According to FNB Maties captain Ben-Jason Dixon, the FNB Maties players are staying connected as a team virtually via WhatsApp groups and zoom calls. PHOTO: Instagram/@MatieRugby.
FNB Maties Rugby Club, along with other varsity rugby teams, are still awaiting clarity and guidelines for a return to training for their 2021 pre-season preparations.
This was according to Drikus Hancke, FNB Maties head coach.
As it stands, South African national rugby is set to make a return at the end of September following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of a move to lockdown level 1.
But according to Hancke, amateur rugby teams are still waiting for the necessary guidelines and protocols from the government and SA Rugby Union to return to physical training.
The team is yet to return to physical training since lockdown level 5 was implemented at the end of March, said Hancke. Players have been training individually since then, he said.
Season Preparations
Currently the Varsity Cup board is meeting to finalise dates for next year’s games,said Hancke.
It seems increasingly unlikely that any varsity level rugby events would be able to resume this year. According to Quintin van Rooyen, the FNB Maties rugby sports manager, even if competitions like the Western Province league resumes it would cause complications.
“There is simply not sufficient time left to complete competitions,” said Van Rooyen.
As there have been no games since March, Van Rooyen said that FNB Maties rugby has to start thinking of how to give the corporates their return on investment in new ways.
“Unfortunately we have to wait until we get the green light from the government and the national federation for us to proceed with further plans,” explained Hancke.
Captain of FNB Maties, Ben-Jason Dixon, explained that when it comes to organising varsity level rugby it is difficult to execute a successful immediate resumption of the games, given the influence university arrangements have on the sport.
“A lot of players don’t stay in Stellenbosch. Added to this there’s a constant change in the squad [with students finishing and starting university],” said Dixon.
FNB Maties Rugby sports manager, Quintin Van Rooyen, said that the following months will consist of off-field preparations and communication with the supporters on social media about the 2021 season.PHOTO: Instagram/@MatieRugby
Despite the continuous wait, Dixon believes the chemistry amongst the team won’t be affected too much.
“[It] will be different, with a lot of new young players coming through next year, but there are also plenty of players that have been part of the system and set up,” said Dixon.
According to the captain of FNB Maties, the last day of training was in the week of the build-up against NWU-Pukke vs FNB Maties scheduled on 16 March.
The first return of the SA Rugby league match is scheduled for 26 September, with the Sharks taking on the Blue Bulls.
According to FNB Maties captain Ben-Jason Dixon, the FNB Maties players are staying connected as a team virtually via WhatsApp groups and zoom calls. PHOTO: Instagram/@MatieRugby.