Captain's profile: Jamie van Niekerk
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Kasselsvlei captain Jamie van Niekerk wants his team to enjoy the occasion when they face old rivals Bellville South in their Classic Clash on Saturday.
The 18-year-old matriculant does not want the match to signal the pinnacle of his players’ short rugby careers, but rather a stepping stone to greater things in the sport.
"I want them to go out and enjoy the game. It’s not the end, but the start of their rugby careers," he said.
Van Niekerk is comfortable in any position in the backrow and feels that he has the right balance between his roles as a player and as captain to make a difference in his team's performance.
"It is a great privilege and it is a proud moment in my school career to be named captain. My philosophy as captain is that no man is bigger than the game and my strength in that role is that I am able to motivate my teammates,” Van Niekerk added.
The 1.7m, 87kg loose forward says the highlight of his career so far has been his team's 12-6 victory in last year's Classic Clash, which was only their third win in eight meetings against Bellville South at this level.
Van Niekerk believes he has good team this year to make it two wins in a row.
"For Saturday's game we have a good mix of experience and new comers. We are expecting them to come out with all engines blazing," he said.
Van Niekerk wants to take his studies further and wants to be successful in any endeavour that comes his way. With regards to rugby he wants to become a better player.
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