Mind over matter as Madibaz target spot in Varsity Cup
● Final showdown with UWC to decide automatic promotion to top tier
A good dose of mental strength pushed FNB Madibaz hooker Keaton Olivier to the Player that Rocks performance in last week’s FNB Varsity Shield rugby encounter against the University of Fort Hare.
The 20-year-old Nelson Mandela University student went over for a remarkable four tries in defeating their Eastern Cape rivals 24-6 in Gqeberha last Thursday.
Olivier will now wear the pink shorts depicting his achievement in their final round-robin match against the University of Western Cape at home today.
Against Fort Hare, Olivier, who switched from flank to hooker for the match, had to show his mental resolve after a shaky start.
“As they are the reigning Varsity Shield champions, I knew we had to tick all our boxes in preparation for the game.
“When I woke up on Thursday I felt positive, but then I overthrew my first three lineouts and that was tough to deal with.
“But after I scored my first try, I knew that I was in the game.”
The second-year biokinetics student grew up in Komani before moving to Gqeberha where he attended primary and high school.
Thanks to his father, who played and coached club rugby in Komani, his love for the sport was cultivated at a young age.
“My Saturdays were mainly spent watching him play and coach, normally kicking and running with the ball next to the field,” Olivier said.
“Some of my earliest memories were when my dad used to bring the tackling bags home and we would spend an hour playing in the back yard, hitting the bags, plus the odd tackle on dad when I was upset at him about something.”
He began placing greater emphasis on the sport from Grade 10 and did not look back when he entered the Madibaz ranks.
“My game has gone from strength to strength. It was obviously a huge step up from high school into a programme such as we have at Madibaz.”
He played his best rugby when he was in an environment where he had the confidence to express himself on the park.
“The big lesson I have learnt is you get out what you put in.
“You have to be willing to sacrifice a lot of personal time to be successful and understand that it is 99% mental and one per cent physical.”
Though they pushed their bodies to the limit each week in training, few really understood and recognised the importance of the mental side of the game. That resolve will stand the Madibaz in good stead when they tackle the unbeaten UWC.
“The biggest challenge is what is at stake when we run out on that field,” Olivier said.
“We know the game that UWC will bring to us.
“They are a good outfit and well-coached so it’s going to be the match of the campaign in my opinion.”
Whoever wins will earn promotion to the top-tier Varsity Cup, so there is plenty riding on the encounter.
The match will be televised on SuperSport.
Kickoff is at 3.30pm.