Roben reaches 100-game milestone for Raiders
Rugby enthusiast, Roben Anderson, reached a milestone in his rugby career with the Pinetown Raiders when he played his 100th game for them recently.
ROBEN Anderson reached a milestone in his rugby career with the Pinetown Raiders recently when he competed in his 100th game for the club.
He first joined the Pinetown Raiders on the rugby field in 2007, after he learnt of the club through his wife.
Roben’s rugby history prior to the Raiders consisted of playing for the Jaguars. Through the years Roben has specialised as a front row forward, with his unique ability to play both sides of the scrum as prop.
He was trained through the years by many local coaches and also had the opportunity to participate in individual training sessions with the Sharks Academy coaches.
“Every front rower will tell you that mastering the art of front row scrumming comes through years and years of practice, which through his career at Pinetown, he has accumulated,” said Andrew Dyer club captain of the Pinetown Raiders Rugby Club.
Being one of the longest lasting members at the rugby club, Roben has seen it go through telling times, where it functioned with only eight registered members in 2008, to a full team that lifted the Findley Cup.
In today’s rugby climate, it is said to be easy for a player to move from one club to the next, however Roben said the reason he has never taken his talents elsewhere is because of the brotherhood that is shared by the players at Pinetown Raiders.
At 30 years old, Roben said he has seen many of his team mates hang their boots, but he still enjoys being in the front line at every scrum and every ruck.
At one stage in his rugby career he confessed that there came a time when the thought he would have to quit the sport that he loves.
“I had a serious injury to my neck and shoulder, which put me out for six months. I spent many nights in recovery, fighting an internal war as to whether I would be able to continue my career on the rugby field,” said Roben.
Roben said he has cherished his years at the Raiders club and his one wish for the near future is for the club to gain a promotion to the first division. He has made it his mission to stick it out with the club until they achieve this.
“On behalf of the all members at Raiders we would like to congratulate Roben Anderson on his achievements at the club and we look forward to the years to come,” said Andrew.
Roben was awarded a framed version of the first jersey he played in when he played for Pinetown Raiders in 2007.
