A rock-solid defence has stood between the Madibaz’s try
line and their opponents as the team from Gqeberha raced to three consecutive
wins at the start of their FNB Varsity Shield campaign.
In defeating University of Fort Hare 31-6 last Friday,
the miserly Mandela University outfit have now conceded a mere 13 points since
the opening round.
The students from Nelson Mandela Bay along with University
of Pretoria and Varsity College are now the only unbeaten sides left in the
2024 competition.
The Madibaz have accumulated 14 log points, which put
them only one behind the other two sides.
Inside centre Troy Delport, named the Player that
Rocks against Fort Hare, said suffocating the opposition on defence had become
a point of honour for the squad.
“As a team we pride ourselves on our defence and we
have set ourselves specific defensive goals going into each game,” the
22-year-old said.
“And that is to allow our opponents as few points as
possible and to try to stop them from scoring tries.”
It is a game plan that has reaped rich rewards as only
Cape Peninsula University of Technology have been able to breach their line –
as far back as the opening game.
The University of KwaZulu-Natal were shut out 30-0 while
UFH only managed to slot two penalties.
Delport said their defensive system was only effective
if everyone worked together and focused on the details. He doubted that any
other team has worked as hard and prepared as well as them.
“Our blueprint is to stay in the moment, prepare well
and work hard for the next game.”
Any other challenges faced this year were a moot point
so they just had to knuckle down to meet the demands of the tournament, he said.
In his final year with Madibaz, the business studies
student was delighted to have been recognised as the most outstanding player in
a match. It was an accolade that also befell him 12 months ago.
“It’s a great feeling because I have been working hard
on my game,” the player who grew up in Tarkastad said.
Last year he was also nominated for the overall Backline
Player that Rocks award and, although losing out in the final vote, he felt
that being in the running had been an achievement in itself.
Delport learnt his rugby in Cradock in the Eastern
Cape and bases his game on physicality. This season, he has been attempting to
lift his intensity in running onto the ball as well as in the tackling
department.
However, it is his rugby intelligence that has really
benefitted under the watchful eye of coach David Manuel and his support team.
“They have had a huge impact on me, both as a player
and person.”
Going forward it was now a matter of the team
continuing to tick the small boxes that made a difference to the big picture,
the number 12 said.
The men from the Bay will next run out against Walter
Sisulu in Gqeberha on Friday. The game is scheduled to start at 15:00.
