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30 October 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo Sonia Small
Springboks
Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, paid a special visit to the Springboks in 2018 before they faced England in Bloemfontein. From the left are Jacques Nienaber (Springbok assistant coach), Oupa Mohoje (Springbok), Prof Petersen, Rassie Erasmus (Springbok head coach), and Swys de Bruin (Springbok consultant coach at the time). De Bruin, Erasmus, Nienaber, and Mohoje are all Kovsie alumni.


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

Kovsies bring home gold, silver and bronze
2011-09-02

 

PC Beneke

Once again, Thuso Mpuang, student at our university was a star at a student athletics meeting. He repeated his good performance of the South African Student Championships in April by winning the silver medal at the 200 m for men at the World Student Games in Shenzhen, China, in the good time of 20.59 seconds. He was also a member of the SA 4 x 100 m relay team, which won the gold medal at the meeting.

Another Kovsie athlete, PC Beneke, was a member of the SA Student team’s 4 x 400 m relay team, which won a bronze medal at the Student Games.

According to Sarina Cronjé from KovsieSport at the UFS, Kovsies can really be proud of these two athletes with their total of three medals at the World Student Championships.

Thuso is again on his way, this time to the World Senior Athletics Championships, where he is going to represent South Africa in the 200 m men’s, as well as the 4 x 100 m relay. The meeting is taking place in Daego, Korea, from 27 August to 4 September 2011.

 

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