Eastern Cape derby at USSAs a high-stakes affair

Madibaz coach David Manuel is looking forward to the challenge of winning promotion to the A-section of the USSA rugby tournament.

The Madibaz are preparing for a high-stakes clash against Fort Hare in their opening fixture of the University Sports South Africa rugby tournament later this month.

The Eastern Cape derby, scheduled for the opening day on Monday, June 30, in Pretoria is expected to be one of the highlights of the week.

The goal will be a spot in the B-section final on the Friday and therefore stealing an early march over the opposition will be hugely advantageous.

Second-round matchups on the Wednesday will be determined by the day-one results, adding further significance to this explosive opener.

The Gqeberha team’s head coach, David Manuel, said their primary objective was to gain promotion to the A section but also emphasised that they wanted to showcase Mandela University’s broader rugby vision.

“Our goal is definitely promotion but it is also the perfect platform to show that you can attend a university known for academic excellence and still develop as a rugby player.”

The Madibaz are keen to maintain their momentum following a strong Varsity Shield campaign, in which they lost the promotion-relegation match against UJ by a paltry three points.

“We’ve been drawing attention from some of the country’s top rugby schools,” Manuel said. “Performing well at events like the USSAs is critical to our long-term ambitions.”

He noted that many parents were now viewing the university as a serious option for talented young players.

“That shift in perception helps our recruitment efforts.”

One of their core values was to leave the jersey and the club in a better place, he explained.

“That’s the legacy we’re building.”

Madibaz defeated UFH 32-16 in their Varsity Shield encounter earlier this year but that result does not necessarily give Manuel a peaceful night’s sleep.

“These types of games become mental battles. A win for either side gives a significant boost heading into the next season,” he explained.

Matches between the two tertiary institutions always turned out to fiercely contested and therefore they are ticking all the boxes to ensure they are at their very best come game day, the Madibaz mentor said.

He added that the B section, where teams such as NWU-Pukke added serious quality, would be highly competitive.

“They missed last year’s tournament, so they’re in the B section this year. If we get the chance to face them, it’ll be an excellent test of where we stand.”

Manuel said although the squad would be a mix of youth and experience, he had brought in several experienced players who were ineligible for Shield duties.

“Which strengthens our hand.”

As with any university, academic responsibilities always influence preparations to a certain extent.

“The players need to earn a certain number of credits to qualify for next year’s Shield, so we gave them time to focus on exams,” Manuel said.

He explained that every player had a personalised fitness and gym programme and that the on-field sessions had been ramped up in recent weeks.

“We’re confident we’ll be ready to perform in Pretoria.”