A member of the Maties rugby team was recently selected to join the Junior Springboks touring group for the under-20 Rugby Championships. This was confirmed by the selected player, Ezekiel Ngobeni, who currently plays scrum-half for Maties.
Ezekiel Ngobeni plays for the Maties rugby team and was recently selected for the under-20 Springbok touring group. “It’s amazing to be able to compete at the highest level for my age group,” he said. PHOTO: Rachel Jonker
Ngobeni was included in the group on 11 April. The Junior Springboks team will participate in the inaugural under-20 Rugby Championship hosted in Australia, according to Ngobeni. There, the team will compete against the national under-20 teams of Australia, New Zealand and Argentina, according to a Junior Springbok press release from 11 April.
“This is an amazing opportunity. […] It’s amazing to be able to compete at the highest level for my age group,” said Ngobeni.
Making Maties proud
“We are very proud of Ezekiel,” said Craig Barry, Maties senior assistant coach. Barry praised Ngobeni for the way he balances academics and sports and has high expectations for the scrum-half’s future.
The Maties rugby team captain, Matt Gray, praised Ngobeni’s maturity. “He shows an understanding of the game beyond his years and has all the necessary physical skills to show it,” said Gray.
Training and team building
The team was selected from a training group that had been practising together at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sports since November 2023, according to Ngobeni.
Ezekiel Ngobeni, a Maties rugby player who was recently selected to be part of the under-20 Springbok touring group, explained that he likes playing as a scrum-half because “[you’re] constantly involved in the game”. PHOTO: Rachel Jonker
The team is currently in Australia preparing for the test matches against New Zealand, Australia and Argentina that will happen on 2 May, 7 May and 12 May, respectively, according to the Junior Springboks website.
Ngobeni said that the coaches have been great at building team spirit even in the lead up to the team being chosen.
“It’s all about understanding the individuals […] but they have been big on us […] actually getting to know a [player beyond] what he represents in the team,” said Ngobeni.
What it means to be a scrum-half
A scrum-half is constantly involved in the game, said Ngobeni. “I like that. In order to score a try, you kind of need your scrum-half […] to be involved in that aspect of the game.”
“For me, it’s about embracing that responsibility [of being the scrum-half] and I love that […],” Ngobeni said.
Maties scrum-half Ezekiel Ngobeni, who was selected for the under-20 Springbok touring group, explained where his love for rugby started to SMF News.
Ngobeni said he also plays wing and full-back occasionally. “He’s an extremely adaptable player, which is helpful in any squad and his friendly nature and loyalty will make him an asset on and off the field,” said Gray.