Richard Utete Tsimba (Salisbury, Rhodesia, 9 July 1965 – 30 April 2000) was a Zimbabwean rugby union player. He played as a centre. He was nicknamed "The Black Diamond".

Birth nameRichard Utete Tsimba
Date of birth(1965-07-09)July 9, 1965
Place of birthSalisbury, Rhodesia
Date of deathApril 30, 2000(2000-04-30) (aged 34)
SchoolPeterhouse Boys' School
SpouseCleopatra Connolly
ChildrenTadiwa/Lucy, Rutendo, and Nyasha Tsimba
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre
Current team --
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1985-87
1987-89
1990-95
Chaminuka RFC
Belmont Shore RFC
Old Georgians RFC
()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1987-1991  Zimbabwe 5 (12)

Tsimba was the first black player to represent his country. He had 5 caps for Zimbabwe, scoring 3 tries, 12 points in aggregate. All his caps came at the Rugby World Cup. He played two games in the 1987 event, scoring two tries in the 21-20 loss to Romania on 23 March 1987 in Auckland. At the 1991 Rugby World Cup he was used in all three of Zimbabwe's games, scoring a try in the 52-8 loss to Japan on 14 October 1991 in Belfast.

He died in a car accident, aged only 34 years old. His wife and 3 daughters surviving him.

On 25 October 2012, he was posthumously inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame; his living younger brother and fellow Zimbabwe international Kennedy Tsimba was inducted alongside him.[1]

References

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  1. ^ "Tsimba brothers enter IRB Hall of Fame" (Press release). International Rugby Board. 25 October 2012. Archived from the original on 27 October 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
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