CENTURION CHILIBOY KEEPS PUSHING
CHILIBOY Ralepelle’s career that has had its ups and downs; from leading the Springboks at the tender age of
20, in 2006, against a World XV team, to a steroid ban in 2012. The former Pretoria Boys High pupil has seen it all.
However, since making his way back to South Africa, via the Sharks, the hooker has reinvigorated his game, picking up his 100th Super Rugby cap just last week.
Ralepelle’s past few years at the Sharks has seen him recalled into the Springbok fold, picking up a few more caps along the way, playing his way back to the top of rugby’s pyramid after a long absence.
The hooker amassed 69 caps for CAUTIOUSLY CONFIDENT: Brumbies captain Christian Leali’ifano says it’s very possible to pull off a win against the Lions on Saturday. THE ONE-TIME hot property of Australian rugby, the Brumbies, are hoping to take advantage of a travel weary Lions side when the teams meet at Ellis Park in a Super Rugby game on Saturday.
While the home team would ordinarily be the favourites to win the clash, the fact they arrived back in South Africa earlier this week after a four-week trip of Australasia may just ensure the Brumbies wear the favourites tag this weekend.
Swys de Bruin’s men are reeling after a disappointing tour Down Under where they started with a surprising 29-0 win against the Waratahs but then lost three on the trot to the Reds, Hurricanes and Highlanders. On top of that they have lost inspirational and key man, hooker Malcolm Marx, to injury while it is doubtful Warren Whiteley will play for the team before the June break.
It’s not a happy Lions camp at the moment and the Brumbies seem to believe they have an opportunity to pull off what would bea the Bulls before he left for France to play for Toulouse, spending two years there but only playing 16 games.
Ralepelle also picked up his twoyear ban in France, while recovering from a knee injury that also stymied his growth as a player. After leaving France, he popped up in Durban, looking to revive his career somewhat, but arriving at the age of
29, there was not too much expected of the veteran who had had such a rocky road thus far.
But as it stands today, Ralepelle must be one of the first on Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus’ list for hooker, especially with the incumbent Malcolm Marx out of the June series against Wales and England.
He is now a Super Rugby centurion, and is counting each and every one of his blessings.
“It is a massive blessing to be part of the Sharks and this has really been a family to me,” Ralepelle said. “To get the 100 caps, and to run out for the Sharks for my 100th cap, it was a special moment, and very emotional.
“When I reflect back to my first game in 2006 to today, it feels like yesterday. But if you had asked me in 2006 if I see myself with 100 caps, Super Rugby Caps, I probably would have said no.” surprise win. They also arrived in Joburg earlier this week but before they can even think about toppling the Lions at Ellis Park they’re going to have to find some answers themselves about their current poor run of form.
They’ve won only three times in 10 matches this year to be fourth in the Australian Conference and have not bagged a win in their last four outings. They’ve also, somewhat surprisingly when compared to the heyday of Brumbies rugby, conceded 30 tries and scored only 28.
But the Brumbies are a side that should never to be written off – several of their losses this year have come late on in games – and perhaps they may catch the Lions cold on Saturday. De Bruin’s men have, after all, travelled from Joburg to Sydney to Brisbane to Wellington to Dunedin to Sydney and back to Joburg in the last few weeks.
“I don’t think two weeks (away together) is something you target to get the group together,” Brumbies captain Christian Leali’ifano told the Canberra Times about his team’s visit to South Africa where they will play the Bulls next weekend.
Ralepelle’s rising up was no accident though, the hooker has been hard at work since being given his chance in Durban, and admits that a lot of it has come down to conditioning and mental preparation.
“What I did was work with the conditioning coaches,” Ralepelle explained. “They worked hard with me on the side, to do a lot more conditioning. On the mental side of things, I pay a lot of attention to that now, were previously I didn’t pay much attention to the mindset of the game and how you get yourself up for every game at all. That is one thing that has changed from last year to this year’s performance.”
Ralepelle has become integral to the Sharks’ cause, pushing himself to be more than just a safe option in case “We’ve been together for a while now. We just have to learn lessons in the losses. Is two weeks enough to get that done … we don’t know.”
The Brumbies are no longer the team that won the competition under the guidance of Eddie Jones and David Nucifora in 2001 and
2004 respectively, when such players as George Gregan,Stephen Larkham, Matt Giteau, Joe Roff, George Smith, Radike Samo and Owen Finegan were all superstars.
In a tight game that for a long period was locked at 3-3 in Canberra last year, Kwagga Smith scored a late try to help his team edge the hosts 13-6.
The visitors this week will bank on seasoned backs like Henry Speight, Tevita Kuridrani and Leali’ifano – all quality Wallabies players – and forwards like Scott Sio, Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold and Sam Carter and may even welcome back from injury outstanding flank David Pocock.
Both teams have plenty to prove this weekend … and it really is anyone’s game to win. Kick-off on Saturday is 5.15pm.
Inspirational Sharks hooker’s hard work seems to be paying off as he finds himself back on top of rugby pyramid
one of the younger guys go down. He has been rotating with the explosive Akker van der Merwe this season, seeing as Franco Marais is on his way to Gloucester, and adding some much needed experience at times.
Ralepelle’s revival is an inspirational story as the soft-spoken hooker takes it all in his stride, simply trying to improve when ever he gets the chance to shine – be it at the Boks, or in Durban.
“It was a dream come true,” Ralepelle added about his 100-cap milestone.
“Just one of those things that worked out as I stayed on the path, and at the end of the day I just say thanks to the Lord for what he has given me, to be able to play this game in a wonderful spirit with a bunch of brothers.”