By Athenkosi Tsotsi
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"
I want to make history it. I don't know if I can make history, but I know it's possible with God. And that's why I put my faith in God because He's the way, the truth and the light. And I know I am going make history. I know I'm going to make history. I have to make history!" This is not a quote from The Champ Muhammad Ali, The Unstoppable Caster Semenya or The Tennis Maestro Serena Williams, but that of Tshegofatso Segwaba who has boldly proclaimed her quest to make history just as the greats before her.
Determined, dedicated, disciplined & delight are the words one can use to sum up Free State Women's Rugby captain Tshegofatso Segwaba. Born, breed and blossoming in Bloemfontein, she was not exposed to rugby in her upbringing, but Segwaba has grown into being at the forefront of the evolution of women's rugby, in the Free State.
The 23-year-old was allowed to play sports by her parents when growing up. She took her sporting gin from her late Father, who played football in his days. Segwaba used to be a tennis enthusiast but would later fall in love with rugby.
"So, one thing that made me fall in love with rugby was because I was fat. I was bullied for being fat. I wanted something to get me out of my desperate situation. And I wanted something that would expose me, to myself, but I wanted people to see me as the girl I was. With rugby, I was not just that “fat” girl, I had a purpose. I think God had a purpose for me to be fat so I can play rugby," said Segwaba.
The prop started taking rugby seriously in 2016 when she graduated to the senior team. Her journey with being integrated into the senior side is one not short of trials and tribulations. She endured a lot and push herself in order to be where she is today. A feat not seen by many with equal or more opportunities.
"I started taking rugby seriously in 2016 when I started playing for the senior team. Even though it was not easy for me, coming from the U/18 to senior team, I was yet to be polished into being the perfect senior girl. I came with the mentality of an under 18, I was not prepared for senior rugby. So I stayed on the bench for two years before I could be in the first team starting line-up. I had to practice hard and go to the gym. I had to take myself seriously before anyone else could take me seriously. That's one thing I didn't know, before playing for the senior team, I have to prepare myself mentally, physically and emotionally in the senior rugby because it's different from [playing at] U/16 and U/18."
Throughout this testing period, her father provided her with endless support as he encouraged his baby girl to keep on going. He believed in her and knew her love for the sport was not that of a one-day enthusiast.
"I give credit for my talent to my father, my late father may his soul continue to rest in peace. I think he's one person that kept me going in this rugby thing because I wanted to quit. I thought that rugby had no future and I told my dad that I didn't see a reason for me to play rugby, but he said to me that I should not quit.”
“Maybe he knew one day, I’ll be spotted somewhere out in the world or I will be taken seriously. Because I told him almost every day since 2016, that staying on the bench was not nice, knowing that you can play better than anyone else on your position. It was frustrating for both my dad and myself, but he told me to never give up because he knew that I love rugby. I give him all the credit. I think I know that he's proud of me wherever he is. And I give him the credit.”
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After the phase of adjustment into the senior team, Segwaba would come into her own and soon had the captain armband graced upon her, something she has embraced fully. A testament to her character, determination and perseverance.
"The experience of being a captain is the best. Whenever people want to do interviews, it's a gift given the opportunity to do that. And I'm quite talkative. So I love interviews. I appreciate the experience that I was granted. It's a good experience, because it teaches me to be a leader; and it shows that the coach saw a leader in me by choosing me to be the captain, and I think I fought enough to be the captain.
It has its highs and lows. Its responsibilities are great and I try to lead by example both on and off the field. Whenever emotions are high during the game, I try to maintain my composure and calm my peers down. In the game, I talk to the referee and how I conduct myself around him, or her, sets an example for my teammates.
Off the field, I look after my actions and behaviour. So I avoid going out a lot. I do not drink. But I try to set a good example for the players. Even when the coach is addressing us, I'm quiet and I listen because I know the players are looking at me; if I talk, they talk too. If I am quiet, they too are quiet. At our award ceremony, I was given an award for being the 2019 captain and it was an honour, I am truly honoured to be the captain,"
Coaching is something Segwaba does, as its part of her love for rugby. She coaches children from as young as 6 years of age to 18 years of age, and this part of the game has impacted her life in many aspects.
"Yes, I am a coach, and that is going very well. It's quite touching coaching girls especially from different backgrounds. I learn a lot from these girls, even though they aren’t aware of it, but I learned to be patient. I learned to share; I love sharing by the way, and I learned to be a mother at a young age of 20. I learned to be a mother to 14-year-olds to 15-year-old, 16-year-olds, 17-year-olds and 18-year-olds. I’ve got to learn how easy it is for a girl to come from a background without money and I treat them equally whether you have 1000 or you have millions at your home, it doesn't matter when we are in the field. I am also part of the GIR (Get Into Rugby) coaches, we teach little kids in grade: one, two and three rugby, both girls and boys from different schools,"
Segwaba is passionate about rugby development and feels like more can be done to further the sport in the women's side.
"Women's rugby is not taken seriously, the ladies who were playing 12 years ago, when comparing, say things were better then, even the match fees were better. We need support: financially, mentally, physically, all of us, as the rugby ladies, soccer ladies, cricket ladies and netball ladies. We also need supporters, we need the crowd to come and watch us play. They can push you when they are singing and their presence can encourage you,"
We all look up to our parents and Segwaba is no different as she is following in her father's footsteps as she is studying to be a teacher. Her main goal in the upcoming years is to graduate and make her mother proud and honour the memory of her father.
“I'm going to study hard so that I can Graduate for my mother sake, and for my sake. I finished high school in 2015 and my peers right now are graduating and I'm only starting with school, with tertiary, now because my parents didn't have money. God is with me all the time. And His delay is not a denial. So I'm not going to pressurise myself and say that my peers are graduating, I should also graduate. I'm just going to take my time in this life thing.”
She also has an initiative that is aimed at giving to underprivileged girls a full make-up experience for their matric dance.
“Yes, I'm a makeup artist. I make-up unprivileged matric girls for the farewells. I just don't make-up them, I pamper them for their matric farewells. I look out for kids who don't have money to for their fails, for example, this year (2020) I have three girls that I am going to pamper. I don't have the money, I don't even have sponsors, but I'm doing it out of my pocket as broke as I am, but I know God will provide like always."
Hopes of playing for the Springbok ladies and a move abroad to England are harbouring in the mind of Segwaba. With her resilience, I would not bet against her touching all of her goals. The name is Dimakatso Tshegofatso Segwaba, and I trust you are going to know her.
By Athenkosi Tsotsi
I spoke to Arcadia Shepherds Defender, Kagisano Maleka, about his time with the Pretoria based team. The Mamelodi born and raised player has been with the club since 2013, making him one of the longest serving members at the club.
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Athenkosi Tsotsi: Your time in the club, how has it been and in what ways has it contributed to you, as a person and a footballer?
Kagisano Maleka: My time with the club has been quite beneficial to my development as a footballer. I've learned a lot in a short period and hopefully that will stand me in good stead in the future. Personally, I've grown and formed great relationships with my teammates whom I probably would've never met if not for Arcadia Shepherds and our shared passion for football.
AT: Considering the history of Arcadia Shepherds, how important is it for you guys in the change room?
KM: Every coach we've had has always been a part of the club from before we were there so they constantly remind us of the responsibility we carry to honour the badge and play with pride and passion.
AT: As a senior player, what are some of the values that you pass on to the younger players and the ones in your youth setup?
KM: I try to teach them to work as hard as they can. To make their dreams a reality. I remind them that ultimately they are the ones in control of how much they progress and that constant effort brings rewards, not only in football but in life.
AT: This season so far, how can you sum it up and what are the teams ambitions?
KM: The season has not gone well for us so far. The team's form has suffered in the last couple of months, but we are working every day in training to improve our performance level. Our ambition is to gain promotion and bring the club closer to where it used to be in the country's premier divisions.
AT: In football, in your career, what have been the highs and lows?
KM: The lows have been the defeats that I've suffered with my teammates and the injuries that I've suffered (a torn quad and a torn calf). The highs have been winning games, meeting exceptional human beings in the form of my teammates and all the coaches I've had. I'm grateful for everybody that I've met who's made a positive impact in my life.
AT: Going forward what are your personal objectives?
KM: I want to become a professional footballer, so I'll be working towards that until it happens. If it doesn't then at least I'll know I gave it everything I could to try and achieve that goal. Outside of football I'd like to give back to the country by doing philanthropic deeds (helping to build schools and clinics in areas most affected by our high poverty rate).
AT: For the club to reach the top again, what has to be done?
KM: We all need to work a lot harder on the training ground, we all need to put in a greater effort to take care of the stadium (as the municipality has given up its responsibility in that regard), and of course we'll need a bit of luck along the way. But the more you practice, the luckier you get. So the biggest thing is hard work, smart work, and more hard work.
AT: Thanks for your time, wishing you all the best going forward.
KM: Thank you for allowing me to say my piece on the club.
By Athenkosi Tsotsi
"It is easier to say now I regret but at the time it was the right decision but it was a right decision for Notshe which makes me happier," said Stormers coach John Dobson with a low pitched proud tone.
Sharks No. 8 Skhumbuzo Notshe will be going up against his former team on Saturday and his mentor, Stormers coach, John Dobson, is happy to see his mentes thriving in Durban.
"Notshe is a really really good friend of mine, when he wanted to leave he came to my house and we had a long chart. Its weird, you watching him score against the Jaguares and jumping 'yes' but you are playing him next week, so it is going to be really conflicted. He has been wanting that kind of breakthrough for a longtime, I have been working with him since 2012, so I'm really pleased for him, hope it does not go to well for this Saturday," said Dobson.
After falling down the perking order and struggling for a starting berth at the Stormers, Notshe opted for a move to the Sharks. The move to Durban has paid huge dividends as Notshe is playing his best rugby. After the great form he has shown, John Dobson does not regret letting go of him.
"He is a really good friend of mine, he is a house friend, I say that sincerely. Notshe is a five or six cap Springbok, he wanted to play Springboks and to be a Springbok you have to be starting in Super Rugby. With the plan to move Siya Kholisi to No.8 and Jaco Coetzee, could I guarantee Notshe a place in the starting lineup on the form of last year and the year before, a starting place in the Stormers, would be irresponsible to promise that.
So we literally shook hands, and I said 'Notshe I would love to keep you, we want to keep you,' we made him an offer but he had to look at his reality of game time. So I always knew if he would get a run he would be good, he would come off the bench beating himself up" continued Dobson.
Dobson believes that the Sharks style of play is tailored for Notshe and he has urged his player to close the spaces in an attempt to nullify Notshe.
"I think the turnover style of play the Sharks are playing suits him. It is hard to shutdown Notshe in space, disappointed we could not give him those opportunities here over the past few years. Notshe can do the hard yards, I do think the guys will keep an eye on him, but we can not let him enjoy the space he has in the last few weeks," concluded Dobson.
By Athenkosi Tsotsi
Stormers head coach John Dobson believes that this weekends game against the Sharks in Durban is a season defining game for his side.
The Stormers succumbed to their first defeat of the season two weeks ago to the Blues. The momentum the side from Cape Town had left, and they want to rekindle the form that handed them the tag of favourites. On Saturday they face a Sharks team in fine from, coming of a successful tour and win a upon their return home against the Jaguares last weekend.
"It is a massive game for us, its funny how the world changes quickly, in terms of the conference it is a vital game. This is a conference deifying game and potentially a season defining game for us. The conference is still a long way to go but for us it just feels like its a season defining game," said Dobson.
With injuries hitting their best players, the Stormers go to Durban with an ailing team. Dobson expects a kicking from the home side, he anticipates that the KZN based side will bring something different compared to what they have faced so far.
"The Sharks have the kicking, I think they are number three in the tournament, so they have a massive kicking game. The Sharks are third or fourth for kicking distance in the competition, their kicking contastables are up there. They Obviously lean of turnovers, their turnovers are amazing, their transition from defense to attack is superb. The Sharks have the biggest net effect penalty conceded," said Dobson.
By Athenkosi Tsotsi
Bulls are on their Australasian tour and Springbok prop Trevor Nyakane is filled with enthusiasm as he hopes being away will bring results and team togetherness.
The Bulls on tour will face the Reds, Warathas, Hurricanes and Chiefs. The Bulls had a fairly successful outing last year, replicating that sort of form will be hard acknowledges Nyakane but he's firm that if the unit tackles each game as they come, results will soon follow.
"We will not say we are targeting certain games, we are targeting all of them. We want to have a good tour even though we know it will not be easy but the road has never been easy in Super Rugby, it has not been easy for us lately. I think it is going to be a big challenge for us to get a few points. With that being said, it is not impossible," said Nyakane.
Last week Saturday against the Highlanders, the Bulls secured their first victory of the season, Nyakane believes that the win has propelled them towards the right direction in the season especially going into this weekends game against the Reds.
"I think the guys have found their foot and are out to work hard. Once you find a team that that wants to work hard and stick together, add a little bit of work rate; it is possible to achieve what you want to achieve.
So it is going to be a tough one against the Reds, they are a good set piece team so it is not going to be easy. We are going to go out there with energy and try to win every game. For us to even think about the playoffs we need to take a step every week and beat whoever we play. If the results sort themselves out we never know where we are going to end. We are going out there with confidence and to win." added Nyakane.
Relishing the tour, as a senior member of the Bulls squad, the World Cup winner is looking forward to bonding and getting to know the younger players off the field in the hopes of increasing cohesiveness in the team.
"It's time away from your family, time away from your surroundings, friends and everything. At times you need that bit of time for a team to stick, to gel and be together to get to know each other better. Last year we showed we enjoyed the tour on the field and off the field, so we will try to do more of the same.
There are some new youngsters that just came in now and it is important for me to get to know the guys on a personal level off the field. The more you get to know a person like that, the more you understand how they think, how they do things and the more you can relate and that transfers on the field. Looking forward to spending time with the youngsters, going to ask a little bit of personal questions, hopefully they can do the same," concluded Nyakane.
The Bulls announced the team to face the Reds and captain Burger Odendaal is included in the starting line up after he had been out injured for two weeks. Coach Pote Human keep the young forwards and flyhalf Mannie Libbok.
Bulls Team:
15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 Burger Odendaal (captain), 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Muller Uys, 7 Josh Strauss, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Ian Groenewald , 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Replacements:
16 Corniel Els, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Wiehahn Herbst, 19 Ryno Pieterse, 20 Ruan Steenkamp, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Morné Steyn, 23 Divan Rossouw.
By Athenkosi Tsotsi
The Lions woeful life on tour continued when they went down 37 - 17 to the Rebels on Saturday.
Adding salt to the wound are the injuries sustained by Jamba Ulengo and Wandisile Simelane.
Jamba Ulengo is carrying a server quad contusion and will have to pass a fitness test later in the week to see if he will be able to play on the weekend. Ruled out of Saturdays game is Wandisile Simelane, he has a grade 1 MCL tear on his right knee which is expected to be fine against in two weeks.
Duncan Matthews has joined the team on tour as back up.
The Lions face the Blues on Saturday 14 March then the Highlanders the following weekend to conclude their Australasian tour.
By Athenkosi Tsotsi
For a coach in any sport, once you make changes to a team and they win you are genius and if the team losses, you are a villain and more pressure on you.
Blue Bulls coach Pote Human made several changes for their game against the Highlanders. After weeks with no success, Human made the tough calls, dropping senior players and bringing in young players. The gamble did pay off as the players brought in were instrumental in the Blue Bulls win over the Highlanders.
The Free Stater handed debuts to Muller Uys and Ian Groenewald while giving starting opportunities for Ruan Nortjie and flyhalf Mannie Libbok who replaced Morne Steyn. Human was pleased his team selection paid dividends, and with the performances of the youngsters.
"The guys that were left out also produced, they tried their best. The youngsters brought new energy, Mannie at flyhlaf was excellent; the locks did very well, a guy like Ruan Nortjie, for the first time catching lineouts at this level, was phenomenal; he put pressure on their lineouts. The scrums speaks for its self, it was successful, even the maul, everybody bought into what we want to do," said Pots Human.
By Athenkosi Tsotsi
The Bulls finally crossed over the line to secure their first win of the Super Rugby season after they beat the Highlanders 38-13 at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday 07 March.
Tries from Jaco Visagie, Warrick Gelant, Cornal Hendricks and a hatrick from winger Rosko Specman propelled the side from the Capital of South Africa to an impressive win.
The game at Loftus Versfeld began at a ferocious pace with both sides going at each other, the Highlanders were banking on their quick hands moving the game at a fast rate but the Blue Bulls countered that with their physicality. The rejuvenated forward pack of the home side stamped its authority on the game and from a lineout drive steered by hooker Jaco Visagie, a try came out. Prior to that Highlanders center Josh Ioane finished of a well worked try and in the process he scored the conversion and a penalty at the stroke of halftime. The scores at the break was 5 - 10 to the Highlanders.
There was a sense of tension at Loftus, there a brace yourself for another loss mood. The Blue Bulls were not handling well, the midfielders and wingers were not receiving the ball and Mannie Libbok was playing a kicking game, things were not gelling. Another frustration of the first half, was the identical strips the teams had on.
In the second half the Blue Bulls changed into their away kit, a yellow jersey which was suppose to be launched against the Warathas. The yellow jersey came as a blessing and it moved away the blue cloud that was hanging over the Bulls. Things changed drastically in the second half for the Bulls, Mannie Libbok was pulling the strings, playing the ball with ease, the forwards were moving the ball when they had it instead of running into a man, that cohesive phase led to the back trio of Warrick Gelant, Rosko Specman and Cornal Hendricks scoring five tries with Mannie Libbok and Morne Steyn slotting in the conversions, leading the home side to a comfortable 38 - 13 victory.
The win came as a huge pressure relief, no one was more pleased with it than Blue Bulls head coach Pote Human.
"It was a vital win for us, we were under huge pressure. I must give credit to all 23 players, especially the youngsters that came in. I am the set piece went very well; we scrummed well; we mauled well; although we gave away unnecessary penalties. But the way we played in the second half is how we want to play as the Bulls. I am a relived man and this win was important for the tour coming up," said Pote Human.
Blue Bulls captain Trevor Nyakane paid homage to the Loftus faithful after they stuck with the team after the tough start to the season.
"Our fans have been very faithful to us even when things were not going very well, they stuck with us. Thankful to them for what they have done for us, and we actually did owe them a victory, something for them to enjoy as well. It was very important for us to get the victory and to be able to board the plane with confidence," concluded Nyakane.
Scorers
Bulls
Try: Jaco Visagie, Warrick Gelant, Rosko Specman (3), Cornal Hendricks
Con: Mannie Libbok (3) Morne Steyn
Pen
Highlanders
Try: Josh Ioane,
Con: Josh Ioane
Pen: Josh Ioane (2)
Teams
Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Nafi Tuitavake, 12 Johnny Kotze, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Muller Uys, 7 Josh Strauss, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 Trevor Nyakane (captain), 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Replacements: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Gerhard Steenkamp, 18 Wiehahn Herbst, 19 Ryno Pieterse, 20 Ruan Steenkamp, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Morné Steyn, 23 Divan Rossouw.
Highlanders: 15 Michael Collins, 14 Josh McKay, 13 Ngane Punivai, 12 Josh Ioane, 11 Jona Nareki, 10 Mitch Hunt, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Marino Mikaele Tu’u, 7 Dillon Hunt, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 4 Jesse Parete, 3 Siate Tokolahi, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Ayden Johnstone
Replacements: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18 Jeff Thwaites, 19 Jack Whetton, 20 Teariki Ben-Nicholas, 21 Kayne Hammington, 22 Teihorangi Walden, 23 Tima Fainga’anuku
By Athenkosi Tsotsi
Sharks flyhalf Curwin Bosch is keeping his Springboks at a bay and focusing on helping the Sharks.
Seen a future Springbok flyhalf, Bosch understands that in order to be in the Springboks setup he needs his team to do well.
"The most important thing for me is to perform for the team, the Sharks. That is my main priority at the moment. Obviously it is a goal and dream of mine to play for the Springboks again and for that to happen I need the team to do well," said Bosch
The 22 year old has grown in stature at the Sharks with him having made the #10 jersey his own and even being brought into the teams leadership structures. He credits his growth to those around him on the field.
"It is a good thing to have this sort of consistency, I always knew going into the season that I was going to get consistent game time at 10. So I could really put my mind into becoming a better player week in week out.
It also helps having the sort of players I have around me, I have got Louis Schreuder; who has got over a 100 Super Rugby caps. I have got Andre Esterhuizen and Lukhanyo Am who have both played for the Soringboks, it makes my job easier, there is a log of good leaders in the squad," concluded Bosch.
By Athenkosi Tsotsi
The Sharks just came back from their successful tour of Australasia where won 3/4 games and now ready themselves for a stiff test against the Jaguares.
The side from Buenos Aries are known for their physicality that is carried by their forward pack. Sharks coach Sean Everitt is aware of the treat possessed by their weekends opponents.
"It is going to be a great challenge for us, I think we have been criticised over the last five games; our set piece has not performed as well as it should. I think there was a big improvement against the Reds on the weekend. We know the Jaguares pack it is; it is a test pack and we look forward to the challenge," said Everitt.
The one play aspect the side from Argentina thrive on is their mauling, Everitt says his side has some tricks on their hands to counter the the Jaguares.
"The Jaguares so far in the games they have played, have used their maul effectively. They came back from a big deficit against the Reds to win the game, I think they scored three tries from the maul in the second half, so we know that is a threat.
We too defended the mauls against the Reds extremely well, probably one of the reasons why we won the game, because we gave away so many penalties, we put ourselves against the pump. So our guys have improved in that area as well, we had two mauls against the Reds where we mauled them more than 20 metres. It will be an interesting tussle and we have some tricks up our sleeves," said Everitt.
The major factor for the successful tour the Sharks had was the impact of the fringe players who benefited from the team rotation. Throughout the tour the Sharks rested first choice players enabling them to field a strong team for this weekend.
"Before we went on tour, we planned to give each guy game time. We gained a lot, there were guys who filled in for players that were first choice at the start of the season; they really did well. I am talking about guys like Henco Venter, Dillan Richardson, who performed admirably. We had to rest Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi and the guys that covered for them did well. What we have achieved is that we have grown the squad, we have grown confidence on the players that are on the fringes. In sometime this season we will have injuries and these guys will be able to step up," added Everitt.
One of the player who stepped up when a key player got injured was Madosh Tambwe who came in for S'bu Nkosi who left the tour due to injury. Tambwe contributed with key performances and nabbing a handful of tries along the way. Everitt though is excited about having the Springboks winger back.
"Madosh Tambwe filled in really well for S'bu Nkosi, it is unfortunate that he has to drop. S'bu is fresh, he has been at home for a while now, he's dying to be on the field. He has brought in energy which is what the team needed," said Everitt.
The Sharks are playing some great rugby but the two conference games against the Jaguares this weekend and the Stormers next week will test the young teams character.
Shark teams
1. Ox Nche
2. Kerron van Vuuren
3. Thomas du Toit
4. Ruben van Heerden
5. Hyron Andrews
6. James Venter
7. Tyler Paul
8. Sikumbuzo Notshe
9. Louis Schreuder
10. Curwin Bosch
11. Makazole Mapimpi
12. Andre Esterhuizen
13. Lukhanyo Am (c)
14. Sbu Nkosi
15. Aphelele Fassi
Replacements
16. Craig Burden
17. Juan Schoeman
18. John-Hubert Meyer
19. Le Roux Roets
20. Henco Venter
21. Sanele Nohamba
22. Jeremy Ward
23. Madosh Tambwe
By Athenkosi Tsotsi
After being in the cold at the start of the Super Rugby season, Wandisile Simelane has forced his way back to the starting lineup.
Ivan van Rooyen previously stated that the outside center had to work on his conditioning before getting back to the starting lineup. Two substitute appearances have pushed Simelane back into Cash's plans. Simelane will prove to be a worth addition to the back line given the offensive spark he carries and defensive credibility.
Simelane will get his first start of the season when the Lions face off against the Rebels. Pieter Jansen and Willem Alberts also get starts. The Lions are looking for a first win on tour and second of the season.
Former Lions Captain Warren Whiteley is hopeful that his side can crust the pressure they are under and go on to get a win on Saturday.
"There is always pressure in the Super Rugby. You always face a quality side every weekend, there will always be pressure. On tour we have come together as a team, regardless of last weeks result. We saw some good things, and we worked hard this week. So far the guys have been in good spirits and are looking forward to the weekend. It is always tough not getting results but I can promise you we are working hard to get the results every weekend," said Whiteley.
Lions teams:
1 DYLAN SMITH, 2 PIETER JANSEN, 3 CARLU SADIE, 4 RUBEN SCHOEMAN, 5 MARVIN ORIE, 6 MARNUS SCHOEMAN, 7 WILLEM ALBERTS, 8 LEN MASSYN, 9ANDRE WARNER, 10 ELTON JANTJIES ©, 11 JAMBA ULENGO, 12 DANIEL KRIEL, 13 WANDISILE SIMELANE, 14 TYRONE GREEN, 15 ANDRIES COETZEE
Replacements:
16. JAN-HENNING CAMPHER, 17. SITHEMBISO SITHOLE, 18. JANNIE DU PLESSIS, 19. WILHELM VD SLUYS, 20. HACJIVAH DAYIMANI 21. MORNE VD BERG, 22. SHAUN REYNOLDS, 23 COURTNAL SKOSAN
By Athenkosi Tsotsi
According to Blue Bulls captain Trevor Nyakane Loftus Versveld has lost its fear factor and he wants his team to make the ground a fortress again.
The Bule Bulls are yet to win at home this season.
The downfall of South Africa's most successful franchise in the Super Rugby has left the renowned stadium a shadow of what it once was. Trevor Nyakane who played against the Blue Bulls while at the Cheetahs, alluded to the shift of atmosphere in the ground when speaking to the media.
"In reality, when I was at the Cheetahs, you feared coming to Loftus, it was a very tough place to come play. We need to try and bring that back, I feel like teams feel they stand a chance when they come here. We need to rectify that and bring back the fear factor. Teams need to know that coming here will not be a walk in the park," said Nyakane.
The Blue Bulls skipper pointed out how away sides play with less pressure when visiting, allowing them to flourish compared to the home team, who are under a lot pressure given the expectation to do well at home.
"Every time you play a team at their place there is more pressure on them, they have to win. When teams travel to different venues they want to express themselves, they have nothing to lose and most people do not expect them to win. With that, you get switched on and just want to play rugby, enjoy and have fun. Teams are most dangerous when they are on the field with no pressure and just want to have fun,"added the Springbok.
The Highlanders will be the latest team to visit Loftus Versveld on Saturday, they will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of the Blues and Jaguares by getting away wins. Nyakane feels his team is prepared for the challenge that will be brought by the New Zealanders.
"We know they are quick, they enjoy flanking teams, we know what they will bring to Loftus. With that being said, we know what to do to counter that and make it a little bit more difficult for them," concluded Nyakane.
By Athenkosi Tsotsi
Blue Bulls coach Pote Human makes the tough decisions going into Saturdays game against the Highlanders at Loftus Versfeld.
The Bulls are winless in the Super Rugby and the loss to the Jaguares proved to be the last straw. Human in his post match press conference stated that the man from Pretoria were physically outplayed and he has shuffled the forward pack; bringing in Ruan Nortje, Ian Groenewald, Muller Uys. Mannie Libbok also gets to start at flyhalf coming in for Morne Steyn.
"I just thought that we were physically outplayed, there was no one at fault, they outplayed us physically and I thought these changes were necessary. We just brought in a couple of youngsters, especially in the pack. They will bring in some energy. These are guys who were knocking on the door during preseason, this is an opportunity for them to show what they can do. Mannie Libbok also gets his start, we really hope he can bring something different to the backline, " said Human.
Eyes will be on highly rated youngster Muller Uys who is set to make his debut against the Highlanders. Uys led the Blue Bulls U/21 to a SA Rugby U/21 Championship win last year. Human is excited about giving the No.8 his chance.
"He deserves it, I did say previously that it is going to be difficult to leave him out. Unfortunately he had a bad cut on the forehead in the first friendly game, so now he is ready to go. I'm excited for him getting his first Super Rugby cap. He is a special player, he is going to be a special player for the Blue Bulls for many years to come," raved Human.
The Blue Bulls are winless in five games, and Human has urged his charges to get things right on Saturday in order to get back in favour with their fans.
"We need to do things a little different this week, we are in Round 6 and are yet to win. Tough choices had to be made and the players and I understand what needs to be done and accept the accountability. There is no doubt that we have our backs against the wall and will need to deal with that pressure to restore the pride and belief to the Loftus faithful," concluded Human.
Vodacom Bulls: 15. Warrick Gelant, 14. Cornal Hendricks, 13. Nafi Tuitavake, 12. Johnny Kotze, 11. Rosko Specman, 10. Manie Libbok, 9. Embrose Papier, 8. Muller Uys, 7. Josh Strauss, 6. Marco van Staden, 5. Ruan Nortje, 4. Ian Groenewald, 3. Trevor Nyakane (C), 2. Jaco Visagie, 1. Lizo Gqoboka.
Replacements: 16. Corniel Els, 17. Gerhard Steenekamp, 18. Wiehahn Herbst, 19. Ryno Pieterse, 20. Ruan Steenkamp, 21. Ivan van Zyl, 22. Morné Steyn, 23. Divan Rossouw.
By Athenkosi Tsotsi
Lions flanker Vincent Tshituka is set to have surgery on Wednesday 04 March.
Tshituka sustained a grade 3 ankle sprain during his sides defeat to the Warathas on the weekend. He returned home from Australia and was replaced by Ruan Vermark.
The time period which he will be out for will be confirmed after the surgery.
By Athenkosi Tsotsi
The Stormers were bought down to Earth by the Blues, who produced one clinical performance by winning 33 - 14 on Saturday 29 February at Newlands.
That was John Dobson's sides first defeat of the season, the coach deemed the loss following a dismal display a wake up call. The defeat came as a shock to the Super Rugby favourites, and from his tone and body language expressed during his post match press conference Dobson was a deflated man.
"It is a massive wake call, probably for me the most disappointing, for someone who prided themselves in our physicality and character, both of them were absent today. We began to look like victims today, we just were not working hard enough, we were sliding off tackles and giving them yards in attack, that is the most disappointing.
It is a great wake up call for what becomes a massively important game against the Sharks. Very disappointing, a lot of elements in our game we were not happy with; missing the amounts of tackles, generally our work rate, generally our stopping power," said the dissatisfied Dobson.
The wake up call for the Stormers should have been the game they played against the Lions at Ellis Park in their round 3 fixture. Their defence conceded 30 points, although it was the first time they had shipped in points in the season, but eyebrows should have been raised by the Stormers coaching camp.
The Stormers greatest strength is their forward pack, it has also proven to be their greatest weakness lately. Against the Hurricanes and Blue Bulls they were able to withstand the attacks of their opponents because they were toothless and did not offer much. Now the Lions and Blues attacked with precision, they had more flair in their play, the midfielders were ball playing involving the wingers; the Stormers forward pack could not handle that.
At Ellis Park Elton Jantjies first stepped inside out Wilco Louw, that passage of play ended with the prop twisting his ankle. Jantjies also tore through the defense line which predominantly had forwards on his way to scoring a try, it was too easy as they could not touch him.
In total on Saturday the Stormers missed 35 tackles, a vast majority of those were when Mark Telea danced around them, it was easy for him too. The trio of Seabelo Senatla, Sergeal Petersen and Dillyn Leyds who are known for their offensive exploits have also been suspect at defending on the sides.
Defensively, the Stormers need to tighten up, a lot of work has to be put in during their bye week. At this current rate one can not help but fear for them, when they return to face the Sharks, who are playing some delightful attacking rugby.
Too soon for the Stormers to give up on their title aspirations, but it feels like a Deja Vu moment for the team from Cape Town, they have been dubbed favourites before and have failed because of unexpected losses along the way, similar to the one against the Blues.
Dobson said he would have preferred to play immediately instead of having a bye week, the bye week is a blessing and it gives his side a chance to pick up the wake up call.
By Athenkosi Tsotsi
There were two Derbies played in the Absa Premiership this past weekend and they provided great advertisement for our local football scene.
The world renowned Soweto Derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs took center stage on Saturday while Polokwane City took on Black Leopards in the Limpopo Derby on Sunday afternoon.
The two everything games had it all, the stakes were high in both matches, contrasting stakes though. The Soweto Derby focused more on the title race, the Limpopo derby was more in tact with the relegation battles as both Polokwane City and Black Leopards are trying to avoid the drop.
The Soweto Derby is one which always sends the nation into frenzy, you can imagine all the marketing that took place in the week, not that it needs any off that by the way. The Limpopo derby was neglected in terms of the promotion by the Premier Soccer League (PSL), the leagues sponsor Absa and the official broadcaster SuperSport.
There were Soweto Derby adverts on TV all week long, and a press conference, which was more like an activation that took place at the SuperSport studios. There was nothing of that nature which happened in Polokwane, which is a shame, the teams, public and media may feel hard done. In that respect the stakeholders of the league failed.
Nonetheless, the locals from Limpopo embraced their provincial Derby, watching from the TV you could see the turn out at the intimate Old Peter Mokaba Stadium was more than decent. The fans provided the numbers generating a feisty atmosphere. The fans should be applauded for valuing their local derby as it has more interest to them.
On the field, there was a Derby feel which was epitomized by the competitiveness in both games, it was amazing to see. The facial expressions and body languages of the players told the story, they had the nervousness, anxiety and excitement that rather lacked in past derbies in South Africa.
Players understanding what these derbies mean is very important, regardless of them being locals or not, they have to know what derbies mean for the local supporters. With the Soweto derby the players for sure understood this but the players who would play in the Limpopo, Kwa Zulu Natal, Western Cape and Tshwane Derbies often lacked the sense of urgency, but that was restored this weekend. Polokwane City and Black Leopards players gave it their all, after they went behind, Polokwane City players upped their intensity, it was as if they knew they would be in further trouble in the league; and did not want to disappoint the home fans, eventually that charge of attitude propelled them to a 2-1 victory.
As the premium Derby in South Africa, the Soweto Derby did not miss, it was amazing, did it live up to the promo it was dished out with? Yes, it did. Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, who was instrumental in his sides 1- 0 on the day, turned into a showman of some sort, producing one of the best individual performances in the history of the iconic game. The thousands who travelled from all over the country to Soccer City, got the value for their money.
Things can only get better from here on, we need fans to embrace their local derbies, some derbies may be new, in due time rivalries will be birthed and grow rapidly. Derbies have a vital role to play in the growth of our football, more of what we experienced this weekend is needed to wet the appetite. The two games summed up what South African football is about.
