Noordelikes player in the wings for rugby stardom
Rugby player Sias van Wyk says the unity among team players is something to marvel at which is why rugby is his number one choice of sport.
POLOKWANE – Following the resumption of the Limpopo Blue Bulls League last week, long-serving Noordelikes player Sias van Wyk says their goal this season is to win the league and become the top club in the province.
He reckons the team’s cohesiveness and camaraderie will enable them to achieve their goal.
“We are like a family and we are stronger than before. And with that we can achieve a lot. We know the teams in the league and we are ready for the challenge. We started well and we want to win all the matches.”
As many athletes, the 29-year-old cut his rugby teeth at an early age.
“I was five years old when I started playing rugby. I drew a lot of inspiration from my brother. When I started playing rugby in primary school, I fell in love with the sport. Before that I even got picked to play rugby for the school’s kindergarten team without being in school yet.”
He says he was fascinated by the pace of the players in rugby.
Their tackles, and how they protected and played for each other during the matches was something he found interesting.
“The unity among team players is something to marvel at, and that is why rugby is my number one choice of sport. When I was at Pietersburg Laerskool, I was picked as the player of the year at age of nine. I was privileged enough to get elected for the Super 12 team that travelled to Grey College in Bloemfontein to play in a tournament. In PHS, it was only at the age of 17 that I was chosen to play for the Kia bushveld team.”
He describes his current stint at Noordelikes Rugby Club as one of the big revelations in his rugby career.
In his first year at the club, he was awarded as the young player of the year, and the third team player of the year in his second year at the club, at the age of 20. He was then selected for the club’s first team on wing, and at the end of the year received the players’ player of the year and u/21 player of the year award.
From age 21 to 23, he was chosen for the Limpopo Amateur team and the Limpopo 7s. At age 24, he missed the Amateur team due to injuries but was still chosen for the Limpopo 7s.
“I was also privileged enough to play for the Noordelikes first team in the Community Cup for a few years, where the top 20 clubs in South Africa compete.”
His big dream is to be given the opportunity to play professional rugby one day.
“I want to play for the Springboks one day and for one of the top professional teams in the country. I am still young and I need to work hard. In the next five years, I will hopefully be given a chance to play in a bigger league as I probably only have roughly six to seven years of good rugby left.”
