Madibaz can't catch a break
In their opening match, the Port Elizabeth students found themselves on the receiving end of a 12-19 defeat after UJ scored a last second try. Coach David Maidza was left despondent after that result as the try was scored following a double knock-on.
Lightning struck again in their backyard as current log leaders, Maties, somehow managed to scramble their way over the line with the final play of the game to hand them their second consecutive victory. While things went against his side, Maidza believes the numerous refereeing errors throughout the match, may have affected his players psychologically.
"I haven't had a chat to the boys about the standard of refereeing in the Maties game yet but I'm sure there were some calls that could have played a part in the team's morale at crucial stages. If you look back at the UJ game, they scored their winning try from a double knock on. So these errors are costing us.
"However, in the lead up to the Maties game, our chat was about playing above what the refs would dish out. Ultimately, we have to take control of our destiny and make sure we take the opportunities to beat the likes of Maties. With that said, I have tabled my concerns to the powers that be," Maidza told rugby365.com.
Despite the narrow loss, Maidza believes his young side are inches away from realising their potential as they possess something that cannot be coached – unity.
"I really think that this group has got a lot to offer. They are hungry, young individuals – which is something that can't be coached. The bond they have is amazing and all I have to do now is keep entrusting the belief in them that we will come good by making them realise they have the potential to go out and win matches.
"We just need to realise our potential and not allow the opposition to play as much as what we allowed Maties to do in the first half.
"It's a new group and it will take another game for them to realise how they measure up to the standard of the competition but what I have seen, as a coach, is that we have the talent. It [the results] is not about lapses in concentration levels or any other factor apart from the boys realising they are good enough to be fighting for top honours.
"We just have to look within and work on all the positives that we have and build on it. It's part of the learning process we are undergoing. We have to learn as quickly as possible to avoid such results," he added.
By Tauriq Ebrahim
