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UFS is truly proud of our Springboks

30 October 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo Sonia Small

Like the rest of the country, we are behind our Springboks all the way. This is what Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS), told alumnus Rassie Erasmus in a letter this week.

Prof Petersen wrote the letter to Erasmus, the head coach of the Springboks, to wish him everything of the best in the team’s preparation and for the game on Saturday (2 November 2019) at which they face England in the Rugby World Cup final in Japan.

"On behalf of the staff and students of the University of the Free State, I would like to wish you and the Springbok team all the best with your preparations this week and for the final. I know that Saturday’s match will be played with vigour and determination,” Prof Petersen wrote.

Prof Petersen said the UFS community was extremely proud of the Springboks’ achievements during the 2019 Rugby World Cup – especially with Erasmus at the helm of the team. The Boks defeated Japan in the quarter-final and Wales in the semi-final to reach their first final since 2007.

“As a former Shimla player and Kovsie Alumnus of the Year 1998, we are truly proud of what you have achieved during your career in South African rugby, and especially during the World Cup tournament. We are also proud of our other alumni – Jacques Nienaber as defence coach, and referee Jaco Peyper.”

Peyper refereed one of the quarter-finals and will be an assistant referee in the bronze medal play-off between New Zealand and Wales on 1 November 2019.

Under Erasmus the Springboks won the Rugby Championship this year, the first time since 2010. Erasmus and Nienaber have a long relationship. They met in the army in 1991. Later Nienaber served as physiotherapist with the Shimlas and Erasmus captained the team. They worked together at the Cheetahs, Cats, Stormers, Munster and now the Springboks.

News Archive

Junior quartet invited to master classes in the Netherlands

2011-06-14

The Junior Odeion String Quartet (JOSQ) from our Odeion School of Music has been honoured by being invited to participate in the Internationale Stichting Masterclass Apeldoorn in the Netherlands.

This series of master classes will be attended by 40 young musicians from across the world. The four members of the JOSQ therefore constitute 10% of the chosen participants. This achievement is even more remarkable if one considers that the JOSQ has only been in existence for a year. For a string quartet to achieve such a high international standard in such a short span of time is a clear indication of hard work, persistence, above average musicality and excellent instruction. For the latter, their instructor, Sharon de Kock, deserves all the credit, according to Mr Marius Coetzee, Manager of Innovation and Development at the Odeion School of Music.

Under the guidance of international masters like Raphael Wallfish (cello), Pascal Devoyon (piano), Philippe Graffin (violin), Ásdís Valdimarsdóttir (viola) and Charles Neidich (clarinet), the JOSQ will prepare to perform in a concert which will form part of the final phase of the master classes and which is sure to be the highlight of the course. This concert will take place in Apeldoorn’s Orpheus theatre.

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