Chijindu Okonta starred for Glenwood High School in Durban and earned selection for the KZN Sharks Craven Week team in 2023, catching the eye with his pace and athleticism in the back three. His progress continued in the national pathway when he was called into the SA Rugby Under-19 academy squad, before earning Junior Springbok honours in 2025, featuring on the left wing against Georgia.
The tall, rangy outside back graduated into the Sharks senior structures and made his senior debut in the 2026 Carling Currie Cup, starting at fullback in the Sharks XV's opening-round victory over the Airlink Pumas in Mbombela, and backing that up against the Cheetahs a week later with an eye-catching 129 running metres.
One of the most exciting attacking prospects in the Sharks academy, Okonta's blend of size, speed and counter-attacking instinct marks him as a back-three player with a big future in Durban.