\While most will admit there was not much that could have been done to save the season, it has not been an easy time for many.
Brakpan Rugby Club chairperson Harry Nieuwenhuis admits it has been frustrating, but he chooses to look forward to the future and hopes 2021 will be much better.
“We are hoping we can start with some preliminary training in November because there is a possibility that we could play in a tournament in February,” he said.
“But that will all depend on if we get the go-ahead from SA Rugby and government.
“One wonders what state of mind some of the older players will be in after having missed a whole year of playing.
“Well, we have a player like Jacques Potgieter who will be 34 next year, so you never know. There are some who are over 30, so maybe one or two guys might not come back next year,” said Nieuwenhuis.
“Luckily for us, the average age of our players is about 26, so most should be able to come back.”
Read: SA Rugby welcomes news on resumption of playing
The chairperson said as a club they are in regular contact with the players.
“Some are feeling less positive than others, but we are trying to stay positive,” he said.
Nieuwenhuis also spoke about the Valke Company being liquidated.
“It doesn’t really influence us at club level,” he said.
He does, however, think there will be a few provincial players looking to play for clubs.
“The players will have to play club rugby. All the provinces have problems, so chances are players will want to play for clubs,” Nieuwenhuis said.
“But they will have to play for the love of the game.
“We have already received several calls from Valke players looking to see if they can play for us next year.
“In the meantime, Niewenhuis is concentrating on the club being prepared for next year as it will be Brakpan’s centenary year.
“We are making plans and hoping that it will be a really busy year for us. Hopefully, things can carry on as planned,” he said.
Brakpan’s chairperson wants his club to have a big 2021 but with the way things have gone this year, he is cautious about getting too excited as he knows a lot of what happens will be beyond the club’s control.
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