It was established in 1992 as the South African Rugby Football Union, from the merger of the South African Rugby Board ...

Player of the Year nominee *2008

Sasol Sasol Limited is an integrated energy and chemical company based in Sandton, South Africa. The company was formed in 1950 in Sasolburg, South Africa and built on processes that were first developed by German chemists and engineers in the early ...

Player of the Year nominee *2008 Vodacom

Super 14 Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Building on various Southern Hem ...

South African Player of the Year *2008 ABSA

Currie Cup The Currie Cup is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring (June to October), featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces. Although it is the premier ...

– Premier Division Player of the Year nominee

References

External links

*
SARugby.com profileSharks profileSpringbok Rugby Hall of Fame
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kankowski, Ryan Living people 1985 births South African rugby union players South Africa international rugby union players Sharks (rugby union) players Sharks (Currie Cup) players Rugby union number eights Alumni of St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown South African people of Polish descent White South African people Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi players South African expatriate rugby union players in Japan South Africa international rugby sevens players Male rugby sevens players Rugby sevens players at the 2006 Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games rugby sevens players for South Africa Rugby union players from Gqeberha