Five Ballito Dolphins rugby youngsters selected for KZN teams
Sifiso Meyiwa, Siyande Sikhakhane and Janco Visagie will all turn out for the U14 team, while Alwande Bango (U15) and Junior Dlamini (U18) were selected for their age group teams too.
Five of the North Coast’s brightest young rugby stars have been selected to represent KwaZulu-Natal as part of the Sharks Youth Club programme.
Sifiso Meyiwa, Siyande Sikhakhane and Janco Visagie will all turn out for the U14 team, while Alwande Bango (U15) and Junior Dlamini (U18) were selected for their age group teams too.
It is a huge achievement by the quintet, all of whom have been playing with the Ballito Dolphins Rugby Club for years.
In the case of Meyiwa, Sikakhane, Dlamini and Bango, their progress has been owing to an ongoing partnership between the Dolphins and LIV Village in Cottonlands.
“The four boys are residents of the village, all showing great promise as athletes,” said Jared Stanford, who also lives in the village and coaches for the Dolphins.
“I am immensely proud of the boys and what they have been able to achieve. They played with the Dolphins before Covid-19, but were raring to go once we had reestablished the relationship and restrictions were lifted,” he said.
“We run drills and do some training here at the village to help hone their skills, because there is no denying the potential of these players.”
The relationship between the Dolphins and LIV was developed as a way to give the children a chance to play organised team sport.
It has paid dividends both on the field for the club and for the children who learn new skills, make new friends and potentially play their way into exciting opportunities.
This is the case too for Ballito resident and Northwood High School pupil, Janco Visagie.
“Janco has been playing for the Dolphins as long as he has been playing proper rugby since U8 when he was at Umhlali Prep,” said father Jacques.
He plays now as a “Duane Vermeulen-style” flanker and eighth man, although he has bounced around the forward pack in his rugby career.
All five boys will take part in an inter-provincial tournament next month where they will take on the Bulls and Lions.
Five Curro Salt Rock rugby players were also selected to the team
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