The Rhodes University rugby club have booked their spot in the 2017 Varisty Shield tournament, thanks to their efforts during the University Sport South Africa (USSA) National Institutional Men’s Rugby Championships hosted in East London.
The Rhodes University rugby club have booked their spot in the 2017 Varisty Shield tournament, thanks to their efforts during the University Sport South Africa (USSA) National Institutional Men’s Rugby Championships hosted in East London.
The side clinched the varsity’s maiden qualification for the Varsity Shield tournament. The team was placed in the C section of USSA, which featured University Venda, University Zululand, Vaal University of Technology, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Walter Sisulu University.
Rhodes beat Venda University 26-12 and then beat Zululand 37-7 to qualify for the C section finals.
The side, however, came unstuck in the final with an agonising 30-13 (13-13 in regulation time) extra time loss to Eastern Cape rivals WSU. They had, however, managed to qualify despite that loss by virtue of being the runners-up in the qualifying section.
There is a saying that states “even when you lose, you win” which coach Qondakele Sompondo heeded as he reflected positively on the loss: “I feel very strongly that we won all three matches, even though we lost the final. I asked for fight, effort and commitment from the players and they delivered,” he said.
Second year student Vuyisani Sigingqi had a message for his team mates: "I only have words of gratitude. The guys did well to bond together in such a short space of time. The new guys did well in their first big tournament for Rhodes and the leadership group pulled us through.”
He reserved a special word of appreciation for Sompondo and his support staff: “Special thanks to the management. They did so much for us that we are grateful for,” he concluded.
* Read the full report in Friday’s edition of Grocott’s Mail.
