RUGBY
I N T E R N AT I O N A L D E B U T
ASIPHE SHINES IN
SPRINGBOK DEBUT BY MYOLISI GOPHE
A
SIPHE MAYABA’S JOURNEY INTO RUGBY
began with her friends as a mere curiosity during her high school years. When her friends gradually dropped out of the sport, Mayaba stood firm as the only girl among the boys, primarily because she had developed a profound passion for the game.
the Springbok Women, such as Babalwa Latsha and Nosipho Poswa, means the world to her. “It has always been a dream of mine. Now that I have the opportunity, I am ecstatic,” says Mayaba, who attributes much of her success to her coach, Mthuthuzeli Madikane. MAYABA’S JOURNEY TO THE NATIONAL STAGE
extraordinary talent on the field, and her dedication and prowess were soon rewarded with a call-up to the senior national rugby team, the Springbok Women.
began when her speed and skills saw her selected for the under-19 and under-20 Junior Springbok sides last year. This year, she was invited to join the senior Springbok camp, a testament to her remarkable progress.
JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, the University
MAYABA, who went to
of the Western Cape (UWC) student joined them on a European tour to the United Kingdom and Spain, as well as to Madagascar for the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup, where she made her debut in May.
Sobambisana Primary School and Usasazo High School in Khayelitsha, remembers being the only girl playing rugby with the boys in 2019. Despite the
WHAT ALSO SET MAYABA APART was her
IN AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE, the winger scored a try against the host nation and an astounding four tries in a resounding victory over Cameroon. REFLECTING ON HER JOURNEY, the first-year
BA student says: “It was an amazing experience because I met players I had only ever seen on TV. I also got to experience travelling overseas, which was truly remarkable.” For Mayaba, the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of UWC alumnae who have also represented
occasional feeling of embarrassment, her love for the sport propelled her forward. “It was great, but sometimes I felt embarrassed that I was the only girl playing rugby with boys in my school. But I continued because I enjoyed rugby. Nothing could stop me from playing it.” THE WINGER HAS STRUGGLED AT TIMES to
balance her athletic pursuits with her academic responsibilities. “I plan my training days and my study days very carefully. Sometimes it is tough to catch up with school work, but I always ensure I do,” she says. UWC RUGBY MANAGER CLEMENT TROUT
congratulated Mayaba for her achievement in being selected for the Springbok Women. He says her success reflects positively on the university’s rugby programme. “It shows we have quality players who come to UWC to play and study here. It is always good for them to gain international experience that they can share with other players. Hopefully, we can have more Asiphes going forward,” says Trout. B+G
