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18 April 2018 Photo Varsity Cup
Vishuis crowned Varsity Cup Residence Rugby champs three consecutive years
Heinrich Nieuwenhuizen, flanker of Vishuis, was named the Player that Rocks in the final of the Varsity residence competition.

Vishuis players are prepared to do whatever it takes to be successful, even if it means practising on Friday evenings or on Saturdays. 

According to head coach, Zane Botha, this is one of the reasons behind the residence’s success on the rugby field.

Vishuis defended its title as the country’s rugby residence champions when they smashed Patria from the North-West University with 55-29 in the final of the Varsity residence competition on Monday 16 April 2018. It was their third consecutive national crown, and their sixth overall. 

The winning margin was the biggest ever in a final of the competition. 

“The players play for each other and have a huge work ethic. Nothing will hold them back from striving to be the best,” said Botha, who captained Tuks to the Varsity Cup crown in 2012. This is his second year as Vishuis coach.

Strong brotherhood
Captain Henco Posthumus, who played in his fifth final, said there is a strong brotherhood in the hostel. “We are a very small residence with a rich history spanning over 111 years, and all of us know each other. People such as our coach, Zane Botha, played a big role. I have a world of respect for him for what he has done with the team, so all the credit to the coaching staff as well.”

The University of the Free State has dominated the competition since its inception in 2008, proving just how strong hostel rugby is here.

Apart from the six titles for Vishuis, Armentum (2009) and Heimat (2014) both won the trophy before, while Vishuis was also the runner-up in 2015.

News Archive

Chakalaka can have side effects for these patients
2010-06-24

Chakalaka is a sauce many South Africans cannot imagine a meal without, but research at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS) has shown that it can have serious side effects and even compromise the treatment of leukaemia patients.

Prof. Vernon Louw from the Department of Internal Medicine at the Faculty says that tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are a new group of drugs providing targeted therapy for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). It vastly contributes to the survival of patients, but it has side effects like vasodilatation. Research has shown that spices like chakalaka may aggravate vasodilatation (widening of veins) with patients on these drugs.

“These spices produce serious oedema (water retention) and headaches. We have found that discontinuing the intake of spices allows some patients to maintain therapeutic doses of TKIs.” Chakalaka contains mainly garlic and chilli.

CML represents up to 20% of all leukaemia patients in South Africa and up to 450 new cases are reported every year.

In the study symptoms of severe headache and oedema disappeared within days of discontinuing the use of chakalaka.

Prof. Louw says it is important for oncologists to ask their patients about their intake of spices and garlic when they are on TKIs. It is also advisable to enquire about the use of complementary alternative medicine as the interaction of these medicines in cancer treatment is not known.

Media Release

Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za
23 June 2010
 

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