RU Rugby makes history
The Rhodes University rugby team of 2016 returned from this year’s University Sport South Africa (USSA) National Institutional Men’s Rugby Championships hosted in East London, having sketched their names on the university’s record books.
This, after clinching 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 successfully negotiated their way through Venda University 26-12. Eighth man Devon Barnard ran the show with a hat trick of tries, in a convincing 37-7 victory over Zululand. 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 Vuy- isani Sigingqi gave a brutally honest assessment, when quizzed on the calibre of the opposition: “I don’t think they were on the same level as us except for WSU, but even they were grasping at straws when we played them, profiting only from our mistakes” he lamented. Playing in his second USSA games, Sigingqi also revealed that the teams’ main objective was to gain qualification, but “when you get so close, you can’t help but want to go all the way and win”. Sompondo was also quick to point out that the team’s success at the champs did not come about overnight.
“We came prepared, as we had a camp in Kenton, leading up to the tournament,” he said. “Even during exams we had an intensive conditioning programme, where players were practising four days a week” he continued. He also wasn’t willing to keep us in the dark about his “secret recipe” this year. “I feel what really allowed us to succeed this year was our focus on youth. This is because from young people you get that competitive edge, that allows for competition within the squad, which then brings the best out of it,” he explained.
Out of the 27 players that travelled to East London, only six were 22 years old and above. They were the ones tasked with the leadership role in this youthful squad. It is this mix of youth and experience that allowed the team to thrive according to Sompondo. He stressed that the team needs to improve if they are to compete at Varsity Shield level next year. 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.”
Sompondo concluded by lavishing words of praise for his “troops”; “Generally I am happy and inspired by the performance of the players at the tournament. It will provide a solid platform from which to build from for next year and I am looking forward to a wonderful Varsity Shield in 2017.”
• For more on Sompondo and how he plans to prepare his team for future tournaments, like and keep an eye on Grocott’s Mail Sport Facebook page.