University of Fort Hare Blues stars Somila Jho and Zanoxolo Qwele gave the team reason to cheer after they picked up two of the main three awards at the conclusion of the 2017 Varsity Shield competition in Cape Town on Monday night.
This, despite the team crashing to a heavy defeat of 45-2 at the hands of the UWC in the final earlier in the night. The main award on the night, the overall Player that Rocks award went to outstanding outside centre Jho.
Jho was however not able to collect the award as he had taken a heavy knock on the head earlier in the day and taken to hospital for a checkup. Speaking from his hospital bed in Cape Town, Jho said while he was disappointed that the team came second best, it was still good to be recognised.
“I am very happy. It is a great honour to be awarded the best Varsity Shield player of the competition. My performances have been good and it is great to get this type of recognition.
“I had a bad knock in the match and had to go to hospital, so I couldn’t collect the award in person last night and I have been told I have fractured my face, so I will be in Cape Town for a bit longer as they treat me down here,” he told Daily Dispatch yesterday.
The Blues captain, flank Zanoxolo Qwele was then also rewarded for a fantastic campaign picking up the Forward that Rocks award for the best performing forward of the competition. “It was a surprise because there are a lot of guys who played very well over the competition and deserved to be in the running, so for me to get it was great,” said Qwele.
“It wasn't easy, which makes the award all the more special.”
The final major award, the Back that Rocks title went to UWC right wing Kurt-Lee Arendse. His impressive haul of 10 tries in the competition made him an obvious choice for the accolade.
Although the recognition for their impressive contributions over the season will be a big boost for Jho and Qwele, slipping up at the final hurdle will have been extremely disappointing for the duo and will take a bit of getting over.
“It was disappointing to lose the final but the way the guys have performed this season has been great and I am looking forward to the next few years with the team as I am still young and I feel we can go far,” claimed Jho.
For the Blues it was their first ever appearance in a Varsity Shield final and nerves as well as the overall occasion may have gotten to them as they put in a disappointing performance.
“Considering where we were last year as a team, to come back this year and make the final and with us picking up individual accolades, we are very proud of this season,” admitted Qwele.
“Reaching the final was history in itself and I am so proud of the guys for the effort they have put in.”
Although it will come as little consolation, the Blues can be proud of the fact that they were the only team to beat UWC during this year's competition which was clearly no easy feat.
That result came all the way back in week two of the competition, where they recovered from 31-13 down at halftime to score 19 unanswered points in the second half and claim a nailbiting one-point win at the Davidson rugby stadium in Alice.
In all, the Blues enjoyed a stellar season at home over the competition, winning all their home matches, although they were fortunate when their opening season loss against the Walter Sisulu University All Blacks was overturned after they fielded ineligible players.
However, their win over the eventual champs and a massive 45-8 semifinal drubbing of the University of KwaZulu-Natal Impi proved that their home was a bit of a fortress.
Losses on the road, 16-10 to the Impi in Maritzburg and 29-12 to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, followed by the thumping final loss however showed that the team still has a lot to learn, especially away from home. Something they will need to focus on next year.
Double triumph for duo
This, despite the team crashing to a heavy defeat of 45-2 at the hands of the UWC in the final earlier in the night. The main award on the night, the overall Player that Rocks award went to outstanding outside centre Jho.
Jho was however not able to collect the award as he had taken a heavy knock on the head earlier in the day and taken to hospital for a checkup. Speaking from his hospital bed in Cape Town, Jho said while he was disappointed that the team came second best, it was still good to be recognised.
“I am very happy. It is a great honour to be awarded the best Varsity Shield player of the competition. My performances have been good and it is great to get this type of recognition.
“I had a bad knock in the match and had to go to hospital, so I couldn’t collect the award in person last night and I have been told I have fractured my face, so I will be in Cape Town for a bit longer as they treat me down here,” he told Daily Dispatch yesterday.
The Blues captain, flank Zanoxolo Qwele was then also rewarded for a fantastic campaign picking up the Forward that Rocks award for the best performing forward of the competition. “It was a surprise because there are a lot of guys who played very well over the competition and deserved to be in the running, so for me to get it was great,” said Qwele.
“It wasn't easy, which makes the award all the more special.”
The final major award, the Back that Rocks title went to UWC right wing Kurt-Lee Arendse. His impressive haul of 10 tries in the competition made him an obvious choice for the accolade.
Although the recognition for their impressive contributions over the season will be a big boost for Jho and Qwele, slipping up at the final hurdle will have been extremely disappointing for the duo and will take a bit of getting over.
“It was disappointing to lose the final but the way the guys have performed this season has been great and I am looking forward to the next few years with the team as I am still young and I feel we can go far,” claimed Jho.
For the Blues it was their first ever appearance in a Varsity Shield final and nerves as well as the overall occasion may have gotten to them as they put in a disappointing performance.
“Considering where we were last year as a team, to come back this year and make the final and with us picking up individual accolades, we are very proud of this season,” admitted Qwele.
“Reaching the final was history in itself and I am so proud of the guys for the effort they have put in.”
Although it will come as little consolation, the Blues can be proud of the fact that they were the only team to beat UWC during this year's competition which was clearly no easy feat.
That result came all the way back in week two of the competition, where they recovered from 31-13 down at halftime to score 19 unanswered points in the second half and claim a nailbiting one-point win at the Davidson rugby stadium in Alice.
In all, the Blues enjoyed a stellar season at home over the competition, winning all their home matches, although they were fortunate when their opening season loss against the Walter Sisulu University All Blacks was overturned after they fielded ineligible players.
However, their win over the eventual champs and a massive 45-8 semifinal drubbing of the University of KwaZulu-Natal Impi proved that their home was a bit of a fortress.
Losses on the road, 16-10 to the Impi in Maritzburg and 29-12 to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, followed by the thumping final loss however showed that the team still has a lot to learn, especially away from home. Something they will need to focus on next year.
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