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UFS alumnus and Blitzboks claim another Commonwealth gold

04 August 2022 | Story Jóhann Thormählen | Photo Supplied

Hard work does not necessarily guarantee success, but it is part of success.

According to Neil Powell, the Blitzboks head coach, this is what his players showed by turning the team’s recent misfortunes into Commonwealth Games gold.

The South African sevens side rewarded the University of the Free State (UFS) alumnus – who will be parting ways with the team next month – by claiming another Games top spot.

The decorated coach steered his troops to a gold medal in Birmingham, England, after defeating Fiji by an impressive 31-7 in the final late on Sunday evening.

Powell and the Blitzboks also won Commonwealth gold in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2014.

After nine successful years with the Blitzboks, the former Kovsie will become the new Director of Rugby at the Sharks in September 2022. His last sevens tournament will be the World Cup from 9 to 11 September 2022 in Cape Town.

Reset and rewarded

The Blitzboks, however, did not go into the Commonwealth Games as favourites, as they struggled in the last four HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series tournaments.

After winning the first four tournaments of the season, they failed to reach the semi-finals in Singapore, Vancouver, Toulouse, and London.

“After the World Series tournament in London, we had to reset and re-evaluate our goals for the rest of the season and the last three tournaments, the Commonwealth Games, the Los Angeles Sevens, and finally the Rugby World Cup Sevens,” Powell said in a SA Rugby media release.

“The guys really worked hard in the build-up to this tournament, and I’m glad they got rewarded for it.”

Memories from Glasgow Games

In 2016, Powell received a Cum Laude Award at the UFS Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Awards when the Blitzboks won Olympic bronze in Rio de Janeiro.

Powell represented the Cheetahs, Sharks, Griquas, Blue Bulls, and Blitzboks in his playing days and is one of 28 national sevens players produced by the UFS.

“It’s amazing to have won the gold medal again, like we did eight years ago in Glasgow, and especially after we finished fourth and didn’t win a medal at the previous Commonwealth Games in Australia, so there is a lot of emotion and the victory brought back memories of what happened in Glasgow in 2014.”

He said it was important for the team’s confidence to deliver in Birmingham in order to get momentum and belief back.

Powell hopes his side can take this into the last World Series tournament in Los Angeles on 27 and 28 August 2022, and the World Cup.

South Africa are on top of the World Series log and can take the overall honours with a good LA performance.

News Archive

UFS registration process is proceeding well

2011-01-11

Ms Belinda Venter and her daughter, Stacey Venter, second year student in Consumer Sciences, registering online with the help of Donovan Nell, student assistant and currently a third-year student in Computer Sciences at the UFS.
- Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

The university implemented an online registrations process for senior students this year. “We are one of the first universities in the country where students can do the entire registration process online themselves. The advantage of this new turn in the registration process at the university is that students can register from the comfort of their homes or even from any place in the world,” says Prof. Niel Viljoen, Vice-Rector: Operations at the UFS.

Senior students who experienced problems during the registration programme from 1 November 2010 to 4 January 2011, have the opportunity to, within a programme, address these problems as from 5-12 January 2011. During this period UFS staff members will be available to assist students to register electronically.

However, senior students can still register online after 12 January until 28 January 2011.

The registration process of first-time entering first-year students is also proceeding well. Although a large number of applications for late registration have been received, it can be handled without difficulty.

First-year students are welcomed by Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, on Friday, 14 January and Saturday 15 January 2011 at 09:00 in the Callie Human Centre.

From 17- 21 January 2011, first-year students will receive academic advice at the Callie Human Centre, where after they will be referred for self-registration. These processes will take place according to the scheduled timetable, which appears in the Kovsie Guide. The Kovsie Guide was sent to first-year students, and is also available on the UFS webpage (www.ufs.ac.za/register2011).

The registration process for the Qwaqwa Campus is from 17-21 January 2011 for first-time entering first-year students and from 17-28 January 2011 for senior students.

According to personnel at the registration help desk, the following problems are reported the most frequently:

Forgotten or expired passwords: Students are requested to contact 051 401 2442 to report this problem.
Outstanding registration fees, which lead to the specific student’s account being blocked: Students are requested to contact 051 401 2806 for help in this regard.
If information regarding module codes is required, the relevant faculty can be visited for academic advice.

Classes on the Main and Qwaqwa Campuses will start on Monday, 24 January 2011.

Media Release
11 January 2011
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication (actg)
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

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