The Madibaz will be under severe pressure to get their FNB Varsity Shield campaign back on track when they meet UKZN in their first home game on Friday.
According to towering lock Luan Verster, who debuted for the Mandela University outfit in their 30-20 loss to CPUT in Cape Town last week, their belief remains untarnished.
“Success is never defined by one match but by the growth that follows,” the 20-year-old said earlier this week.
“We don’t want to dwell on the mistakes too much because we know they can be corrected. That’s where our focus will be.”
The first-year marketing student described his first game as both “nerve-wracking and unforgettable”.
“I wasn’t 100 per cent sure what to expect and was [initially] struck by the electric atmosphere,” Verster said.
However, once the match began, he was able to shift his focus to the job at hand and execute his role with aplomb.
It was a good start for Verster, who wants to look back on his first season with the Gqeberha outfit knowing he made a “meaningful contribution in every game”.
The physicality, camaraderie and values instilled by the sport were what initially drew in the youngster from the farming community of Letsitele in Limpopo.
His rugby story began at the age of six with Bulletjie Rugby, a mini-rugby format aimed at five to nine-year-olds.
“The sport never felt like a chore,” Verster admitted.
“Training sessions were opportunities to spend time with friends and match days became family occasions.”
His team dominated their local primary school league, and that early taste of success fuelled his passion for the game even more.
The tactical and technical foundations were laid by coach Fred Jordaan, and his dad, Arné, quickly became his greatest supporter.
Bielie Grundling, captain of the Naka Bulls club team in Pretoria, is another who played an important role in his development.
Being part of the Naka Bulls team, which clinched the 2025 Carlton Cup in the Pretoria league and Gold Cup at the national club championship, are some of his proudest achievements.
Joining the Madibaz programme is another step forward for the player who stands 1.95m tall and weighs in at 115kg.
Most of his time is dedicated to training and studies as he adjusts to life in a new city.
“Moving to Gqeberha and leaving family and friends behind pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I believe the experience has accelerated my personal growth,” Verster said.
He hopes his journey will one day take him all the way into the professional rank,s but he is acutely aware that it requires a relentless effort to get there.
“My philosophy centres on preparation. That means training hard, ensuring I’m match-ready and giving everything on game day.”
The colossus from the greater Tzaneen district plays for personal fulfilment, his teammates and coaches, admitting he values “the brotherhood within the squad”.
