Wits Rugby Snatches the Shield!
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A sold-out Wits Rugby Stadium saw the Blues lift a much-deserved Varsity Shield trophy.
The atmosphere was electric as students, lecturers, and people from across the country tuned in on TV, and sat in the stands, to see the final of the Varsity Shield. Wits captain, Latica Nela, led his team to an exciting victory that earned them a spot in next season’s Varsity Cup. Nela told Wits Sports about the story of the team’s season, their trials, their challenges and what they hope for the future.
The team made a massive splash in the Shield and ended the tournament as champions with an unbeaten streak. This came after months of preparation and could only be achieved with a cohesive, well-oiled machine on and off the pitch. Nela mentioned that the team was aware that the season would be a long one, but the team had two goals that kept them moving in a winning direction, to be promoted to the Varsity Cup for next season, and to win the Shield. They started the season with a draw against Walter Sisulu University (FNB WSU), but as the matches kept passing and the wins kept piling, their two goals felt closer than ever before.
“In many ways, I felt like we needed that draw, because a part of us came into this competition being complacent… and that draw was a wake-up call for us…” he said. And the team took it in stride and dominated the rest of the tournament. The synchronicity in the squad was integral to their success, and this balance helped to ensure that each player could shine. One such player was Lindani Dweba.
Dweba ended this exciting season as the top try scorer of the tournament, a feat that is far from easy, and a testament to his skill and hard work. “We came into this season knowing he was most likely to have a great season because of how he prepared… so it was no surprise that he was top try scorer,” Nela shared with pride, as both Dweba’s captain and roommate. “His overall performance was remarkable, and I am very proud of him.”
The team faced numerous ups and downs, which is part of the course in a tournament of this nature. One challenge that Nela and his team were determined to improve on was their consistency, stating that for every good performance there was a bad one, and the team sought out to rectify that. This was clearly amended as the season progressed, as the team managed to put on exciting displays that solidified their place in the competition and put them as a team to beat.
This exciting feat is one of many, and the team is excited for what the future may hold. “Like any other team, we are goal-driven, and two of our goals have already been achieved… so next is just building on what we’ve done this season and that’s to be a closer squad and to work even harder in the preseason,” Nela shared. More specifically, he mentioned that one day the team hopes to make it into the playoffs of the Varsity Cup, which would be a grand achievement.
With the team in such high spirits and their future path clearly defined, it is not too hard to imagine that the Wits Rugby team is moving in the right direction to achieve what they desire to strengthen the team, and university as players in the big leagues.
