In a country where there is no shortage of quality sportsmen at grass roots level, but rather a shortage of opportunities for them to reach the highest level, Sintu Manjezi’s achievements this are no mean feats.
In a country where there is no shortage of quality sportsmen at grass roots level, but rather a shortage of opportunities for them to reach the highest level, Sintu Manjezi’s achievements this are no mean feats.
Still eligible to play for the Eastern Province Kings this year, the former St Andrew's College captain instead leaped straight into the professional ranks.
He started off his season as part of Robbie Kempson’s Currie Cup qualifiers squad, where he established himself with his leadership qualities, earning him the armband on a few occasions.
You would have been forgiven for thinking that that was progress enough for him this season, but the lanky flanker went one better. On July 8, the 21-year-old ran on to a packed Emirates Airline Park stadium to realise his dream of playing Super Rugby.
This moment would have no doubt been made sweeter by the fact that he was representing his home province’s franchise the Southern Kings.
The hard work had started way before that though, as Manjezi takes us through the events of the week leading up to his debut: “Both the Super Rugby and Currie Cup sides had a bye that weekend, so we had a combined practice,” he recalls.
“I was then called over to make a few runs with the Super Rugby side, and that’s when I knew I had a chance.”
Manjezi’s inclusion was anything but a foregone conclusion, as it hinged on the availability of skipper Steven Sykes.
“I was told that, should he not be available I might be called in to make an appearance on the bench, and it was on Thursday that week that I found out that I would be on the bench.”
The feeling of finding out that you were about to compete in the same tournament you and your high school friends used to talk about must be unreal. Manjezi tries to put it in words: “I was very nervous upon selection,” he chuckles. “I mean you watch these guys on TV and the next minute you could be playing against them.”
He also has warm memories from that week. “As soon as I heard the news I called my parents, who expressed their pride in me. I also got a lot of messages of support from family and friends and even people I wasn’t expecting, so that was overwhelming,” he said.
The Southern Kings coaching staff however had the difficult task of calming yet another young débutante's nerves, a role the former SA Schools player praised them for: “The coaching staff encouraged me to stay calm and keep playing the same way I’m used to and that approach was certainly helpful.”
He also spoke highly of the role the senior players played in integrating the inexperienced players. “The reception from them was good, they brought us in, made us feel welcome and really I wouldn’t of expected anything else from them,” he said.
After a week of training and well wishes, the day comes where one has to turn a fairytale story into a positive reality. The atmosphere and pressure levels begin to rise as one enters the stadium. How did Manjezi deal with that? “For me it was all about getting on that field, and during warm up I tried to get my hands on the ball as much as possible.”
Luckily for him, he was not the only one who was in contention to make his Super Rugby debut as South Africa U/20 captain Jeremy Ward was also rewarded with a promotion and Manjezi was appreciative of the inside centre’s presence, “We came up the ranks together and were in the same situation. It is always nice to have someone to share the nerves with.”
When all the build-up talk is completed, the coach utters his last words and it's time to run out on to the field, the stage becomes too big for one to hide. Manjezi takes us through his first moments of Super Rugby: “Watching on the bench makes you nervous, but then as soon as you step on to the field you realise you have a job to do. I remember we had a line-out as my first play and I knew what to do, so that certainly helped calm the nerves and I settled well after that,” he said.
Having had his first taste of elite franchise rugby, he will no doubt be hungry for more. Quizzed on what he thinks it will take for him to stay at that level, he said: “I will have to keep pushing my body, listen to the coach’s advice and never be complacent. You have to always be willing to listen to those who are knowledgeable about the game, apply their constructive criticism to improve your game and hopefully that will give me a shot at staying at Super Rugby level.”
Having recently recovered from an injury that kept him out for the Currie Cup, Manjezi will be raring to go in an effort to impress the coach ahead of the new season, as pre-season commences on 1 November. Manjezi’s alma-mater has recently produced yet another South Africa Schools player, this time in the form of Sazi Sandi.
Sazi followed in Manjezi’s footsteps as he captained St Andrew’s 1st rugby side this year and was vice-captain for Eastern Province Country Districts in the Craven Week. Manjezi reserved special praise and words of encouragement for the prop: “Firstly on my part I just want to congratulate him, what he has done is amazing! He has a good character and works hard.
“I think he should keep doing what he is doing because it’s clearly working for him. He must always stay humble, listen to advice and I wish him all the best for his future endeavours,” Manjezi concluded.
Sintu also formed part of the SA Schools cricket team in 2013, before choosing a career path in rugby. One can only wonder how different his story could have been, had he chosen the round over the oval.
