Port Elizabeth – Rynier Bernardo will go down in history as the first EP Kings Academy player to be selected for a Springbok event. Bernardo, a player in the EP Kings Academy squad was selected to participate in the U20 Springboks Camp set to take place next week in Cape Town.
The camp includes 36 U20 prospects from around the country and will serve as a selection camp for the U20 World Cup in Italy in June, 2011.
Bernardo’s selection bodes well for the EP Kings Academy, which recently returned from the National Academy Cup in Zululand after logging all-important wins over the Blue Bulls and Sharks Midlands Academies.
“This is a wonderful moment for EP Kings all around,” said Director of Rugby Alan Solomons. “We want kids to know that they can come here and succeed at the highest levels. We have put a lot of effort into establishing international best practices in our Academy. To see the results so quickly is a real boost.”
Bernardo, a tall and aggressive lock with a tremendous vision and aptitude for learning, was unable to participate in Zululand due to a broken hand suffered in February. Half-way through his recovery, he hopes to be able to impress Baby Bok coaches at the camp despite not being able to participate in contact drills until late May.
A graduate of Framesby High School, Bernardo opted against joining Blue Bulls, Sharks and Pukke to stay at home in Port Elizabeth with family and friends. “The EP Rugby is the Union with the biggest growth potential in the country right now. When I look into the future, EP is going the furthest,” said Bernardo on why he opted to stay in Port Elizabeth. “No other Province can provide the same exposure to the Senior Team. Here I was able to participate in Senior training when I was still in school. I learned a lot by training for two days with them. In particular Barend Pieterse and Rory Duncan both went out of their way to lend a hand.”
He is enrolled in his first year Law Degree at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and says EP Kings makes it easy to balance studies with rugby.
“It is a non-negotiable requirement that all Academy players must further their education,” says Academy Manager Robbie Kempson. “Not only are we preparing them for life after rugby, but it has been shown that players who receive tertiary education improve their on-field abilities and become more complete players and team members.”
EP Kings spokesman Sakhi Gqeba said; “The EP Kings Academy prides itself on being able to provide its players with a hands-on, development-focused opportunity to improve their play. Compared to other larger academies that include upwards of 200 players, EP Kings plan to keep their numbers below 40 well into the future in order to provide the individual attention necessary to achieve true success.”
Alan Straton
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