Ex-Bok star Tywaleni laments lack of support

At the tender age of 28, former Springbok starwas forced into ending her career prematurely due to a debilitating fracture of her left ankle.

The injury was sustained in November 2012 when she was in camp with the Sevens team in Dubai.

She was sent to a specialist but was never the same player who burst onto the scene in 2009.

She eventually went under the knife, but her recovery process was unsuccessful.

She played through the pain until doctors said she should not continue.

“After my injury, things were never the same because my career ended,” eChalumna-born Tywaleni said.

“I would be called to camp when I was in pain. During practice it would be hard for me, it would be difficult to turn because I had screws in my ankle.”

What hurts Tywaleni most is that since she retired in 2015, she has not heard from her home province Border or SA Rugby to check on how she’s doing.

The neglect from officials and the sudden loss of income, was too much for her father, who saw his child’s sporting career torpedoed because of an injury.

“It’s sad because my father most likely passed away because of the situation. He was shocked and sad. I lost him.

“My mother still cries until this very day because we are struggling,” Tywaleni said.

“I’m hurting, I’m still young, I should be working for my family but I can’t. The doctor said I can’t play any more, and the only thing I know is rugby.”

“The situation is bad, they are looking at me to provide.”

Tywaleni still holds fond memories of travelling the world with the SA team and winning domestic titles with Border Women.

She played with the likes of Aimee Barret Theron, Mandisa Williams and current Border Women head coach Nwabisa Ngxatu.

“Our coach could not select a team without me, I was able to play different positions, I would stick it out.

“He knew I would do what he wanted. We played very well, we had confidence in both our attack and confidence,” Tywaleni said.

But the memories on the field, do not make up for the low financial rewards during her career.

Many athletes, especially women, find themselves in the same financial predicament as Tywaleni.

They too suffer from the harsh realities of professional sport, being underpaid and once an injury occurs, some of them find themselves out in the cold.

“Border gave us pocket money, anything from R200-R500. We took what was given to us, we never played for money.

“I had a one-year contract with SA Rugby, it was in that time I got injured. I was told I’d be released, we had a one-on-one meeting. They told me they wanted fresh legs and I had to retire.

“They paid my December salary and that was it. I was hurt,” Tywaleni said.

Given the raw deal rugby has dealt Tywaleni, she’s sceptical about encouraging children to play the game she loves.

“I’m no longer involved in rugby, but I would love to coach because there are girls who are interested,” she said.

“But, some of them fear rugby because of my experience, and how I was left alone.

“I would not want a child to go through what I went through, knowing my end,”  Tywaleni said.  

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