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27 October 2023 | Story Jóhann Thormählen | Photo Jóhann Thormählen
Shimlas celebrate Ox Nche with chocolate cake
At the University of the Free State Rugby Club’s Annual General Meeting and prize-giving on Monday, Shimla props celebrated Ox Nche’s World Cup semi-final performance against England and wished him good luck for the final. They ate chocolate cake – something Nche has become renowned for – like he used to do when he played for the Shimlas. Here, from the left, front, are Loyiso Peteni, Frankie dos Reis, Johan Schutte, and Henty Beukes. At the back from the left, are Conley Pieterse and Musa Knosi.

The University of the Free State (UFS), the UFS Rugby Club, and the Shimlas are backing the Boks all the way in the World Cup final and are immensely proud of all the former Kovsies involved.

The UFS community pledged its unwavering support to the Springboks before the World Cup and wishes the team all the best to claim a record fourth title against New Zealand this weekend.

The Kovsies have had either team or management members as part of each previous South African World Cup winning side (1995, 2007 and 2019) and believe the Boks can do it again.

They face New Zealand in the final on Saturday (28 October 2023) at 21:00 in Paris, France.

Five former Kovsies will be involved in the epic encounter against South Africa’s rivals.

Four of them – Jacques Nienaber (head coach), Rassie Erasmus (South Africa’s Director of Rugby), Daan Human (scrum coach), and Bongani Tim Qumbu (strength and conditioning coach) – form part of the Springbok team management.

The former Shimla Ox Nche, who became a national hero after his superb scrum performance in the semi-final against England last weekend, will once again make an impact from the bench against the All Blacks.

“The Springboks are the pride of South Africa, and we are particularly proud of our UFS alumni who are part of the team – both players and coaches. The weekend ahead looks promising for the Boks, and we wish the team only the best,” says Prof Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS. 

Proud Kovsies

“We wish the Springboks all the best for the final,” said Marius van Rensburg, UFS Rugby Club Chairman.

“We would love to see the Boks, and some of our former Shimlas and Kovsies, hold up the World Cup trophy again.”  

Jaco Swanepoel, Head of Rugby at KovsieSport, said it is truly remarkable to have so many former Kovsies part of the Springboks.

According to him, it also shows that the UFS played a successful role in their development.

“We are incredibly proud that they have already gone so far in their careers and that they are flying the UFS flag at this high level in the World Cup.”

Ox example to others

Nche, who was crowned Varsity Cup Young Guns champion in 2014 and Varsity Cup champion with the Shimlas in 2015, played a massive role in South Africa’s 16-15 victory over England.

Van Rensburg and Swanepoel points out Nche’s humbleness as one of his greatest characteristics.

Nche was still staying in House Abraham Fischer on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus when he was playing for the Cheetahs.

“He finished his degree while playing professional rugby,” Swanepoel said.

“It says a lot about his determination, despite his busy programme, to finish his degree.”

“He is an example for every player who puts on the blue jersey.”

According to Van Rensburg, Nche is also very loyal to the UFS rugby club.

“He makes no secret of the fact that he found his feet at the Shimlas. He was a good player at school too, but at the Shimlas he was outstanding.”

“To this day, he acknowledges how good the Shimlas were to him.”

Swanepoel believes South Africa can claim another World Cup title.

“The Springboks just need to believe in themselves and stand together. We wish them all the best for the World Cup final.”

News Archive

Zoology and Entomology celebrates 100 years
2012-05-12

 

Dr Candice Jansen van Rensburg and Prof. Jo van As.


The Department of Zoology and Entomology is celebrating its hundredth birthday. To commemorate this, a series of lectures will be presented throughout the year. The lectures focus on the history of the department, as well as past and current research activities.

At the first lecture, Prof. Jo van As, Head of the Department, presented a comprehensive history of the academic background of the department, including information on all the preceding heads of Zoology and Entomology. He also gave an overview of the history of the Aquatic Ecology research group that he started in 1988 when he first became the Head of the Department.

In her lecture, Dr Candice Jansen van Rensburg outlined the activities of the newly established Nematology study group. She stressed the importance of establishing this field of expertise in an effort to address the lack of trained nematologists in South Africa.

Future lectures will be presented by the department’s various study groups and will be held on a quarterly basis. The lectures are held in the Biology 1 lecture hall (BL1) and are open to all. The celebrations will culminate in a centenary banquet later in the year. – Prof. Linda Basson.

The dates for future lectures are as follows:

10 May: Arachnology and Acarology
2 August: Eco-Ethology and Environmental Entomology
15 November: Herpetology and Insect-Plant Interactions
 

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