Durban North resident ready to tackle SA spot
Mark Barnard has been selected for the squad for this year's World Deaf Sevens Championship in Cordoba, Argentina.
DURBAN North resident Mark Barnard has been selected for the South African Deaf Rugby Elite Training Squad for this year’s World Deaf Sevens Championship in Cordoba, Argentina.
The tournament marks the first occasion that South Africa has competed in a World Deaf Rugby tournament since 1995, having missed the 2003 and 2018 editions.
The squad will be competing against hosts Argentina, as well as Kenya, Ghana, Australia, New Zealand, England, Japan and the reigning champions, Wales.
Head coach Peter de Villiers revealed that 17 players have been selected for the Men’s Elite Training Squad, which will be cut to 12 players ahead of the tournament.
The 32-year-old, who is profoundly deaf, plays his rugby for the Crusaders Rugby Club thirds and said he backs himself to make the final cut for the tournament which begins in April.
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“I have been capped once before for the SA deaf team in a 15s match against Wales, and that is one of my proudest moments. Having been selected for the sevens squad is a massive achievement and one I’m hoping to build on. It is a really exciting prospect to learn from both Peter de Villiers and Marlize van der Merwe, who are titans of the sport. It has also given me the opportunity to grow my skills as a rugby player, especially in the sevens arena.
“I back myself to make the final squad, and I’ve been working hard through the various workshops and clinics. Our coaches have given us targets to meet, and I’m just making sure I meet them. I’ve been watching quite a bit of sevens rugby on YouTube and analysing movements and plays and just getting a sense of the game. I feel I also benefited from all the clinics we’ve held across the country. Two clinics were held in Gauteng, two in the Western Cape, and one in KwaZulu-Natal,” he explained.
Barnard, who teaches at Fulton School for the Deaf says he hopes to raise deaf awareness as well as inspire others like him to take up the sport.
“When I began playing rugby at school level, I always played in hearing teams. I started looking for others like me, and that’s when I discovered the South African Deaf Rugby Association. I know first-hand the difficulties facing the deaf community, and I find people connect best when we have something in common. I would love to see Deaf Rugby become a vehicle to spread Deaf awareness and culture. If I could inspire deaf children to take up rugby as a sport, that would be absolutely amazing,” he said.
