Amanzimtoti Rugby Club coach praises team’s grit and determination
Amanzimtoti Rugby Club's first team lost 34–7 to Kokstad and the second team won 45–12. The second team's coach is confident they can end the season on a positive note.
AN exciting day of rugby on June 22 saw Amanzimtoti Rugby Club’s second team triumph over Kokstad 45–12, while Kokstad’s first team secured a 34–7 victory.
As usual, the Amanzimtoti community showed up in full force to support their teams. Owen Masinga, coach for the second team, shared his thoughts on the match, the team’s performances and season ahead.
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“I was really pleased with the boys’ performance. They showed a lot of grit and determination out there on the field. Our fitness levels are holding up well, which is a testament to the hard work the players and coaches have been putting in during training,” he said.
One of the key things the team has been focusing on in training is implementing a new game plan that they feel suits the identity of Toti Rugby. “I thought the way we executed that plan in the match was impressive. The boys followed instructions well, allowing us to put Kokstad under a lot of pressure,” said Masinga.
He gave special mention to fly-half Melusi Makhanya, who was outstanding in controlling the game’s tempo and keeping the Kokstad defence guessing, as well as Wesley Smith with his menacing ball carries.
If the team maintain this level of performance, Masinga is confident they can end the season on a positive note.
“This season, we’ve had mixed results. Many of our stronger players from last year have either moved up to the first team or had to step away due to work and life commitments. So, we’ve had to do a fair bit of rebuilding and integrating new players. We’ve been introducing a new system of play that emphasises an aggressive, fast-paced style of rugby. The challenge has been getting the right players into the right positions to execute this game plan effectively,” said Masinga, adding that it is encouraging to see the team starting to buy into this approach.
The next hurdle is finding consistency in the team’s performances.
“We want to keep developing our young talent while also being a reliable feeder programme for the first team. It’s a delicate balance, but one that we’re working hard to strike. If we can keep making progress in embedding our game plan and building consistency, we are confident we can have a positive second half of the season, especially in the Murry Cup (knockouts),” said Masinga.
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