Lammergeiers eager to defend pride in rugby tournaments
Special guest, Llewellyn Gray, President of the Northern KZN Rugby Union, expressed his delight on seeing young men from the area taking their first steps into representing their province at such a prestigious tournament.
Northern KZN may be a Cinderella district when it comes to sport. Everyone in Durban thinks that KwaZulu-Natal ends at Mooi River, then there is a big gap and then Joburg.
People like Dave van der Westhuizen and Steven Brown are changing that perception along with those involved in the Northern KZN Rugby Union and affiliated high schools.
On Friday a capping ceremony at the Lions Den Clubhouse at Sarel Cilliers High School, Glencoe, saw members of the u/16 and u/19 Northern KZN Rugby teams capped ahead of the inter-provincial rugby tournaments to be played in Frankfort and Reitz in the Free State. The u/16s will play in Frankfort in a tournament involving 13 other teams from around the country.
Dave van der Westhuizen, chairman of the Northern KZN Rugby High Schools and Llewellyn Gray, President of the Northern KZN Rugby Union.
Being the reigning champions, the u/16 Lammergeiers (named after the bearded vulture indigenous to Northern KZN), the pressure will be on the side to repeat last year’s success. With players drawn from Ferrum High School (4), Vryheid High (9), Pionier (3), Sarel Cilliers (3), Dundee (1), Newcastle (1) and Vryheid Landbou (1) and coached by Steven Brown (Sarel Cilliers) and S van Zweeventer, the team is hoping to again upset the big name Provinces in school rugby.
The u/19 Northern KZN rugby team has also enjoyed success in this competition over the last 10 years, winning three times. This team also boasts an array of young talent with Sarel Cilliers supplying 10 players to the team, Dundee (2), Newcastle (3), Vryheid (3), Ladysmith (1), Ferrum (1), Vryheid Landbou (2), Dundee (2) and Amajuba (1). The u/19s are managed by Morne Janse van Rensburg of Sarel Cilliers and coached by G de Jager and D du Preez.
Special guest, Llewellyn Gray, President of the Northern KZN Rugby Union, expressed his delight on seeing young men from the area taking their first steps into representing their province at such a prestigious tournament. “We congratulate all the players selected. It is an honour to wear the green and yellow of Northern KZN and also to represent this Union on the rugby field. We wish you well. Have fun, enjoy the experience and make us proud.”
These were the glowing words for Dave van der Westhuizen, chairman of the Northern KZN Rugby High Schools, from Des Johnson who was the master of ceremonies at the capping ceremony.
“Dave is a man who does so much to promote school rugby in this area and much of it is behind the scenes. He is a man who is passionate about sport and the children who look up to him. He is humble and truly a man whom today we salute for his sacrifice.”
Dave preferred not to comment to the Courier saying only “that I am proud of every boy here who has won his Northern KZN colours.” The Courier joins the rest of Northern in wishing both Lammergeier teams the best of luck in the tournaments.
