For the majority of the 25 years of Vodacom Super Rugby history, Annette van Schalkwyk has watched the greatest moments in this competition from a very different angle to most.
As sports journalist for Caxton Local Media she shares her thoughts.
“As a photographer, I’ve seen a completely different side to this competition,” said van Schalkwyk, who has clicked her way through a myriad matches for Caxton Newspapers.
“To be out there photographing the players has been an absolute privilege for me. Being on the field with them and seeing them through a lens, you see the kind of skills they have individually. It gives you a much greater appreciation of the individual skills of the players.
“It’s a completely different experience to when you’re sitting in the stands or in the press box. You can feel the trembling on the pitch as they run past. You hear the players’ sounds. You don’t see the overall game plan so much because you’re always looking through a lens. But you just marvel at the individualism on display.”
For van Schalkwyk, the wingers were always a delight to photograph.
“You know, when they come flying past like that, you really have to know exactly when to shoot that frame for the shot you want. It’s the same with a flyhalf taking a placekick. The timing on the photograph is as important as his timing on the kick.”
Those will always be the memories van Schalkwyk has of a competition that for 25 years provided some of the most incredible photographs to grace the sports pages and magazine covers around the world.
“Those photos live forever for me. I have files and files of 25 years of Super Rugby, and I can go through all of that and recall some wonderful memories. I’m grateful to have been able to record those moments for history.”
