ALBERTON – Just like Andries Truscott Springbok was born in Alberton back in 1992, Lood de Jager was born here in 1992. Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Hans Vonk was born in 1971 in Alberton North next to the spruit and grew up in Fick Road, Florentia,
Renaldo Bothma moved away from Alberton when his school days started. The white-haired young Renaldo, almost a look-alike for Schalk Burger, went to primary school in Grootvlei near Springs and attended high school at Volkskool Heidelberg.
Renaldo represented Namibia in international games three times this year. He played for the Pumas in the Currie Cup, which made him the fifth Alberton player in the 2014 series, joining Lood de Jager (Cheetahs), Willie Brits, Derrick Minnie and Jaco Kriel from the Lions. The latter three all played in the Currie Cup final at Newlands.
When Renaldo ran out at the Alberton Stadium earlier this season for the Pumas Vodacom side against the Lions in a Vodacom Cup league fixture, not many Alberton rugby supporters who attended as spectators knew that this lively forward’s roots were firmly anchored in Alberton.
In all probability at least two Alberton players will therefore be in action at the World Cup next year in England, namely Renaldo for Namibia and Lood de Jager in the Springbok jersey. This will bring Alberton’s rugby World Cup tally to four. Their predecessors were Japie Mulder (1995) and André Pretorius (2007), both proud owners of World Cup winners medals.
Renaldo is regarded in influential rugby circles as “the find” of the Currie Cup season, and was rated as one of the team of top 15 players in the Currie Cup series.
The other big rugby story of the week was the announcement of Jaco Kriel as Alberton Rugby Club’s ninth Springbok in the club’s 102 years history and the 15th Springbok from Alberton, when the Springbok rugby team to Europe was introduced last week.
Jaco Kriel played his last game in the Alberton jersey against Roodepoort in August 2011.
Look out for a profile on Alberton Rugby Club’s latest Springbok in a future issue.
