Understanding, executing and believing in their systems is the mooti Madibaz rugby coach David Manuel has prescribed for his players to ensure a solid run at the FNB Varsity Shield this year.
There will be no place to hide when the Mandela University side face off against a dangerous CPUT in Cape Town in the first match of their campaign on February 13.
Last year, the Madibaz enjoyed one of their most successful Shield competitions to date after reaching the final, ultimately ending their fairytale season as beaten finalists against Varsity College.
They also came agonisingly close to being promoted to the Varsity Cup – the top tier of the sport – when they went down 24-21 to UJ in the playoff.
There is, however, no place for sentiment as Manuel is quick to point out. It is a clean slate for everyone with the Madibaz focusing on a new challenge in an increasingly competitive environment.
“The competition among the teams has become very tight; it’s getting better and better each year,” the team’s longtime mentor emphasised.
“Teams are bulking up, preparation is improving, and with Wits dropping down from the Varsity Cup, the bar has been raised even further. Every match is going to be massively competitive.”
His charges have completed two intensive training camps as part of their pre-season preparations. They returned to the coalface earlier this week after being granted a five-day break.
The camps were vital in ensuring complete alignment within the squad, Manuel says.
“The focus was on getting absolute clarity around what we want to achieve as a group. We spent a lot of time discussing the strategies we want to implement and making sure there is full buy-in from everyone.”
The coaching staff also spent time on increasing the technical and tactical awareness of each player so that they understand their role and can execute accordingly within the greater game model