Coach Zizi Yase; a breath of fresh air for Boschpick Highlanders
Yase is a firm believer in the power of sports to teach discipline and to allow people to spend their time productively and passionately.
Like most little boys, Thembelihle ‘Zizi’ Yase has lived and breathed rugby for as long as he can remember.
It’s more than a sport to him; it’s a way of life, so it’s no surprise that he was recruited as the new scrum coach for the Newcastle Boschpick Highlanders.
“I knew I wanted to be a professional rugby player since I was four years old, and I was even more determined after visiting the Sharks Tank in 2008 during our u/13A KZN rugby tour. This is when our team went on a tour of the stadium and saw their senior team in training.”
Who is Thembelihle?
Born and raised in East London, Yase, who is now 27 years old, said he always had a passion for rugby.
Most of his childhood was spent in the Eastern Cape, between the towns of Nqamakhwe and East London.
“When I was in Grade 4 at Cambridge Junior School, my love for rugby grew exponentially. In 2012, I was chosen for CHS’s first XV. In 2013, I was chosen for the Border Bull Dogs u/18 Provincial Week (Academy Week) in Glenwood,” he said.
He continued: “Later that year, I was awarded a joint contract to study and play rugby at the Kings Academy (EP Kings) and Nelson Mandela University. I played Currie Cup (u/19 – u/21) for the EP Kings and with the Varsity Cup young guns and EP Kings first XI, from 2014 to 2020.”
In November 2022, Yase relocated to Newcastle where he works as a financial manager for NTT Nissan during the day and coaches after hours.
Yase said he met Grant Teasdale, while playing bowls during an after-work networking event, and mentioned to Grant that he wanted to coach rugby while he was staying in Newcastle.
“He then introduced me to Highlanders head coach Andrè ‘Swannie’ Swanepoel, who welcomed me with open arms into the rugby club. Coach Swannie has since taken me under his wings and assisted me in developing as a coach, and I am grateful to Grant and Swannie, as well as the club, for providing me with this opportunity.”
Pick up a copy of this week’s edition of the Newcastle Advertiser to read Coach Zizi’s full in-depth interview.
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