The FNB Madibaz presented a united front to tame FNB UFH and their vociferous supporters in their third-round FNB Varsity Shield rugby match in Alice on Friday. David Manuel’s outfit, who made it back-to-back wins as they dismantled their opponents 49-11 in their own backyard, are back for more of the same against FNB WSU.
“We focus a lot on growth and being better week after week,” lock Dewald Gerber, who crossed the whitewash for one of the Gqeberha side’s nine tries, said.
“We said that the 23 players and management are our community. We knew we needed to stand strong and motivate each other throughout.”
If someone made a mistake, two or three players were right there to “lift him” and motivate him to “focus on the next job. We can’t go down a dark tunnel because of one error,” Gerber said.
That translated into a dominant forward display.
“We spoke the whole week about winning the set-piece battle, and we dominated there,” Gerber, explaining that they anticipated the game would be won by the best forward pack on the day, said.
Although proud of their effort, he cautioned that there were still improvements to be made before Friday’s home game against WSU. The latter are two points to the good on the log as a result of their drawn match against Wits in the first round and remain unbeaten from their opening salvo.
As to his own performance, Gerber confessed that he had been “shocked” but “grateful” after receiving the nod from the adjudicators.
“It just shows that I have it in me.”
Being able to switch between lock and the side of the scrum, the man who was born in Komani but moved to Gqeberha three years later, is steadily carving out his place as a key utility forward in the FNB Madibaz set-up.
He possesses a physical presence and mature outlook that belie his age and augur well for the future.
His FNB Varsity Shield debut was against CPUT in the opening round of the 2024 season – his very first at this level - and his last performance shows there is more to come from the Mandela University sport management student.
While pleased with his impact, Gerber is working hard to better his power step into contact, whether tackling or carrying.
“Coach David has been hard on me to improve that.”
The coaching team, he said, always pushed them to be the best version of themselves.