bringing the "gees

UWC Alumni shine at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan

By Aidan Van Den Heever Image Supplied

From management to support staff and players on the field, UWC had five alumni who played important roles in helping South Africa lift the Rugby World Cup in Japan last year. They include:

Springbok scrumhalf and nominee for the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year award, Herschel Jantjies; Physiotherapists Dr Tanushree Pillay and Rene Naylor; The first black president of the Western Province Rugby Union and South African Rugby Union Executive Council member, Toby Titus; and, The first female South African Rugby Union Executive Council Member and previous UWC Director of Sport, Ilhaam Groenewald. UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tyrone Pretorius, notes that

From left: Rene Naylor, Vivian Verwant and Tanushree Pillay.

UWC’s late rugby coach and Springbok icon, Chester Williams, was emphatic that South Africa would lift the Webb Ellis Cup. “As the University of the Western Cape, we are buoyed by your contribution. This moment in our history – underscored by the first black Springbok captain, Siya Kolisi, leading the team to victory – is a pinnacle moment for our country,” he adds.

Dr Tanushree Pillay was on the sidelines when the Springboks demolished England 32-12 in Yokohama, Japan, during the final. “The moment on the podium with the whole team was most memorable,” she says. “We had been together for 20 weeks and that moment was filled with elation and the culmination of the work the team had put in.”

Another big highlight was watching the Springboks dominate in the scrum. “I definitely think watching the scrum was

a highlight as well as the tries scored by Cheslin Kolbe and Makazole Mapimpi, which is very rare for a final.”

She says her father called her straight after SA won. “My parents were ecstatic; it definitely takes a village to be able to do this job. My friends and family have been my pillars of strength. I am so happy to bring this honour to them.”

Her journey started modestly as a student physiotherapist, assisting the UWC Rugby Club and, by 2005, she was on duty with the Silvertree and Tygerberg Rugby clubs. Just a year later, she attended her first international sports event as the head physiotherapist at the All Africa Gymnastics Championships in Cape Town.

In 2007, SA Rugby appointed her as the physiotherapist of the Springboks Women’s Sevens, the U20 Women’s and Senior Women’s rugby teams. In 2008, she also travelled to China for the Beijing Paralympics. “I was inspired to be a physio when I saw how I could help people who were injured or disabled to improve their lives.” In 2015, Dr Pillay was a recipient of UWC’s Chancellor’s Outstanding Alumni Award for her contributions to South African sport. She qualified with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Physiotherapy in 2003 and completed her Masters degree in 2006. In 2014, she completed her PhD, which investigated protocols for rehabilitative injury prevention among netball players. Dr Pillay encourages women to pursue careers in male-dominated sport and industry. “As a woman, I take pride in being successful in a male-dominated sport. My advice for anyone studying or wanting to pursue a career in sport is to work hard. Always do your best; you never know when your chance will come.”