Rugby Kapteins. In ons gewilde reeks oor sport kapteins, gesels Schools That Rock vandag met Zander Enslin. Zander is die kaptein van Hoërskool DF Malan in Bellville, Kaapstad, se 1ste rugbyspan. Hy druk vandag die tweede drie in ons reeks vanjaar oor Rugby Kapteins van hoërskole in Suid-Afrika.
“Ek het begin rugby speel toe ek vyf jaar oud was. Ek het my suster ondersteun toe sy hokkie gespeel het vir Laerskool Welgemoed. Vandat ek kan onthou is ek met ‘n rugbybal in die hand langs die velde op en af. Die skool het ‘n speler benodig in die O.7 rugbyspan en die hoof het gevra of ek lus was om te speel. Dit is waar alles begin het.
Sjoe, dit is moeilik om te sê wat my laat besluit het om rugby te speel. Rugby is deel van ons gesin. Dit is seker maar soos met meeste seuns in rugby-spelende lande. Dit kom maar van kleins af.
Toe ek my eerste rugby wedstryd gespeel het was ek te jonk en opgewonde om enige emosie te kan onthou. Ek onthou egter dat ek na die wedstryd geweet het ek wil nog en nog speel. Dit was ongelooflik lekker! Ek onthou baie goed die eerste keer wat ek met die bal gehardloop het. ‘n Mens onthou maar min goed van jou jonger dae, maar dít sal ek nooit vergeet. Ek was heelwat kleiner as die ander seuns want ek was jonger as hulle. Maar daardie eerste drie, ek sal daardie gevoel van tevredenheid en trots nooit vergeet.
Eerste keer kaptein
Die eerste keer wat ek as rugby kaptein gekies is, was in my tweede skooljaar van rugby as 0.8 in 2013. Vir DF Malan se 1ste span is hierdie my eerste jaar as Kaptein. Hoe ek gevoel het toe ek die eerste keer op die veld gedraf het as kaptein? Ek het al op laerskool die voorreg gehad om Kaptein van spanne te wees. Ek kan nie onthou dat ek toe te veel daarvan gedink het nie. My eerste keer as rugby kaptein van DF Malan se 1ste span was iets anders. Mens voel trots, maar daar is ‘n belangriker gevoel – een van verantwoordelikheid. Kapteinskap word baie gesien as ‘n prestasie.
Dalk is dit my afrigters wat my egter laat besef het dat die verantwoordelikheid as rugby kaptein meer belangrik is as die trots. Dit is ‘n voorreg, maar ons is vyftien ouens in ‘n span en 23 in ‘n groep. Elkeen kan trots voel en elkeen het ook verantwoordelikheid.
Ons het ‘n oorvloed van mense wat raad gee vandag. Daar is hordes video’s en goed op sosiale media van raad gee. Nie een daarvan is verkeerd nie. Tans leer ek self nog baie en voel ek is nog nie in ‘n posisie om raad te gee nie, ek self leer nog. Ek is nou eers 18. My enigste raad, as rugby kaptein, wat ek aan beginners kan gee, tans, is bly nederig, maar nie saak wat jy bereik nie, bly nederig!
Posisies gespeel
Die posisie wat ek tans speel is losskakel. Ek het begin as ‘n skrumskakel en was toe heelagter. Ek geniet dit egter baie om losskakel te speel. Om die span gemotiveerd te hou, fokus ons op ons werk en dit wat ons wil doen. Ons probeer akkuraat bly. Motivering hou nie baie lank nie. As rugby kaptein en leiersgroep konsentreer ons op pligsbesef, dissipline en “work rate” om ons gefokus te hou. Volgens my is die vermoëns en eienskappe waaroor ‘n goeie rugbyspeler moet beskik, “work rate” en dissipline!
Ons almal weet nou reeds, soos ons leer van al die inligting tot ons beskikking vandag, “work rate” en dissipline is nodig vir sukses in alle gebiede van jou lewe, nie net rugby. Dit waarborg nie sukses nie, dit gee jou ‘n kans. Maar sonder dit is sukses nie moontlik. As rugby kaptein is my sleutel tot sukses op die rugbyveld is “work rate” en dissipline! Dan moet jy dit ook geniet.
Wat my elke keer inspireer wanneer ek op die rugbyveld draf, is eerstens die besef van watse voorreg dit is om te kan speel. Verder ook my spanmaats en die besef dat die span iets verteenwoordig. Iets groter as ons, ‘n skool met tradisie en trots. En dan die spel rugby. Dit is ‘n ongelooflike sport om deel van te kan wees. Soos ‘n mentor van my altyd sê, “hulle speel rugby in die hemel”.
Lekkerste wedstryd
Watter wedstryd tot dusver die lekkerste was, is baie moeilik om te sê. Die naaste daaraan was die WP 7’s wedstyd teen Limpopo Blou Bulle, die 10’s wedstryd vir die “Cape Town Honey Badgers” in die finaal teen die OP Olifante. Maar ek moet sê een van ons grootste wedstryde was vir die WP Noord Zone span teen die Vrystaat in 2022 se interprovinsiale toernooi.
Ons was onder groot druk die hele wedstryd. Die Vrystaat het ‘n baie groot pak voorspelers gehad en ons voorspelers het baie hard gewerk, maar baie swaar geleef. Ons het baie groot dele van die wedstryd verdedig. Ons het op ‘n stadium 0 – 3 agter geloop. Toe kry ons ‘n geel kaart vir herhaaldelike oortredings. Binne ‘n minuut daarna kry ons nog ‘n geel kaart vir ‘n hoogvat. Dit was per ongeluk, maar dit is die reëls van die spel. Ons kaptein het toe vir ‘n oomblik kop verloor en met die skeidsregter gestry. Toe eindig dit in nog ‘n geel kaart! Ons het dus vir omtrent vir agt minute met dertien spelers gespeel.
Uiteindelik het ons die wedstryd gewen met 15-6. Daar was geen drieë nie. Dit was ‘n wedstryd waar albei spanne ongelooflik verdedig het. Uiteindelik was dit twee lang strafskoppe wat die wedstryd beklink het. Die wedstryd was sover, met ‘n kortkop, my persoonlike hoogtepunt. Ons 2022 wedstryd teen Parel Vallei is die wedstryd wat ek gou wil vergeet. Ons was halftyd 21 – 3 voor en het uiteindelik 21 – 24 verloor. So ‘n wedstryd spook by jou en die gevoel van magteloosheid na so ‘n wedstryd is baie ongemaklik. Mens vra aaneen “as ek maar net”.
Beste rugbybesluit
Die beste rugbybesluit wat ek as rugby kaptein geneem het, was om in te stem om na losskakel te skuif van heelagter af. Die tweede is die besluit dat ek gaan bly hard werk elke dag. As ek dan nie suksesvol is nie, is dit my eie skuld en kan niemand blameer nie. Elke keer wat ek oefening toe gaan of op my eie gaan oefen, is ‘n goeie besluit. Ek glo mens moet ‘n klomp goeie besluite maak, net een goeie besluit gaan nie werk nie.
Na ‘n moeilike wedstryd vir my as rugby kaptein, vra ek hulp en raad by my afrigters en spanmaats. Hulle is die enigste mense wat bereid is om regtig eerlik te wees. Die ander mense om jou voel soms jammer vir jou en staan jou net by. As jy eerlike terugvoer wil hê wat ook voordelig is vir die span is dit maar jou afrigters waar jy moet gaan raad vra.
My grootste rugbyheld is Beauden Barrett van New Zeeland. Ek hou baie van sy manier van speel. Hy is baie talentvol en hardwerkend op die veld.
My persoonlike rugby doelwit vir die seisoen, as rugby kaptein, is dat ons al ons oorblywende wedstryde wen, insluitend interskole. Dit is my en ons span se doelwit. Dat ons al ons oorblywende wedstryde wen, insluitend interskole. Dit is my en ons span se doelwit. Persoonlik, is dit om die heel tyd te verbeter. Om vir een van die Craven Week spanne gekies te word en te kan speel sal ‘n ongelooflike voorreg wees. Maar ek weet ook dit is nie waar alles eindig nie, ek wil net heeltyd verbeter en weet ek moet hard werk om dit te kan bereik.
Rugby na skool
Ja verseker, dit sal ‘n voorreg wees om te kan bly rugby speel na skool. Op watter vlak, is ‘n ander vraag. Ek ken nie iemand wat rugby speel wat nie vir die Springbokke wil speel nie. Maar ek hoop net om aan te hou besef dat dit wat ek uiteindelik bereik ‘n refleksie sal wees van die werk wat ek bereid is om te doen. En geluk speel soms ook ‘n groot rol. Vir nou, my plek in die span te hou en dalk volgende jaar Varsity Cup te kan speel.
Hoe hanteer ek my verantwoordelikhede as rugby kaptein by rugby saam met my sosiale en akademiese verantwoordelikhede? My pa sal vir jou sê ek moet harder werk aan my akademie. Watter ouer doen dit nie. Kom ons wees eerlik, ek is maar ‘n tipiese seun. Ek kan harder werk aan my akademie. Maar net bietjie raad vir ouers. As seuns nie hard werk op die rugby veld nie verloor hy sy plek in die span. Of hy nou 69 of 75 kry op sy rapport beteken nie hy verloor sy plek in die span nie. En ons hoor die lewenslesse wat julle vir ons wil leer oor akademie. Ons bly ook maar seuns, met testosteroon en ons is kompeterend.
Ek probeer ‘n gesonder balans handhaaf en sal eerste herken ek kry dit nie altyd reg nie. Ek skeep soms die ander areas af in die plek van rugby.
My grootste enkele hoogtepunt van my rugby loopbaan, was my verkiesing tot die WP 7’s span in 2022.
Die professionele rugbyspeler met wie ek graag wil koffie drink, is Beauden Barrett.
As ek myself in een woord moet beskryf? Nederig”
Rugby Captains
In our popular series about sports captains, Schools That Rock talks to Zander Enslin today. Zander is the rugby captain of DF Malan High School in Bellville, Cape Town, 1st rugby team. Today he scores the second try in our series this year over Rugby Captains from high schools in South Africa.
“I started playing rugby when I was five years old. I supported my sister when she played hockey for Welgemoed Primary School. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been up and down the fields with a rugby ball in hand. The school needed a player in the U.7 rugby team and the principal asked if I felt like playing. This is where it all started.
Wow, it’s hard to say what made me decide to play rugby. Rugby is part of our family. It’s also probably just like with most boys in rugby-playing countries. It comes only from childhood.
When I played my first game, I was too young and excited to be able to remember any emotion. However, I remember knowing after the game that I still wanted to play. It was incredibly fun! I remember very well the first time I ran with the ball. People remember little good about your younger days, but I’ll never forget that. I was a lot smaller than the other boys because I was younger than them. But that first try, I’ll never forget that feeling of contentment and pride.
First time captain
The first time I was selected as rugby captain was in my second year of rugby as U8 in 2013. For DF Malan’s 1st team, this is my first year as Captain. How I felt when I first jogged onto the field as captain? I have had the privilege of being Captain of teams in primary school. I don’t remember thinking too much of it then. My first time as Captain of DF Malan’s 1st team was something else. One feels proud, but there is a more important feeling – one of responsibility. Captaincy is very much seen as an achievement. Perhaps it is my coaches who have made me realize, however, that the responsibility is more important than the pride. It’s a privilege, but we’re fifteen guys on a team and 23 in a group. Everyone can feel proud, and everyone also has responsibility.
We have a plethora of people giving advice today. There are lots of videos and stuff on social media of giving advice. None of that is wrong. Currently, I am still learning a lot myself and feel I am not yet able to give advice, I am still learning. I’m only 18 now. My only advice I can give to beginners, right now, is stay humble, but no matter what you accomplish, stay humble!
Position played
The position I’m currently playing is fly half. I started out as a scrum half and was then full back. However, I really enjoy playing fly-half. I keep the team motivated by focusing on our rugby and what we want to do. We’re trying to stay accurate. Motivation does not last very long. As a leadership group, we also focus on sense of duty, discipline, and work rate to keep us focused. In my opinion, the abilities, and qualities that a good rugby player should possess are work rate and discipline! We all know, as we learn from all the information at our disposal today, “work rate” and discipline are necessary for success in all areas of your life, not just rugby. It does not guarantee success, it gives you a chance. But without it, success is not possible.
My key to success on the rugby field is work rate and discipline! Then you should also enjoy.
What inspires me every time I jog on the rugby field is first and foremost the realisation of what a privilege it is to be able to play. Furthermore, my teammates and the realization that the team represents something. Something bigger than us, a school with tradition and pride. And then the game of rugby. It’s also an incredible sport to be able to be a part of. As a mentor of mine always says, “they play rugby in heaven”.
Most enjoyable match
Which match has been the most enjoyable so far is very hard to say. The closest to that was the WP 7s race against Limpopo Blue Bulls, the 10s match for the Cape Town Honey Badgers in the final against the OP Elephants. But I have to say one of our biggest matches was for the WP North Zone team against the Free State in the 2022 interprovincial tournament.
We were under a lot of pressure the whole game. The Free State had a very big pack of forwards and our forwards worked very hard but lived very brother-in-law. We defended very large parts of the game. We trailed 0 – 3 at one point. Then we got a yellow card for repeat violations. Within a minute of that, we got another yellow card for a high barrel. It was accidental, but these are the rules of the game. Our captain then lost his mind for a moment and argued with the referee. Then it ended in another yellow card! So we played with thirteen players for about eight minutes.
In the end, we won the game 15-6. There were no tries. It was a game where both teams defended incredibly. In the end, it was two long penalty kicks that clinched the match. The match was so far, with a shorthead, my personal highlight. Our 2022 match against Parel Vallei is the match I want to forget soon. We were 21 – 3 ahead at half-time and ended up losing 21 – 24. Such a match haunts you and the feeling of powerlessness after such a match is very uncomfortable. One keep asking “if only I”.
Best rugby decision
The best rugby decision I’ve ever made was to agree to move to fly half from full back. The second is the decision, as rugby captain, that I’m going to keep working hard every day. If I’m not successful then, it’s my own fault and I can’t blame anyone. Every time I go to practice or train on my own is a good decision. I believe one must make a bunch of good decisions, just one good decision is not going to work.
After a difficult game, I ask for help and advice from my coaches and teammates. They’re the only people willing to be honest. The other people around you sometimes feel sorry for you and just stand by you. If you want honest feedback that is also beneficial to the team it is only your coaches where you should go and ask for advice.
Biggest rugby hero
My biggest rugby hero is Beauden Barrett from New Zealand. I really like his way of playing. He is very talented and hardworking on the field. But he’s also an inspiration and true gentleman off the field to me. To me, he comes across as very humble, a quality one can only admire for someone who has reached his heights. And my dad as well, but he doesn’t want me to talk about it and I’ll respect that.
My personal rugby goal for the season is for us to win all our remaining games, including interschools. That’s my and our team’s goal. Personally, it is to improve all the time. To be selected for one of the Craven Week teams and be able to play will be an incredible privilege. But I also know it’s not where it all ends, I just want to improve all the time and know I have to work hard to be able to achieve that.
Rugby after school
Yes, for sure, it will be a privilege to be able to continue playing rugby after school. At what level, is another question. I don’t know someone who plays rugby who doesn’t want to play for the Springboks. But I just hope to keep realizing that what I ultimately accomplish will reflect the work I’m willing to do. And luck sometimes plays a big role too. For now, to keep my place in the team and maybe play Varsity Cup next year.
How do I handle my responsibilities at rugby alongside my social and academic responsibilities? My father will tell you and must work harder at my academy. What parent doesn’t. Let’s be honest, I’m just a typical boy. I can work harder at my academics. But just some advice for parents. If boys don’t work the rugby field, he loses his place in the team. Whether he gets 69 or 75 on his report doesn’t mean he loses his place in the team. And we hear the life lessons you want to teach us about academia. We also stay boys, with testosterone and we are competitive.
I try to maintain a healthier balance and will recognize first I don’t always get it right. I sometimes neglect the other areas in place of rugby.
My biggest single highlight of my rugby career was my election to the WP 7s team in 2022.
The professional rugby player I like to have coffee with is Beauden Barrett.
If I must describe myself in one word? Humble”
Meer skolenuus: https://schoolsthatrock.co.za
Foto’s verskaf