Team Profile: The Panthers RFC
The Panthers RFC was formed in 2006, when high-school rivalries were set aside, and a bond was first made between fifteen men from KwaZulu-Natal.
These men, the descendants of the legendary Hilton, Kearsney and Michaelhouse clans set forth in that year to re-shape the internal league rugby of UCT forever. The Panthers, like the ferocious felines, sank their claws into every team that opposed them.
Still adapting to the arduous conditions (non-stop showers and gale-force winds) of the Green Mile, The Panthers have not yet been able to claim a league title. However, this year the team is determined to open up some old wounds, in an effort to claim the cup.
The team is headed and captained by their alpha-male, who comes in the form of our No.8, Peter ‘Loop’ Walker. He is unstoppable off the base of the scrum, and this powerhouse has been known to score from his own 22 – leaving the limp bodies of unsuccessful defenders in his wake.
Our two flankers Matthew ‘Pundu’ MacDonald and Jimmy ‘The Thief’ Owen represent the paws of the Panther, as they drive South Africa’s crime-rate through the roof with the amount of ball that they steal on the pitch. These are just a few names that form part of the well-oiled and agile forward pack that don the black and white.
The backline sports more talent than the line-up at Mavericks.
Fly half Matthew ‘The Wizard’ Bowes has been known to single handedly tear opposition backlines apart with his cunning footwork and creative kicking. The centre combination of Devan ‘Crash-ball’ Kerr and Rutger ‘Doosh’ Duetsch is the embodiment of champagne rugby.
With ‘Crash-ball’ being able to stampede over any opposite number and ‘Doosh’ able to squeeze through gaps tighter than a nun’s nasty, one understands why the Panthers’ backline is a force to be reckoned with.
But above all, the camaraderie and fellowship shown both on and off the field by the players is what makes the Panthers a fearless unit; ready to sink its teeth into all that oppose them. And hey, we’re always willing to have a couple beers in the clubhouse after the game if you’re keen.
By Clement le Roux
