Xavier Mitchell, die 24-jarige vleuel van die Boland Kavaliers, is besig om naam te maak in die Curriebeker-reeks \u2013 maar sy pad hierheen was alles behalwe maklik. Mitchell se rugbydroom het egter van boupersele tot drywer nooit uit sy hart verdwyn nie.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mitchell, ‘n oudleerder aan die Laerskool William Lloyd- en die Ho\u00ebrskool Klein Nederburg in die Paarl, het n\u00e1 skool aanvanklik saam met sy oupa aan geboue gewerk. Daarna het hy as drywer by Talisman en Nissan gewerk. Maar in die agterkop het ‘n groter droom altyd geleef \u2013 om professioneel rugby te speel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Ek moes kies tussen ‘n veilige werk en my droom. Ek het met die ondersteuning van my meisie, Tarryn Andries, besluit om die sprong te waag toe die afrigter Franzel September my die kans by Boland gee,” s\u00ea hy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mitchell het op klubvlak naam gemaak met Roses United, waar hy hoofsaaklik as buitesenter gespeel het. N\u00e1 sy oorgang na Boland het die afrigter Hawies Fourie egter sy potensiaal as vleuel raakgesien. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die skuif het ‘n nuwe dimensie aan sy spel gegee. “Op vleuel is jy meer op jouself aangewese \u2013 jy moet vinniger dink, ho\u00eb balle hanteer en jou verdediging slyp. Ek het hard gewerk aan my spoed en besluitneming,” verduidelik hy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Maar my hart bly by buitesenter \u2013 dis waar ek voel ek die spel beter verstaan en beheer kan uitoefen.” \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sy hoogtepunte sluit in ‘n Curriebeker-wedstryd teen die Lions, waar hy suksesvol alle afskoppe hanteer het \u2013 in ‘n posisie wat nie oorspronklik syne was nie. “Dit was ‘n persoonlike mylpaal. Ek kon wys ek dra waarde \u2013 selfs buite my gemaksone.” \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mitchell glo sy tyd by Roses United het die grondslag gel\u00ea vir sy huidige sukses. “Daar het ek geleer hoe spanwerk soos familie moet voel \u2013 dit berei jou voor vir die druk en tempo van provinsiale rugby.” \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hy kyk met ‘n sterk werksetiek en diepe geloof vorentoe met groot drome \u2013 insluitend om eendag die Springboktrui aan te trek. “Ek dra nie net my eie hoop nie \u2013 ek dra my familie se nalatenskap,” s\u00ea hy trots.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mitchell se ma, Anthea, is die suster van die ontslape legendariese Chester Williams en verwant aan Avril Williams, albei voormalige Springbokke. Sy pa, Franklin, het in die WP-liga gespeel en sy oupa Wilfred Williams was in die 1980’s lid van die Proteas. “Met harde werk, fokus en God se genade, glo ek ek kan die Groen-en-Goud dra,” s\u00ea Mitchell. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
En met sy toewyding en nederigheid is hy gewis ‘n naam om dop te hou.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Xavier Mitchell, die 24-jarige vleuel van die Boland Kavaliers, is besig om naam te maak in die Curriebeker-reeks \u2013 maar sy pad hierheen was alles behalwe maklik. Mitchell se rugbydroom 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