He throws weight behind Boks
SA, England Rugby World Cup Final kick-off today @ 11am Zim time.
AS we head into the championship game of the most beautiful sport on the planet, in Yokohama, Japan, this morning, I’ve been reflecting on my friend’s remarkable journey to get to where he is now.
We played rugby together, and against each other, since we were 13.
Back then Tendai “Beast’’ Mtawarira was a feared Number 8, known for his destructive carrying which often left bodies of would-be defenders littered all over the field.
On a good day, he required the attention of three defenders, make that five on a bad day for the opposition, but now he is busy making life a living hell for elite tight-heads, secure good clean ball for his team and dominating the contact point.
Believe it or not, in one game in my senior year of high school, I was the legend.
Buckle up as I make this about myself for a minute.
The year is 2003 and this is the first game of the season, Watershed College vs Peterhouse Boys at Shane Buckley field, Watershed.
My task from my coach was simple, or you would think, “’you are the openside flanker today son, I don’t want you to do anything else but contain Beast.’’
As a much shorter, robust but relatively quick athlete, it wasn’t a straightforward task to complete.
Trying to deal with a 6’1, 103 kgs boy (astounding stats for a Zimbabwean high schoolboy) but, dare I say it, I came out on top that day - thwarting every 8th man pick this man-mountain tried to execute and I duly got the man-of-the-match award for it.
But, that’s as good as it gets for me as it’s probably the only time I’ve ever got the best of this man.
His work ethic is unmatched, his drive and passion to succeed and reinvent himself are out of this world while his humility and love for people is exceptional.
He is a much better man than I am but I will take that win, on that sunny Marondera afternoon, as a treasured victory.
I always tell the story that almost all rugby players of my era in Zimbabwe’s high schools dreamt of going professional but 90% of us didn’t really believe we could.
It’s simply because there was no reference point for us to say “gee, that dude from the same background as me, is up there playing Super (Rugby), so this can actually be done.’’
Most Super Rugby teams were full of big white foreign nationals that we loved and idolised but didn’t really relate to.
Beast, though, saw it differently, he was futuristic, he saw himself there and fashioned his lifestyle around this dream, even sacrificing holidays and free times to work on his craft, a rare and “unnecessary” thing at that time among our peers.
Now, because of his achievements, a lot of black Zimbabwean and South African kids coming up have actual belief it can be done because he has blazed the trail.
So, it is no surprise that he, a young black boy from Zimbabwe is preparing to play the most important game of his life this morning - the Rugby World Cup Final against England in arguably the third biggest World Sporting Stage after the Olympics and FIFA World Cup.
Wow!
Last December, a group of us, friends and family, were vacationing, as is our custom every year, in Victoria Falls.
As you can imagine, we were having the time of our lives. It also happened to be during the lead up to my wedding and we were there getting happy, and fat, on nice food and drink.
But, not the
Beast!
He was on rice cakes, salad, salmon strips and green tea while practicing twice a day in the gorge of the Zambezi.
The result?
He has posted career high stats, especially in 10m and 50m acceleration!
This speaks of explosiveness and dynamism.
Realistically, these should be diminishing at this stage of his career, so, how is that possible that they are getting better?
The answer - sheer determination and good, old, hard work.
He is the most capped Springbok in the team, third, among the all-time statistics behind legends Victor Matfield and Bryan Habana.
He is the most capped South Africa Super Rugby player, the most capped Springboks prop of all-time, the most capped black African, man I could go on and on.
Out of 117 Tests he has only come off the replacements bench 15 times. Astonishing!
His durability, longevity and consistency are really a marvel.
He has meticulously, and deliberately, prepared for this moment since he was about 16.
Now, go on and take your place you Legend, you are a Greatest Of All-Time in my eyes my brother and I’m very proud of you and grateful to be sharing this moment with you.
Whatever the outcome today, your name is etched among the greats of this beautiful game.
* Kisset Chirengende is the founder and director business development of Kyros Sports and a friend, once-upon-schoolboy rival, of Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira