WITH all the controversy surrounding South Africa’s 2011 Rugby World Cup rugby team and the number of black players who should be included, few realise that there is a black rugby club that has been in existence since the late 1800s, says Winter Rose rugby football club president Ramie Xonxa.
WITH all the controversy surrounding South Africa’s 2011 Rugby World Cup rugby team and the number of black players who should be included, few realise that there is a black rugby club that has been in existence since the late 1800s, says Winter Rose rugby football club president Ramie Xonxa.
Winter Rose is one of the oldest rugby clubs in South Africa and has continuously played impressive rugby since its establishment in 1887. Interestingly, says Xonxa, Winter Rose was the first club to don its green and gold colours that are now worn by the Springboks.
In the early 1900s the Roses’ second team amicably broke away and formed Easterns, this happened after having been double booked for away games and the second team came back victorious with a bigger margin. Easterns was established in 1905 – and gave birth to a healthy rivalry between the two teams that has lasted 100 years.
According to Xonxa, one of the significant tournaments played at the time was the “Inter-Town”, in which Union from Port Elizabeth, Swallows from East London and Winter Rose competed.
Winter Rose’ players distinguished themselves in rugby battles in Grahamstown, Eastern Province and nationally, with the late Sandi Maqanda becoming the club’s first black Springbok in 1962, along with the late Duncan Pikoli of Butcher Birds from Port Elizabeth. Pikoli later played for Leicester City in England but, unfortunately, Maqanda could not make that trip.
Roses legends
In the early 1970s, Roses had the late legendary flyhalf Norman Xhoxho, who was so good that while playing for KwaZakhele Rugby Union (Kwaru) he had to be accomodated at centre while another late great Peter Mkata played flyhalf.
Other Roses success stories include prop Tisco Cangweni, who played in the same invitation team of the then South African Rugby Union (Saru) as current Springbok manager Zola Yeye in 1982.
In the 1980s, Roses had quality players like Sicelo Sandi, Moses Speckman, Qonono Diniso and Xonxa. These are some of the Winter Rose players included in the South Eastern District Rugby Union (Sedru) which, for the first time since its inception in 1972, managed to play in the quarter finals of the 1988 Saru tournament against Western Province Board at Lavender Valley.
“Winter Rose had nine players in the Sedru team and this showed their strength and influence. We were dominating in the 1980s,” said Xonxa. His highlight at Roses was in 1985, when he was selected to represent the Eastern Cape XV, which curtain-raised for the match between Eastern Province and Western Province Board at Adcock Stadium, along with the late Lexie Dube and Sicelo Sandi.
In 1994 Xonxa led the team as captain when they celebrated 107 years.
A force
In 2004 and 2005, Winter Rose won the Makana Municipality mayoral trophy with a performance that sent a clear message to opponents that it was still a force to be reckoned with.
The club is playing in the Super League under the Eastern Province Rugby Union. Xonxa says although the quality of current players is totally different to that of yesteryear, there is still a lot of talent. Because today’s players are young and not as mature, there are discipline implications.
However, youngsters such as flank forward Masonwabe Nduna and Kitsolo Ncula are promising and might make the provincial team in a few years. “They are performing well,”says Xonxa.
A convincing win over archrivals Easterns recently took Roses out of the possibility of playing relegation play-offs, ensuring that the team remains in the Super League.
