Coselelani Secondary School rugby player, Olwam Soya, left South Africa on Friday and went with the Mzwandile Mali XV Schools’ Rugby Tour Team to the United Kingdom.
Soya, whose rugby career started at Swartkops Primary School under principal and rugby coach, Lwandile Aba, was selected as a prop with other players during the Mzwandile Mali Schools’ Rugby Tournament that was played at Wolfson Stadium in April.
Soya said before he left Motherwell for Johannesburg, “I was introduced to rugby by principal Aba when I was a young boy at Swartkops Primary. When I was admitted to Coselelani Secondary, I was motivated by my rugby coach, Mthuthuzeli Yoyo, and our local rugby coach, Rev Lumkile Tete, to play rugby.
“When our school participated in the Mzwandile Mali Schools Rugby Tournament early this year, I played my heart out. I feel very honoured to play rugby overseas because I am the only one in my whole family to have this opportunity of playing overseas.”
Soya urged other learners to take sport seriously and highlighted that the youth should refrain from abusing drugs since they jeopardise their future.
His mother, Thuliswa Soya, stated that she initially had mixed feelings but later on she was excited that her son was part of the team that was going to play in England.
Principal Langa Tshangana said that they were on top of the world as the school to have their learner, who is a player from Motherwell, going to play in the United Kingdom.
Rugby coach, Nelisa Nonyukela, also stated that Soya has put Coselelani on the world rugby map.
Soya scored a beautiful try when his side defeated Seven Oaks Academy 40–7 on Sunday. Their two games will be against Brighton College on October 9 and the last game will be against Seven Oaks Academy at Oaks Club on October 12. They are expected back on October 14.
