November - Department of Defence

sportFormer enemiesreconciled with rugby46By Col (Rev) P.J. Oberholzer,Vice-President Selection andTraining SANDF Rugby AssociationThe recent television programmeson the involvementof the SANDF in Burundianrugby broadcast on SABC TVand M Net is the culminationof more than two yearsinvolvement by the SANDF.In November 2001 members of theSA Protection Support Detachment(SAPSD), under the leadership of ColMannetjies de Goede, established arugby development project inBurundi. In 2002 the SANDF RugbyAssociation became involved and adelegation, under the leadership ofCol Pieter Oberholzer, Vice-Presidentof Selection and Training of theSANDFRA, visited Burundi to promoterugby. The other members of thedelegation were Lt Col Riaan vanWyk, a Senior Referee, and Sgt GeorgeJulies, a coach. During their ten-daystay in Burundi in March 2002, coachingclinics and a formal coachingcourse at the University in Bujumburawere presented. The delegation wasalso involved in the coaching of boththe male and female national rugbyteams.The delegation gave guidance atmanagerial level to put rugby structuresin place and advised the localrugby administrators how to runleague and development programmes.A visit to the Deputy Minister of Sportresulted in a commitment to provideland for a rugby field.Since the first initiative, rugby hasbeen growing in Burundi. The numberof clubs has more than doubled andthe standard of play has improveddrastically due to the continuousinvolvement of the different SANDFcontingents. The SANDF, with theassistance of rugby unions and sponsorsin South Africa, has sent balls,S A S O L D I E R • N OV EMBER 2 0 0 4cones, tackle bags, sets of jerseys and aset of rugby poles to Burundi.As a result of the involvement ofthe SANDF in Burundian rugby, thelatter has recently become a member ofthe Confederation of African Rugby(CAR) and received associate membershipof the International Rugby Board(IRB). It has started to compete ininternational competitions under thecoaching of SANDF members. In 2003Maj Jan Barendse was the coach of thenational team. The current coaches ofthe National Team are Capt Os vanden Berg, Capt Willie Enslin, WO1John Young and WO1 Deon Goodall.Internationals against Rwanda andTanzania have already taken place. Aclub league competition named afterCol De Goede has been established.There is still an enormous need fortrained coaches and referees and thefacilities are very poor. There is also anurgent need for equipment, fields andother infrastructure.The SANDF has made an enormouscontribution to the developmentof rugby in Burundi. In the process formerenemies have been reconciled andunified in the same team with a commongoal and objective.Rugby has also played a major rolein improving the acceptability of theSouth African contingent by the localcommunity.The future involvement of theSANDF is an absolute necessity toensure the continuous growth anddevelopment of rugby in Burundi.Good quality competition is essentialfor the improvement of the standardof play. Therefore the SAContingent Team in Burundi shouldkeep on playing against theBurundians. The Burundian NationalTeam should also be invited to theSANDF Rugby Week and if possibleassisted to come, which would be awonderful learning experience forthem.Soldier appointed asBurundian nationalrugby coachOn 29 August 2004 at the BujumburaSports Stadium in Burundi a sponsorshipfrom the Blue Bulls rugby teamfrom South Africa was handed over tothe Vice-President of the BurundiRugby Federation, Mr OscarNduwimana, by Lt Col Owen Dube,who is the Second in Command of theRSA contingent deployed in Burundi.Lt Col Dube was appointed as theChief of Sport for the contingent.Lt Ngcelwane, who is a member ofthe SAMHS currently deployed inBurundi, and detached to the SpecialForces deployed here, was recentlyappointed as the rugby coach for theNational Rugby Federation inBurundi. This is seen as a great honourfor South Africa and we are glad tohave a man of such stature among us.According to the Secretary-General of Burundi, Mr DerweduwenJurgen, rugby in Burundi started threeyears ago and currently has 250 registeredplayers. Although soccer is thenational sport, rugby is developing ata steady pace and he is honoured tohave a man like Lt Ngcelwane as partof the development of rugby inBurundi.In his speech Lt Col Dube said thatit was an honour for the RSA contingent,and more specifically SouthAfrica, to be part of this historic eventand to provide sporting equipmentsponsored by the Super Twelve rugbyteam, the Blue Bulls from SouthAfrica. He also reiterated that it wouldbe a great pleasure to compete at thislevel with players from the RSA contingentagainst the Burundi rugbyteams. (Article by the late Sgt A.H. leRoux, Communication NCO 15 SAI Bnin Bujumbura)