Daniel leads by example
Junior rugby has been the highlight these past few weeks. Who can forget the nail-biting final of the International Rugby Board (IRB) Junior World Championships when England beat the Baby Boks by one point?
Here on home soil young rugby stars are gearing up for the Coca-Cola Craven Week Rugby. This is the world’s biggest school rugby tournament and what an honour to be one of the chosen to run out for your province.
An even greater achievement is to captain one of the teams.
And that big responsibility rests on the shoulders of 18-year-old Daniel Oosthuizen. Daniel was selected to captain the u.19 Pumas Craven Week team.
The excitement in his voice broke through when he explained the emotions he experienced when he heard on Wednesday, June 25 he is to hold the reigns of the team that represents the cream of the crop in Mpumalanga.
He believes a good captain should be honest and trustworthy. He must be respectful towards his squad and coach and should have integrity but most important remain humble.
“Confidence and humility is the star qualities of a good rugby player,” Daniel said.
Daniel shows depth as a rugby player as he excels as a scrumhalf and fly half. For this coming Craven Week he was chosen to be the starting fly half.
Daniel grew up in Middelburg and went to Middelburg Primary School. He started his high school career at Cambridge and this year he is head-boy at this prestigious school.
In between duties as head-boy and exams he gets time for practise.
“My parents always says school first then rugby. But in my heart I wish I could just play rugby. I know academics are very important, but rugby is my passion,” Daniel said. He has his eyes set on going to an Agricultural College once he finishes matric.
Daniel is the full package, besides the sport and academics he enjoys nature, goes fishing and hunting, plays guitar and piano, is quite the master in front of the stove and for kicks does surfing and body boarding.
“Rugby has always been a part of me. I started playing when I was in pre-school and I have loved it ever since”.
Just like the Baby Bok captain Handré Pollard who was named IRB Junior Player of the Year, there is a lot of potential locked up in the young Daniel. This potential was noticed and Daniel will sure be leading his squad with the same pride and mannerism as Handré.
And who knows maybe soon it will be Daniel who will catch the eyes of the world when he runs out wearing the green and gold.
