UJ women’s rugby team ups their performance
AUCKLAND PARK – The team's sports science department works hand in hand with each athlete to bring out the best in everyone and the team has shown improvement because of it.
A dedicated work ethic allied to massive support from the varsity structures has seen the University of Johannesburg (UJ) women’s rugby players start to make a major impact on the sport.
The squad, who are currently touring France, have a number of national players in their ranks, with several others on the fringe of recognition at the highest level.
“The university has played a huge role in the system we have put in place,” said the team’s manager Tumi Leseke and explained that many aspects had contributed to the growth of rugby at UJ which included the commitment of the players and the array of support staff in place to ensure all their needs were met.
“We have access to bio-kinetics staff as well as physio in order to aid recovery processes when players get injured. We also pride ourselves in creating and enhancing pure athletes with the help of our sports science department, notably the team’s own sports scientist Liphiwe Nxasana.
“She goes above and beyond for the girls, creating workout programmes that not only enhance the players’ performances but which set them apart from the rest. Our success is not a fluke but a representation of the hard work we put in, day in and day out. It is a testament to the fact that when you put your full support behind a women’s team, they will show you results.”
This year the team has doubled its number of players, as well as having eight of their members in the provincial structures as players or management. “The number of ladies we have filtered through our system and who have made it for national team selection has grown. This includes the SA Students team and the Blitzboks at a U20 and senior level.”
Among the players who had excelled was Voice Ndou who played in the HSBC Sevens in Dubai in December last year and will represent the SA Students in the World Student Games in Italy this year. “Our newest player is Catharina Jacobs who is touring Europe with the Blitzboks squad and played in the Centrale Sevens tournament in France last week. We also have another national member in Ayanda Malinga who has represented the Blitzboks and is now a regular in our team.
“The U20 Springbok camp is being held this week and our newest recruits, Nthabiseng Ncalane and Luzetha Zulu, are there to show the coaching staff exactly what they’re made of.”
The UJ rugby team won the inaugural Jozi women’s league and will attend the club championships in Cape Town. They are also the current holders of the Imbokodo women’s sevens tournament, which they host annually.
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