Wits Rugby players roar with pride at U21 Championship
- Tshepiso Mametela
The year’s SA Rugby Provincial U21 Championship final came and went with the champions from 2019, the Vodacom Blue Bulls U21, mounting a successful defence of their title by downing the Xerox Lions U21 48-33 at Emirates Airline Park on October 30.
Wits Rugby had eighteen players who featured in the U21 Lions squad, namely: Banele Mthenjane, Morne Brandon, Dameon Venter, Ebot Buma, Keagan Glade, Jason Cloete, Edward Junior White, Emmanuel Tshituka, Cal Smid, Mark Snyman, Sibusiso Sangweni, Travis Gordon, Runaldo Pedro, Hlumelo Ndudula, Jordan Hendricks, Ngia Selengbe, Lindo Ncusane, Thabo Ndimande. We would like to congratulate these players for being part of the squad and putting up a sterling performance to make the U21 Championship the final against the Bulls.
Lions U/21 Currie Cup Team (Photo Credit: Lions Rugby Company)
Wits Sport spoke to Sibusiso Sangweni, Cal Smid and Travis Gordon to find out about their experiences of playing in the 2020 edition of the SA Rugby U21 Championship. Travis Gordon, whom despite remaining on the sidelines due to injury on the day, was buoyed by how close his team got to clinch the final.
“…To represent the lions at the highest possible level of age group rugby was extremely exciting,” said an upbeat Gordon. “We made it difficult for ourselves after losing our first game, but it made the journey up to the final even more exciting.
“Our goal was to win the U21 Championship [but] making the final was part of the journey. Unfortunately, we fell short and it is extremely disappointing, especially, having had to watch from the sidelines.”
Sangweni, who staked his own mark on proceedings with a line that put the Bulls U21 defence in all sorts of disarray as he crashed over the whitewash in the first half, noted the disappointment of losing the plot at the final hurdle. The flanker said his side failed to capitalise on the moments that mattered most.
“For my team and I, it was not just about making it to the final, it was about finishing strong and making a mark as a team,” admitted Sangweni. “I think that we did the best that we could do at that time, however, I do think that we could have won the big moments in the game, as that was what the game boiled down to.”
Getting the Lions U21 into a 14-10 lead midway through the first period was Smid, who carried his team forward with a brilliant undertaking. The beastly player has since cut a figure of sheer optmism ahead of the coming year, despite a whirlwind 2020 season which was brought to its knees by the coronavirus pandemic.
“As tough as this year was it was a successful year rugby-wise for the teams I was a part of; from the Wits Varsity Cup team — going unbeaten and breaking records every week — to making the final with the U21 Currie Cup team. So, in saying that, I enjoyed 2020 and my biggest goal is to enjoy 2021 and play exciting rugby,” said Smid.