The second edition Steve Vukile Tshwete Games are in full swing at various venues around East London and the Buffalo City Metro soccer team looks to go for a hattrick after winning the tournament for two years in a row.
The games that are set to conclude tomorrow afternoon kicked off on Tuesday evening and are staged at seven venues around East London.
The soccer games are being at the Bunkers Hill Sports Ground, netball at Selborne Park.
Boxing will be played at Robbie de Lange in West Bank, and rugby Sevens will be at the BCM Stadium. Volleyball will be at Parkside Community Hall and Gompo Hall, while table tennis will be played at Braelyn Hall.
Last year, the final soccer game was played by Nelson Mandela Bay and BCM – who are the defending champions of the soccer title.
This is the first time BCM host the games and BCM regional team coach Themba Smanga said they had high expectations as they had homeground advantage and they would fight for the third win.
“It’s a blessing and curse that we are starting our first game against our biggest rival Nelson Mandela Bay because they have beaten us three times in the finals three years back when these games where still called Premier Games and Salga Games.
“But for two years now we’ve been winning against them and we want to do it again.”
Smanga said the database Safa-BCM utilises to recruit players was very efficient and even if they do not have their current team tomorrow, they would still be able to have a team.
“We have experienced players who are 19-year-olds and they have good mileage in this tournament. We have players that were born in 2001 and 2002.
“And the plan we have is to have even younger boys and girls born in 2004 and above into the team so we can stay on top of things when it comes to age.”
BCM men’s team is set to play their second game against another tough contender Chris Hani District Municipality and they have vowed not to let the visitors get any breathing space in the field.
“We also have a history with Chris Hani, because they once took us out of the tournament. The second year we played in these games they managed to beat us 1-0 and they had a strong player who’s now playing for Bloemfontein Celtic.
“But this time we are prepared and we are here to defend our title and no team will have an easy go at us.”
In soccer, the eight municipalities have grouped into two groups, in group A there is Alfred Nzo District Municipality, Joe Gqabi District Municipality, OR Tambo District Municipality, Sarah Baartman District Municipality.
In group B it is Chris Hani District Municipality, Amathole District Municipality, Buffalo City Metro Municipality, and Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Municipality.
BCM have point to prove again
The games that are set to conclude tomorrow afternoon kicked off on Tuesday evening and are staged at seven venues around East London.
The soccer games are being at the Bunkers Hill Sports Ground, netball at Selborne Park.
Boxing will be played at Robbie de Lange in West Bank, and rugby Sevens will be at the BCM Stadium. Volleyball will be at Parkside Community Hall and Gompo Hall, while table tennis will be played at Braelyn Hall.
Last year, the final soccer game was played by Nelson Mandela Bay and BCM – who are the defending champions of the soccer title.
This is the first time BCM host the games and BCM regional team coach Themba Smanga said they had high expectations as they had homeground advantage and they would fight for the third win.
“It’s a blessing and curse that we are starting our first game against our biggest rival Nelson Mandela Bay because they have beaten us three times in the finals three years back when these games where still called Premier Games and Salga Games.
“But for two years now we’ve been winning against them and we want to do it again.”
Smanga said the database Safa-BCM utilises to recruit players was very efficient and even if they do not have their current team tomorrow, they would still be able to have a team.
“We have experienced players who are 19-year-olds and they have good mileage in this tournament. We have players that were born in 2001 and 2002.
“And the plan we have is to have even younger boys and girls born in 2004 and above into the team so we can stay on top of things when it comes to age.”
BCM men’s team is set to play their second game against another tough contender Chris Hani District Municipality and they have vowed not to let the visitors get any breathing space in the field.
“We also have a history with Chris Hani, because they once took us out of the tournament. The second year we played in these games they managed to beat us 1-0 and they had a strong player who’s now playing for Bloemfontein Celtic.
“But this time we are prepared and we are here to defend our title and no team will have an easy go at us.”
In soccer, the eight municipalities have grouped into two groups, in group A there is Alfred Nzo District Municipality, Joe Gqabi District Municipality, OR Tambo District Municipality, Sarah Baartman District Municipality.
In group B it is Chris Hani District Municipality, Amathole District Municipality, Buffalo City Metro Municipality, and Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Municipality.
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