Kemp's bid to be the best

As one of the form flyhalves in the Western Cape at present, FNB Maties star André Kemp is aware that he needs to maintain his red-hot form simply to hold on to the No.10 shirt at the club.

Stellenbosch University – as is always the case – boasts plenty of depth across the board, with Kemp’s rapid rise this season a case in point.

The 22-year-old started 2010 as the third choice flyhalf at the club, before an injury to Hayden Groepes and Conrad Hoffmann’s call-up to the Western Province Vodacom Cup team saw the former Paarl Gymnasium scholar thrust into the No.10 shirt against Tukkies.

That game against Tuks was on March 1, in Round Five of the Varsity Cup, and the Men in Maroon have not looked back since Kemp’s elevation to the starting line-up.

A third successive Varsity Cup title was the first achievement with Kemp at No.10, and, since then, he has also guided Stellenbosch to four successive Western Province Super League victories.

Kemp, however, is not about to rest on his laurels. In fact, the little playmaker is determined to keep churning out these excellent performances as he looks to help his team to yet another Super League title, whilst also establishing himself as a regular in the Maties first team in the process.

“I got my first taste of first team rugby last year, off the bench a few times, but I spent most of the time playing for Vics [Maties’ second team],” Kemp told varsitycup.co.za.

“So, from that point of view it’s been a great year so far for me – the Varsity Cup, in particular, was really enjoyable. But things are not any easier in the league… it’s really, really physical – in fact, I’m still a bit sore after Wednesday’s game against Durbanville!”

It certainly does not get any easier for the Men in Maroon this weekend, when they travel to Cape Town to take on Hamilton’s – the side that usurped them as WP and National Club champions.

“We’d obviously love nothing more than winning back the league title and qualifying for the Club Champs, but it does not matter who we are playing against – the team who took our title away or a team lower down on the log,” said Kemp.

“Any way you look at it, it’s a big game,” he added. “There is obviously plenty at stake – with the league title and the Club Champs – but we’re worried about our performance only, the rest will take care of itself.”

Kemp’s goalkicking – not to mention his general play – has been a major factor for Stellenbosch this season and will no doubt have a huge bearing on things come the weekend.

Last Saturday, against NNK, he missed just two kicks at goal from ten attempts – and also scored two tries – whilst on Wednesday he converted all four the Maties’ tries and also added a penalty goal for good measure.

“(Head coach) Chean Roux and (backline coach) Sollie Goosen have been huge influences on me this season,” said Kemp, whose rugby hero is England’s Jonny Wilkinson.

“Chean, in particular, has had a big influence on my game. He has put great structures in place and he encourages us (players) to play what we see in front of us.”

And the goalkicking?

“It’s something I work very hard on – you have to,” admitted Kemp, who formed the Paarl Gym halfback combination with current Stormers scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage back in 2006.

“Dewald used to do the goalkicking at school, so I started kicking after school only. I initially did some work with Sherylle Calder, who was brilliant, and this year Sollie has helped me iron out a few minor issues in my technique.”

Away from his rugby commitments, André keeps busy at Stellenbosch University with his studies – he studies accountancy, along with teammate Lourens Adriaanse – and he is considering extending his studies in order to play one more year of Varsity Cup rugby in 2011.

He concluded: “Playing at any level for Western Province would also be great, but I first need to make sure I play well enough in the league to keep my place and, of course, ensure that I stay in the Maties starting line-up for the Varsity Cup in 2011…

“Then, and only then, can I start worrying about other honours or decisions I need to make!”