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More success for netballers in different competition?

09 May 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo Varsity Sports

Lefébre Rademan, new captain of the Free State Crinums netball team, could be one of the star players in the Premier League. She is a fifth-year Education student.

The Free State Crinums netball team, a de facto Kovsie team with all 15 squad members enrolled for courses at the University of the Free State (UFS), will draw inspiration from their success in last year’s Varsity netball tournament. The Kovsies won the student competition for a record third time.

During the weekend of 10 May 2019, the Crinums will play their first match in the 2019 Premier League. They lost a couple of key players in captain Alicia Puren, Protea Khanyisa Chawane, (both playing for the national invitational team in the league), Khomotso Mamburu (moved to Cape Town), and Meagan Roux (injured). They do, however, still have the services of players such as Tanya von Berg (playing in her sixth Premier League, one of only a handful of players to do so), Lefébre Rademan, Sikholiwe Mdletshe, Ané Retief, Gertriana Retief, and Rieze Straeuli. Rademan is the new captain and was one of the standout players in last year’s Varsity netball, earning three Player of the Match awards, including the Player of the Final.

The team will again be coached by Burta de Kock, who is also the head coach of the Kovsies. Under her leadership, the Crinums won the Premier League for the first three years (2014 to 2016). Last year, the Crinums ended fourth. De Kock will be assisted by Martha Mosoahle-Samm. She is a former Protea assistant coach who also captained South Africa and played for the UFS between 1997 and 1999.

There are four first-year students in the squad of 15 players: Oageng Khasake (wing attack), Ancia Pienaar (goalkeeper), Rolene Streutker (goal shooter), Boitumelo Mahloko (goal defence). Pienaar and Mahloko both represented South Africa at junior level in 2018.

■ Crinums squad: Ané Retief, Gertriana Retief, Jana Scholtz, Lefébre Rademan, Sikholiwe Mdletshe, Tanya von Berg, Rieze Straeuli, Claudia van den Berg, Zandré Smit, Oageng Khasake, Bianca de Wee, Ancia Pienaar, Rolene Streutker, Chanel Vrey, Boitumelo Mahloko.

News Archive

Culture contributes to success of UFS rugby teams

2015-12-15

The Sevens team of the University of the Free State followed in the footsteps of the Shimlas when the team was crowned national champion. The Kovsies Sevens team beat Tukkies April in the final of the Varsity Sevens tournament. Photo: Supplied.

The University of the Free State (UFS) Rugby Club has succeeded once again in creating a culture of values.

Marius van Rensburg, Chairman of the UFS Rugby Club, believes this was one of the reasons why Kovsies had so many rugby successes this year.

The UFS knows that money, which is more abundant at bigger universities, won't change the club into a rugby force, but "there is something special here," he said.

Van Rensburg added that the success of Shimlas, who won the Varsity Cup for the first time, also helped to build a winning culture.

Seven finals

Seven of the UFS Rugby Club's teams played in finals during 2015.

Shimlas beat the Pukke in the Varsity Cup final at Shimla Park on the Bloemfontein Campus.

The Kovsie Young Guns (against Tukkies) and Vishuis (Mopanie from Tukkies) got stuck in Bloemfontein in Varsity Cup finals.

The Shimlas won Section B of the USSA tournament in Johannesburg (against Madibaz in the final).

A strong Irawa rugby team beat Shimlas in the City Cup.

The Kovsie Sevens team was crowned as the Varsity Champions in Cape Town after beating Tukkies in the final. The team was beaten by Maties in the final of the USSA Sevens tournament in George.

Shimlas lays foundation

According to Van Rensburg, the Varsity Cup triumph by Shimlas laid a good foundation.

“After what happened in the Varsity Cup, the winning culture kind of washed over the other teams,” he said.

He also thinks the 2015 successes didn't happen overnight, but that the club managed to bring back good values. He feels that Franco Smith, the former Shimlas coach who is the Cheetahs’ current coach, also played an important part.

Greater pressure in 2016

In 2016, the UFS's rugby teams will have a greater target on their backs.

Van Rensburg agrees that there will be greater pressure, but the structures are in place.

He feels that Varsity Cup success goes together with a touch of luck, of which Shimlas had some this year.

“Looking at the draw, Shimlas will play their first two matches away against Ikeys and Tukkies. Therefore, after two matches, one might have no league points, and that would place the team under immediate pressure.”

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