BRIGHT FUTURES PROFESSIONAL CAREERS BECKON FOR RUGBY STARS

BY LYNDON JULIUS

THREE UWC STUDENTS are the latest in a long line of UWC Rugby players to sign deals with professional rugby teams. Godfrey Muzanargwo has joined Griquas, Justin ‘Jubba’ Theys signed with Femi-CZ Rovigo (in Italy), and Lukhanyo ‘Boepa’ Vokozela is a newly minted member of the Stormers.

THEIR RISE TO PROFESSIONAL CAREERS is not only typical of the challenges and developmental opportunities of student sport but also reflects the nurturing environment that has been developed over decades by the university’s administrators and coaches.

FRONT ROWER THEYS has been one of the pillars of the UWC pack since joining Udubs six seasons ago and was an integral part of the team that secured promotion to the Varsity Cup in 2019. Ahead of the 2022 pre-season, Theys shifted his focus to improving his conditioning, fitness and overall discipline on the field. It paid off.

After briefly playing for the SWD Eagles Currie Cup team, he joined Israel’s newly formed and first professional side, the Tel Aviv Heat, in March 2022. He played for the Israeli team until the start of the 2023 season when he joined FemiCZ Rovigo.

RECRUITED BY THE LATE CHESTER WILLIAMS in 2016, Theys recalls his first few months at UWC. “At first, I could not believe the legendary Chester Williams would be my coach. I was star-struck at least for a few months into our training programme. Coach Chester was brilliant and truly pivoted my rugby career into an upward trajectory,” says the prop who earned a Diploma in Economic Development from UWC in 2017 and completed a BEd (majoring in English and Life Orientation) in 2022. He is now pursuing an Honours degree.

HOOKER VOKOZELA joined the Udubs family in 2021 to study Social Work and play rugby. However, because he was based in Stellenbosch as part of the SA Rugby Academy squad and missed out on the 2021 Varsity Cup competition, which was played in a bio-bubble in Pretoria at the same time as the SA Rugby Academy squad were training, Vokozela played only one Varsity Cup game for UWC in 2022 against UCT before signing a senior contract with the Stormers. He has since stopped his studies.

“My bursary, which I lost when I was no longer playing for UWC, was linked to me playing,” Vokozela says. “The possibility that I will finish my degree is very low because I want to focus on my rugby career with the Stormers.”

VOKOZELA SAYS HE WAS RECRUITED after he telephoned UWC Young Guns coach Reginald Nutt. Nutt and UWC Rugby Football Club chairperson, Advocate Nicolas Kock, made his move to Bellville possible.

“I am grateful for Coach Reginald and his influence in getting me a bursary to play for UWC,” Vokozela says. “Nic Kock has been such an amazing support to me. I will be eternally grateful to him. He is a genuine and downright great guy, an inspiration to me.”

ZIMBABWE INTERNATIONAL MUZANARGWO represented the Zimbabwe Sables in 2019 in both Sevens and 15s and was recruited to UWC by Lionel Langenhoven in 2020. Muzanargwo was completing the final year of a Bachelor of Sports and Recreation Studies degree when recruited to the Griquas side.

“I am hoping to finish my studies this year, God willing,” Muzanargwo says. “It is tough to juggle a professional sporting career and studies, but my team and coaches [at Griquas] support me in this.”

MUZANARGWO JOINED 2022 Currie Cup finalists Griquas in the second half of the 2022 season. The former Prince Edward (Harare) learner will play at lock and as a backup loose forward for the side. His initial season with UWC began with COVID-19 restrictions ending the 2020 Varsity Cup after just six matches but the lock did play in all UWC’s games during the 2021 and 2022 Varsity Cup campaigns. He’s hoping to follow Vokozela and Theys and make his Currie Cup debut this year. “When I got to play for UWC it was always good,” Muzanargwo says. “Playing for UWC is like playing with family. I enjoyed my time playing for UWC.

“I AM GRATEFUL to each and every coach and administrator at UWC,” Muzanargwo adds. “Coach Lionel recruited a few of us [from Zimbabwe] and I am truly grateful for his belief in me and for affording me the opportunity to play and study at UWC. It was a great honour to play for a team like UWC.”

VOKOZELA HIGHLIGHTED the impact of Nicolas Kock and sports administrator Andrew Wrankmore. “My time at UWC, although brief, was memorable because of guys like Nic and Andrew,” Vokozela says. “Andrew’s help motivated me a lot when it came to my academic commitments.”

FOR THEYS, the significant contributions of UWC coaches Williams, Treu and Langenhoven were key.

“Coach Chester was a huge influence in my rugby career. He helped me realise my potential while Coach Paul nurtured and taught me the importance of my mental aptitude. He knew what it took to get to the top and helped me. A special mention goes to Coach Lionel, who helped me develop and improve my scrum techniques,” Theys says.