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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

FASSET funding bid secures R54 million for black accounting students

2015-08-28

The Centre for Accounting in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences has made great strides with its INTRABAS projects, which support the development of black student enrolment and performance in Accounting Studies.

Recently, the university won four bids that have secured R54 million in funding from the Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority (FASSET) for 2016. This funding will support the teaching and learning initiatives of 960 black accounting students enrolling for the following four accounting programmes: BAcc, BCom(Acc), BAcc(Hons)/PGDipCA and BCom(Hons in Acc)/PGDipGA.The benefit to these students is the envisaged increase in throughput rates by 10% from year- to- year until the Honours year. This covers tuition fees, text books, and extra tutorials, including autumn, winter and spring boot camps.

“FASSET funding will give the Centre for Accounting an opportunity to strengthen our current student-centered teaching model” said Prof Hentie van Wyk, Programme Director: Training of Accountants at the UFS.

The Centre for Accounting has a “1” accreditation grading from the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), and has achieved an 80% average success rate over the past three years in the Initial Test of Competency (ITC) of SAICA.

Download the application form for FASSET funding or collect one at the Centre for Accounting at the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. The closing date for applications is 31 October 2015.

For more information, contact Dirkelien de Beer on +27(0)51 401 3688 debeerdb@ufs.ac.za /Prof Hentie van Wyk vanwykha@ufs.ac.za

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