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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

National Astronomy Symposium at Boyden
2006-08-29

The Astronomical Society of Southern Africa (ASSA) will hold its 7th National Symposium at the Boyden Observatory, Bloemfontein from 28 - 30 September 2006.

The event is being organised by the Bloemfontein branch of ASSA in association with Boyden Observatory, which is linked to the Department of Physics at the University of the Free State (UFS).

Registration is open to the public. The symposium affords interested persons the rare opportunity to get behind the scenes of Southern African astronomy and to attend presentations by speakers such as Prof. Phil Charles (SAAO),  Dr. Adrian Tiplady (SKA/KAT),  Dr. Patrick Seitzer (University of Michigan, USA), Prof. David Block (WITS) and Tim Cooper (ASSA).

60-inch UFS Boyden reflector telescope. Photo: Hannes Calitz

An exciting program awaits participants. Various demonstrations and presentations relating to some of the latest developments in amateur astronomy will be presented.

The Symposium will include an "astronomy presentation workshop" where a national astronomy presentation competition will be launched.

A special tour of the facilities at the Boyden Observatory will take place on Thursday evening, 28 September, and participants can see astrophysical research in action when they are shown one of the three large operational optical telescopes in Africa.

Join professional and amateur astronomers from all over the country on Friday evening, 29 September, for a memorable dinner to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Friends of Boyden, to be held at Kopano Nokeng Lodge.

Bloemfonteiners are especially encouraged to make use of this unique opportunity.

 For more information and a registration form visit:

Web: www.assabfn.co.za/symposium2006


 

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