Chiliboy Ralepelle
Mahlatse Chiliboy Ralepelle is a former rugby union player for the Sharks in Super Rugby and in the Currie Cup. His usual position is at hooker.
Imagem: Pierre-Selim · BY-SA · Openverse
Durban-based Super Rugby outfit the Sharks announced that Ralepelle would join them prior to the 2016 Super Rugby season. During an out-of-competition test on 17 January 2019 he tested positive for Zeranol and was banned for eight years.
Youth rugby
As a pupil at Pretoria Boys High School, Ralepelle played for the South African Schools team in 2002 and 2003 and went on to play for the South African Under-19 side in 2004. He once again played for the Under-19s in 2005 and also made the step up to the national Under-21 team in the same year. Ralepelle captained the Under-21s at the 2006 Under 21 Rugby World Championship in France. South Africa made it to the final of the tournament, but were defeated by 13–24 the hosts.
2005–06
While still eligible to play Under-19 rugby in 2005, Ralepelle was included in the Blue Bulls squad for the 2005 Vodacom Cup. He didn't make any appearances in the competition, but did captain the Blue Bulls U21 side in the Under-19 Provincial Championship. He made his first class debut for the Bulls in their opening match of the 2006 Super 14 season, coming on as a last-minute replacement in their 30–18 victory against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. One more appearance from the bench followed in their home match against the Waratahs, before Ralepelle moved to the Vodacom Cup squad. He made five appearances for the Blue Bulls in the 2006 Vodacom Cup and scored his first senior try in their match against the Griffons in a 30–6 victory.
2007–08
He made a single appearance in 2007, in a Super 14 match against the Cheetahs. He then picked up a serious knee injury that ruled him out of rugby for the remainder of the year. He made his return in pre-season matches prior to the 2008, but once again injured his knee during the captain's run prior to a warm-up match against the SWD Eagles in George. After 18 months out of action with knee injuries, he returned to the field in August 2008 in the 2008 Currie Cup Premier Division, making his Currie Cup debut two-and-a-half years after he made his Super Rugby debut. He came on as a second-half replacement for Bandise Maku in their match against the Falcons in Brakpan, helping them to a 50–7 win. With his injury problems now behind him, he made eight appearances in the Currie Cup as he helped the Blue Bulls reach the final of the competition. He played off the bench in the final, but could not prevent Durban-based side the Sharks running out 14–9 winners.
2009–10
He made fifteen appearances for the Bulls in the 2009 Super 14 season, also scoring his first try in this competition in their match against the Cheetahs. He helped the Bulls reach the final of the competition, a match in which Ralepelle featured as a second-half replacement to help the Bulls to a 61–17 victory against the Chiefs. He was included in the South Africa squad for the 2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa, making one appearance, by starting the Third Test match against the Lions. He also made four appearances for the national side during the 2009 Tri Nations Series, helping South Africa win the competition for the third time.
2011–13
Ralepelle played in sixteen Super Rugby matches for the Bulls in 2011, getting one try in their match against the Force, but the Bulls finished in seventh place on the log to miss out on a play-off spot. He made two appearances for South Africa during the 2011 Tri Nations Series and scored his first international try in their match against Australia in Sydney. He made three appearances for the Blue Bulls during the 2011 Currie Cup Premier Division before being named in the Springbok squad that played at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He made just one appearance in the competition though, coming on as a substitute in their 87–0 victory over Namibia.
Toulouse and drugs ban
He made his debut for Toulouse in their 38–5 victory over Italian side Zebre in the 2013–14 Heineken Cup. Two weeks later, he made his domestic debut, helping Toulouse to a 13–12 victory over Toulon in their 2013–14 Top 14 match. He made a total of ten appearances in the Top 14 and a further six in the Heineken Cup for Toulouse. His final match for them came in February 2014, when he started in their 16–6 win against Biarritz, but tore his knee ligaments during the match, which ruled him out during the remainder of the season. On 19 March 2014, Ralepelle faced an out-of-competition drugs test, where he tested positive for anabolic steroid drostanolone. The hearing into this positive drugs test was set for mid-March 2015, but Ralepelle had his contract with Toulouse cancelled and returned to South Africa. He was eventually banned for two years, for a period 10 April 2014 to 10 April 2016, effective from the date that the player's initial provisional suspension came into effect.
