March column with Ronald Msimango

School rugby kicking-off

School rugby kicking-off It is always exciting at the beginning of every season, as most schools play in different leagues and others go to various tournaments. For the new grade eight pupils, it is always a good but nerve-wracking feeling. For some it is a new challenge towards greatness and for others it is an opportunity to play the great game for the first time.

So, having been involved with schoolboy rugby for the past seven years, I always look forward to the new season because I continuously learn and improve my coaching and management skills.

The winning and losing might come across as important, but the rugby development and playing opportunity for the children should be the main purpose school rugby serves.

Parents and diverse community members enjoy watching these young, talented players and their support, in turn, makes the boys give each game their best, with the new Virsekerbeker format that has been approved by Noordvaal rugby.

Format change of Super Rugby 

What a change of format! It is very difficult for the teams that were cut because, as a union, you would already have been planning for the next season and looking forward to improving your previous position.

However, due to a lot of logistical reasons, the Super Rugby committee saw it fit to change back the format to only 15 teams. As you might have seen, some television commercials promote the tournament by showing where it all started. For me, it is one of the best rugby tournaments I love watching.

The results differ from season to season, and the exciting new, talented players that we see every weekend keep us glued to our screens.

With two rounds already played, there has been some upsets and some high- scoring games. Would this be the season where the Super Rugby trophy comes to South Africa? This would be a major boost going into the 2019 World Cup. Who knows… Let us all watch and see.

New Varsity Cup rules 

“Rugby that Rocks” – indeed it is.

The only varsity rugby tournament that has the freedom to change their rules annually and every year they seem to get it right for everyone to enjoy the games.

The new rules for this season have allowed more teams to play a running game and give the opportunity for the wings to get a lot of ball. Whereas in the past the outside backs never really got an opportunity to get a lot of ball.

The new rules, that you get to nominate two players from the back line to be out, allows the game to flow better and it seems like all the teams have adapted very well to these rules.

Just like any other tournament, more and more teams improve while others go through rough patches.

If you look at the current teams, it is not the same teams that are still in the tournament because of the relegation and promotion that the sponsors brought into the tournament. Therefore, varsity rugby in our country has one of the best platforms for boys to display their talents.