Captain’s profile: Uzair Davids
New Orleans captain Uzair Davids is a player for the big occasion; a natural leader and ideal player to man the last line of defence.
The talented fullback has proven big match temperament, which will serve New Orleans well in their FNB Classic Clash against Klein Nederburg in Paarl on Saturday.
“I handle pressure well. It brings out the best in me as a player,” Davids admitted.
Davids toured to Japan in 2011 while still at Paarl Boys’ before he displayed his skills for New Orleans in this year’s St. John's College Easter Rugby Festival.
Davids, who made the move to New Orleans last year, said he cherishes captaining the first XV.
“It's been a privilege to lead my team,” he said. “Having teammates believe in me is a great honour. As captain I try to motivate the players around me, bring the best out of them and set a good example.”
Davids has big goals that he wants to achieve in the sport, saying: “I want to reach great heights in professional rugby. If the opportunity arises, I’ll grab it with both hands.”
For now, though, his focus is on this weekend’s big game – a match of great importance for Davids and his teammates.
“This year is one of the most important years of my life. As a team we want to make this one count. Since 1984 we have won 23 matches out of 29 but history remains history. It's a new ball game on Saturday,” he said.
“They are a highly respected team and school, and as a captain I always respect my opponents. They will be physical up front with a skilful backline as usual.
“As any other team we have had our ups and down, but we strive towards becoming better by practicing and getting results when it counts.
“We are ready for what will be the quickest 70 minutes of our school rugby careers. We’re proud to represent our school and community and will do our best on Saturday.”
