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31 January 2018 Photo UFS Archive
Young squad did it for Shimlas
The 11th season of this popular rugby competition started on Monday 29 January, with the scoreboard favouring Shimlas on 19 points versus the 17 points of Tuks.

The head coach of the Shimla rugby team is confident that the skills level of the players will stand them in good stead for the upcoming Varsity Cup.

The 11th season of this popular rugby competition started on Monday 29 January, with the scoreboard favouring Shimlas on 19 points versus the 17 points of Tuks. The Shimlas faced last year’s champions, Tuks, in Pretoria. 

The rest of the 2018 Varsity Cup season will have the Shimlas playing on 5 February against Maties (away); 12 February against Wits (home); 19 February against Ikeys (away); 26 February against UJ (home); 12 March against NWU (away); 19 March against Madibaz (home); and 26 March against CUT (home).

Head coach, Hendro Scholtz, believes his players have the ability to play at a high tempo for 80 minutes.

“We don’t have the biggest boys around, so we rely on our speed and ability to throw the ball around. You can focus on your defence as much as you like, but tries will be scored. You simply have to ensure that you outscore your opponents,” said Hendro.

With up to nine players from last year’s squad not available again in 2018, the Shimlas are entering the competition with a very young and inexperienced team. According to Hendro, the big dropout since last year is due to a number of reasons, such as students who finished their studies.

“We will have to battle this Varsity Cup with a very young team, of which 10 players were still U19 last year. We faced the University of Johannesburg in a warm-up match, and for many of them it was an eye-opener. The speed and intensity is at a higher level than they were used to at U19 level,” said Hendro, a former Shimla himself.

He will be assisted by Melusi Mthetwa and Jaco Swanepoel.

* The Shimla squad:
Backs: Sango Xamlashe, Carel-Jan Coetzee, Kurt Eybers, Dian Badenhorst, Frank van Heerden, Francois Agenbach, Arrie Pretorius, Rewan Kruger, Zinedine Booysen, Nakkie Naudé, Lubabalo Dobela, William Eybers, Francois Pretorius, Aya Oliphant, Charl Pretorius, Ruan Henning, Sechaba Matsoele, Athi Halom, Jarik van der Walt, Tiaan Schutte, Marnus Boshoff. Forwards: Johan Kotze (captain), Louis Cloete, Nardus Erasmus, JC Janse van Vuuren, Ruan Roelofse, Magau Mabokela, Jano Botha, Helgard Meyer, Wentzel Vorster, Hanno Snyman, Marco van der Merwe, Merwyn Roos, Raymond Woest, Sibabalo Qoma, Nathan Jordan, Benji Jan van Vuuren, Menzi Nhlabathi, Janco Cloete, Kobus Lombaard, Bertie de Bod, Rholane Ncubuka, Henk Pretorius.

News Archive

Multitudes celebrate dr Beyers Naude's selfless life
2013-09-14

26 September 2013

The lecture was held in partnership with the diverse churches, the youth, the house of traditional leadership. The theme was Love for Humanity.

In his special message to the gathered religious leaders, students and staff, Apostle Saki Thapong, challenged all in attendance to “look for your own miracles within yourself.”

“We need a generation of miracles and not a generation of people running after miracles”, said Apostle Thapong.

“Allow your miracle to manifest itself within you and never look at your own miracle through your own time, but through God's time and purpose”, Pastor Thapong said.

In focusing on the choice of the theme, Vice-Rector: External Affairs, Dr Choice Makhetha, said that the theme was very important to all stakeholders who needed to pledge their commitment to building a community of people who care deeply about the safety of its children and senior citizens.

“As stakeholders in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality, we need to collectively build a society courageous enough to dirty its hands to shape the socio-economic development of this area, for the benefit of the local people, the country and the world. We must build a community of people who work tirelessly to ensure that the dignity of every human being is restored and protected, especially women,” said Dr Makhetha.

Previous speakers in the series include, Dr Allan Boesak, Prof Kwandiwe Kondlo, Dr Frank Chikane, Mr Johann Naude (Dr Naude's son) and Prof Jonathan Jansen.

Dr Beyers Naude was an ordained minister in the Dutch Reformed Church who stood against apartheid despite his advantaged Afrikaner background. In the aftermath of the Sharpeville Massacre of March 1960, 'Oom Bey' started questioning the morality of the government's policies. At the time of his passing away in September 2004, he was described as a “true humanitarian and true son of Africa” by Nelson Mandela.

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