Born on 5 June 1952 in Cathcart in the Eastern Cape, Ngomane relocated to Cape Town with his family at a young age, and almost immediately started playing rugby with his young friends in Nyanga township.

Ngomane later got an opportunity to break into the senior rugby ranks with the Flying Eagles club and Western Province under the SARA banner and was selected for the national representative team in 1984 and 1985.

A skilful and athletic lock, Ngomane also captained the Flying Eagles.

“Desmond had the ability to break down opposition defences and put his teammates away to score, but he also brought leadership, discipline and sportsmanship to the teams he represented,” said Mr Alexander.

“By all accounts, Desmond was a quiet person who did his talking through actions on the field, and he was widely respected as one of the real gentlemen of rugby in his era.

“He deserved to play in the SARA colours and as is the case with most of the players from the apartheid years, we’ll never know where he might have ended up playing, but that didn’t stop him from loving the game.

“After his playing days, Desmond ploughed back into rugby, through the Mzwandile Foundation, which promoted development in schools in townships across the Cape Flats as he believed rugby could be used to lure kids away from the streets.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, loved ones, and friends in this difficult time. May you find solace in the memories of a man who reached the highest echelons of the sport he loved, under difficult circumstances, but never shied away from the challenges life posed.”