Left: Linda Shangase Middle: PBHS Sports Director – Mr Madikizela Right: Sandile soni
These young men have dedicated their time, efforts and the willingness to keep fighting through challenges and obstacles along the way and most importantly making use of all available resources to them to develop their understanding and awareness of the game of rugby. Linda plays loose-head prop and Sandile plays tight-head prop. Linda draws his inspiration from the well renowned former springbok prop veteran Tendai Mtawarira also known as ‘the beast’. Sandile prides himself in the set pieces of the game, he shows his strengths and abilities in the scrums and contributes to the team in lineouts by his strength of lifting the jumpers getting them to heights where they contest for opponents balls or giving his teammates jumpers to heights where they keep their possession of the ball. Linda displays qualities that coaches wish to have in their players that they coach. Both players display physicality and mobility. One thing that’s guaranteed is these boys don’t shy away from any opponent within their channel on the field of play.
Senior rugby coach at Pinetown Boys High School Mr. Lunga Ninela said ‘Linda is a down to earth humble character, he does not say much, he’s a person that moves around the field of play looking for work. Linda has worked very hard in the off season and preseason and truly deserves all accomplishments he’s now getting. He is exemplary in everything he does, he simply gets on with his work and concentrates with executing his tasks expected of him on the field and off the field in displaying great leadership characteristics.’.
Director of Sports Mr. Zukile Madikizela with great happiness had the following to say “Linda has always been a disciplined character on and off the field. He has grown his understanding of the rugby game in the past year, he has shown great interest in improving his technique at the scrum set-piece as prop as that is one area that many fail to master but Linda has grown his knowledge of rugby and his technique at the scrum. Pinetown Boys is continuing to produce provincial rugby players each year. When our rugby boys achieve great things, it has a ripple effect (We had Kwanda Mhlongo in 2023 who was selected to represent KwaZulu Natal schools team). This kind of environment sparks a fire with the teammates, who see the rewards of hard work and dedication by those selected for provincial selection. This motivates them to push themselves further, striving to grow as athletes and contribute to future successes.
Pinetown Boys’ High school Principal, Mr Sing proudly expressed his joy by commenting on the students of Pinetown Boys’ getting their call up to the provincial team by stating ‘ we are very proud of Linda Shangase and Sandile Soni for the achievement of making the Natal side . Having Kwanda Mhlongo leading the way and making the provincial team in 2023 inspired the boys and the rest of Pinetown Boys’ learners to strive for excellence in any aspect of life. It’s been a stellar season from the boys the results truly speak for themselves and as PBHS boys to fly the flag high and to show that the learners of PBHS still have players with the capability of playing at the highest level. We hope this will open more avenues for our boys and more especially the participation to grow for the game of rugby.’