One of the most famous sayings in sports is that it doesn’t matter if you fail; what matters is how you fight back after a setback.

On Monday night in Bloemfontein, Tuks’ Varsity Cup rugby team showed character by thrashing CUT 63-26. The previous Monday, Tuks lost against Ikeys.

Tries galore is a good way to summarise the results of the fourth round of the Varsity Cup Tournament. The winning team scored more than 50 points in three of the four matches. North-West Eagles beat Shimlas 59-14, and UCT dominated Wits, winning 71-17.

Maties are still the only unbeaten team, topping the lop with 20 points, followed by Tuks with 17, Ikeys with 15, Shimlas with 12 and North-West Eagles with 11.

The next three weeks will be make or break for the five teams. Tuks have the most challenging road to the playoff rounds. On Monday, they play at home against North-West Eagles and thereafter they will travel to Stellenbosch to take on Maties. The final match is against Shimlas at home. Tuks will need to win at least one of the matches to secure its place in the playoff rounds.

North-West Eagles (Pukke) are almost guaranteed to win two of its last three matches, while Ikeys, Maties and Shimlas are also virtually guaranteed at least one victory.

Tuks’ coach, Dewey Swartbooi, emphasised that Varsity rugby is about winning the war, not the weekly battles. That is why he answered that it was too early to smile when asked whether he was a happy coach after the team’s convincing win against CUT.

“As things stand, Tuks have nothing to celebrate. We still have a lot of hard work to do before anyone can think about smiling. For now, it is about focusing on one game at a time, aiming to play better each time we take to the field,” he explained.

The Tuks Sports Science degree student, David Engono, has been a stand-out player over the last two weeks. When seeing him play, it is hard to believe that he only turned 20 in February and that this is his Varsity Cup campaign.

It is not hard to understand why. When asked what he brings to a team when he plays, Engono answered that many locks rely on their size to impact the game, but being 1.95 metres tall and weighing 102 kilograms, for him it is about his work rate.

“Sometimes, I am like an extra loose forward as I get around the field quite a bit, trying to disrupt running mauls and executing tackles. I am also quite good at supporting when we are on the attack,” he remarked.

Being a relative latecomer to rugby means Engono is a forever student of the game.

“I only started playing rugby in Grade Eight. So, whenever there is time, I watch rugby videos to learn what it takes to play at the highest level. Knowing what the greats in my position bring to the game is essential. I also have regular conversations with the senior members of the Tuks team to learn from their experience,” Engono explained.

Engono credits his mom as being the person who inspires him the most.

“Coming from not a lot, my mom has had to fight to succeed and to provide for our family. She will never give up, no matter what happens. I am striving to be the same,” he concluded.

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