Madibaz ready for student rugby sevens in George

The Port Elizabeth-based NMMU Madibaz will face stiff opposition when they take on South Africa’s top rugby-playing institutions at the University Sport South Africa rugby sevens tournament in George on December 1 and 2.

This will be the fifth consecutive year that the NMMU George Campus will play host to the national student tournament and more than 24 teams are slated to take part.

The tournament kicks off on Monday with the pool phase, followed by the knockout portion and finals on the Tuesday.

According to Madibaz rugby sevens coach Ryan le Roux their biggest challenge would come from reigning Cup champions the University of Pretoria (Tuks), and North West University (Pukke), who beat Madibaz George in the final of the Plate competition.

Last year’s Bowl and Shield winners, the University of Cape Town and Durban University of Technology, will also be back.

Le Roux said his men were quietly confident ahead of the competition.

“We have had a good nine weeks of training and are looking forward to knocking off some of the bigger varsity teams.”

He said the Madibaz’s primary goal was to secure a top-10 finish to qualify for the Varsity Sevens tournament.

They finished seventh overall at the 2013 Ussa championship and eighth in the Varsity Sevens tournament.

“For our George side, it’s always great playing at home. They will also not need to travel, which is always an advantage,” said Le Roux.

The full line-up of teams are: Cape Peninsula University of Technology; Central University of Technology; Durban University of Technology; Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (George); Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (Port Elizabeth); North West University; North West University; Polytechnic of Namibia; Rhodes University; Tshwane University of Technology; University of Cape Town; University of Fort Hare; University of Johannesburg; University of Limpopo; University of Pretoria; University of Stellenbosch; University of the Free State; University of the Western Cape; University of the Witwatersrand; University of Venda; Vaal University of Technology; Walter Sisulu University (East London); Walter Sisulu University (Ibika); Walter Sisulu University (Mthatha)