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Shimlas starts Varsity Cup with experienced team

03 February 2020 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo Varsity Cup

William Eybers read more — Centre William Eybers is the new captain of the Shimlas.

With an experienced squad at its disposal, the Shimla team is approaching the 2020 Varsity Cup with confidence – despite a very difficult first assignment.

The 13th version of the student rugby competition starts on Monday (3 February), with the University of the Free State team travelling to Stellenbosch to face the champions of the previous two years, Maties.

The Shimlas retained 19 players from last year’s team. This is compared to the previous two campaigns where they had little experience and a bunch of very young players. Head coach Hendro Scholtz can call upon ten players who have played in this competition before and who know what it is all about.
Even more important is that the ten senior men are playing in key positions, such as the hooker (Hanno Snyman), eighth man (Mihlali Peter and Bertie de Bod), scrumhalf (Rewan Kruger), and fullback (Ruan Henning). Snyman will participate in his fourth Varsity Cup.

The Shimlas have a new leader in centre William Eybers in 2020. He was named joint best backline player for 2019 at last year’s Shimla Rugby Club prize-giving ceremony.
The Shimlas won four of their eight matches in 2019 to book in spot in the semi-finals against Maties.

Monday’s encounter starts at 19:15 in the Danie Craven Stadium. The match will be broadcast live on SuperSport. The remaining Shimla fixtures are: 10 February against UWC (home), 17 February against NWU (away), 24 February against Tuks (away), 2 March against Ixias (home), 9 March against UJ (home), 16 March against Ikeys (away), 30 March against Wits (home).

News Archive

Sarah Shannon is ready to take on the world

2011-08-10

Sarah Shannon
Photo: Lize-Marie Smit

An intimate send-off party was recently held in Sarah Shannon’s honour by her support group. She is a student from our university and she is heading to present South Africa at the 2011 Pan Pacific Para-swimming Championships in Alberta, Canada from 10-14 August. Here she will be competing in the 50 m and 100 m free-style, and the 50 m and 100 m backstroke, respectively.

Sarah, a silver-medal winner at the Para-Olympic World Championships in Brazil 2009, has set high goals for herself. She has a Bachelors degree in Psychology, has completed her Postgraduate Certificate in Education modules, and she is a motivational speaker to boot. She is also scheduled to start her PGCE practical teaching at the Tswellang Special School in Bloemfontein at the beginning of September 2011. “I love helping people and making a difference, and I would like to work with children with special needs,” Sarah says.

Ms Arina Otto, Manager at our Sports Medicine Clinic says: “We believe in you, Sarah, but mostly we support you all the way.” Sarah is also supported by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and is currently on their OPEX (Operation Excellence) Programme. OPEX sponsored her by ensuring she gets all the medical and scientific support as an athlete.

Sarah swims two hours a day and exercises for an hour on a daily basis.

“We are hoping she does well in Canada so she can be selected for the 2012 Para-Olympic Games,” says Ms Tanya Martin, Assistant Coach: SuperSport Seals Swimming Club.

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