The Rhodes University rugby squad has been hard at training over the past weeks, for the upcoming Varsity Shield.
The Rhodes University rugby squad has been hard at training over the past weeks, for the upcoming Varsity Shield.
The squad members took a short break over the holidays, but were back in town for a training camp on 4 January.
It’s been a hectic schedule for the team, which will derby at the Varsity Shield next month, thanks to several good results last season.
Coach Qondakele Sompondo said, “The boys are looking forward to playing in what would be their debut season in the Varsity Shield. We currently have 29 players on camp, but we are awaiting the arrival of two of our players who are held up in Zimbabwe waiting for their study permits.”
The training camp, which started at the beginning of the month, has included injury screening and testing, gym sessions, runs, pool sessions, skills, core, defence and other skills.
The team also paid a visit to the Home of Joy, where the players interacted with children before handing over a cheque to the home’s founder Margaret Ngcangca (full report on page 29).
This week, Southern Kings forwards coach Barend Pieterse and kicking coach Henning van der Merwe paid a visit. Chumani Bambani, Southern Kings media manager, said, “As part of the Southern Kings' management team's vision of ensuring that talent in the Eastern Cape region is nurtured, coaches and players will go around to schools and universities to impart their knowledge and assist where they can to help in the development of upcoming players.
“With Rhodes University, under coach Qondakele Sompondo, taking part in the Varsity Shield for the first time this year, it is imperative that the Southern Kings assist where they can.”
Pieterse said it was important for the Kings management to support Rhodes and give them a charge to perform at their best at the Varsity Shield.
Van der Merwe said it was important for them to build relationships with the schools and universities in the region.
“That will help us in the future,” Van der Merwe said.
“There’s raw talent and if the guys get proper coaching and proper structures in place, they can be competitive in the Varsity Shield.”
The team will play their first friendly match of the year when they travel to Alice on Saturday to play the University of Fort Hare.
Sompondo said the friendly game would give them an indication of where they were as a group.
They then play a warm-up game against local giants, Grahamstown Brumbies, on Saturday 25 January.
Rhodes play their first match of the Varsity Shield on 9 February against Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) in Pretoria.
sport@grocotts.co.za
