Rhodes aiming for top honours

Rhodes University will be one of the teams looking to make their mark as the University Sport South Africa (Ussa) rugby week kicks off today.

Rhodes, along with hosts Walter Sisulu University, the University of Zululand, University of Venda, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Vaal University of Technology, the University of Limpopo and Mangosuthu University of Technology, will look to impress as there is a big possibility that the Varsity Shield competition will expand.

Thus the winner of group C could be promoted to the competition next year.

“We are taking the competition very seriously this year and we are definitely ready,” said Rhodes coach, Qondakele Sompondo.

“We have had a solid four weeks of intensive training and the guys are looking fit and sharp.

“We recently had a training camp at Kenton-on-Sea where we really maximised on the playing side of things.”

This is therefore a particularly tough field of teams, all out to impress.

“I am quite confident that we will not only show up but we will also be pushing for honours,” said Sompondo.

“We have played in the B division of this competition before and we have played against some of the teams above us, so we are confident in ourselves and are a very ambitious side.”

First up for Rhodes is a game against Limpopo at Old Selbornians at 10.10am today and they will want to get a solid, fast start to gain some early momentum.

“I watched Limpopo last year against WSU and even though they were beaten soundly they fronted up quite nicely in the early stages and have some big players, so I am expecting a physical battle and will need our guys to front up.

“But we want to get a good start in the week and then take it from there,” Sompondo added.

The first matches of day one start at 8.30am today and the main game of the day will be at 4:30pm at the Buffalo City Stadium.