Pienaar's Fort Hare 'dream'

World Cup-winning Springbok captain Francois Pienaar has given the ambitious University of Fort Hare team a glimpse of what it takes to be a winner and encouraged them to chase the dream of playing in the Varsity Cup.

Rated the best team at the 2008 USSA (University Sport South Africa), Fort Hare came close to qualifying for the 2009 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International, only to lose out in promotion/relegation games against Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) late last year.

On Monday they get another teaser, a taste of the big league, when Fort Hare and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) play in a televised curtain-raiser to the Varsity Cup double header at UCT’s Groote Schuur fields.

And, at a specially-arranged function on Friday, Pienaar gave the Fort Hare team a ‘pep-talk’ – urging them to seize the opportunity.

He explained that the Varsity Cup is not meant to be exclusive to just eight universities.

“We want it to be an opportunity for other universities as well and you have that opportunity,” Pienaar told the gathering of players at Newlands.

“We wanted to create a vehicle for other universities, but they must prepare themselves and grab that opportunity,” Pienaar said, adding that he wants to congratulate Fort Hare on their performance at the USAA last year.

“It is great to see you have bought into the Varsity Cup and then to get into the promotion-relegation match. It gave you a taste of what this is all about.

“Grab this year as a major opportunity. You’ve done well, don’t go backwards now,” he said.

He urged the Eastern Cape students to prepare well for the USSA week this year.

“Make sure you play a style of rugby that is unique and makes you competitive, a style of rugby that people will come and watch,” he said, adding that they have made their communities proud by already reaching the promotion-relegation and doing so well in the USSA week.

“It [the Eastern Cape] is the bedrock of rugby and many quality players have come from the Eastern Cape. This is now an opportunity for you, as players.”

Pienaar also gave the students a few hints about it will take to succeed, telling them to embrace the four Ds – desire, dedication, determination and discipline.

By Jan de Koning at Newlands