There will be an Eastern Cape team in the U16 rugby finals of the SA National Schools Championships.
Two Eastern Cape girls’ sides – Kwanobuhle and Sakhisizwe High – lock horns in the semifinals this morning to decide who will go on to represent the province in the final later on today.
Spandau SSS and Morley will also take part in the plate final. Eastern Cape Schools Rugby secretary Mongezi Mncono believes whoever goes through between Sakhisizwe and Kwanobuhle will bring back home the gold.
“The gold is guaranteed because we have been dominating from day one and will not lose it in the final. All this success should be credited to the effort and sacrifice of the coaches who have been doing a sterling job from district level right up to this stage,” Mncono said.
“Rugby lives in the Eastern Cape and the results are showing – at least at school level.”
Had it not been for the support by the provincial department of sport, recreation, arts and culture and its counterpart in education, success would only remain a pipe dream, he continued.
Mncono said: “Their unwavering assistance is a demonstration that they are interested in reviving school sports.”
With rugby part of life and a culture in the Eastern Cape, the province’s schools have a slight upper hand to play well in games of this nature.
However, Mncono decried the Eastern Cape’s failure to retain the talent it produces from school level. This was a result of a weak financial muscle for rugby unions in this part of the country.
The solution, according to him, is to have a Super Rugby franchise from the province. This would stop the continued exodus of rugby talent from the province as it would encourage youngsters to strike for success closer to home.
“The problem right now is that rugby in Eastern Cape schools is tops but this does not show in the professional ranks. This is mainly because we do not have recognised high schools and tertiary institutions that play a role in the feeder team for the union,” he said.
Meanwhile, the curtain will finally come down on the tournament later today with the closing ceremony at 6pm.
‘The gold is guaranteed’
Two Eastern Cape girls’ sides – Kwanobuhle and Sakhisizwe High – lock horns in the semifinals this morning to decide who will go on to represent the province in the final later on today.
Spandau SSS and Morley will also take part in the plate final. Eastern Cape Schools Rugby secretary Mongezi Mncono believes whoever goes through between Sakhisizwe and Kwanobuhle will bring back home the gold.
“The gold is guaranteed because we have been dominating from day one and will not lose it in the final. All this success should be credited to the effort and sacrifice of the coaches who have been doing a sterling job from district level right up to this stage,” Mncono said.
“Rugby lives in the Eastern Cape and the results are showing – at least at school level.”
Had it not been for the support by the provincial department of sport, recreation, arts and culture and its counterpart in education, success would only remain a pipe dream, he continued.
Mncono said: “Their unwavering assistance is a demonstration that they are interested in reviving school sports.”
With rugby part of life and a culture in the Eastern Cape, the province’s schools have a slight upper hand to play well in games of this nature.
However, Mncono decried the Eastern Cape’s failure to retain the talent it produces from school level. This was a result of a weak financial muscle for rugby unions in this part of the country.
The solution, according to him, is to have a Super Rugby franchise from the province. This would stop the continued exodus of rugby talent from the province as it would encourage youngsters to strike for success closer to home.
“The problem right now is that rugby in Eastern Cape schools is tops but this does not show in the professional ranks. This is mainly because we do not have recognised high schools and tertiary institutions that play a role in the feeder team for the union,” he said.
Meanwhile, the curtain will finally come down on the tournament later today with the closing ceremony at 6pm.
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