Fans, young players spend a day with rugby’s ‘Beast’
A SMALL group of avid rugby fans and junior players received a once-ina-lifetime experience of an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Cape Town Stadium led by one of South Africa’s most famed rugby players – the “Beast”.
Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira gave the group a raw look into his personal life and journey through the stadium tour yesterday, taking them to see areas mostly inaccessible to the everyday spectator.
The tour was made possible through a competition held by AEG South Africa, of which Mtawarira is a brand ambassador.
The empty arena provided an intimate backdrop for one-on-one questions and photo opportunities.
The group was able to take the same route as professional players would from the moment the team’s bus arrives at the Team A entrance to the changing rooms to the tunnel through to the stadium.
The former Springbok prop shared pre- and post -game traditions, including their full body submersions in ice water.
Langa rugby student Katlego Nxazonke from Curro Delft High School said: “It’s quite an experience being here because I get to actually meet a Springbok player that I’ve been watching for the longest time.
“My teammates and I have always dreamt of becoming Springbok players so this is the start of that and we started playing rugby this year.
“Being in this space is actually a peak opportunity.”
Mtawarira said the biggest challenge was taking losses. “That was something I struggled with. I almost got into a state of depression after we lost a match. I started to actually work on it very early on in my career. Things happen for a reason and sometimes a loss is a win because you can learn a lot, you can grow from it.”
One of the scariest moments? “As an athlete, you never want to hear that your heart is malfunctioning. That was a tough moment for me but I also learnt a lot and grew.”
The Zimbabwean-South African’s professional rugby career spanned 13 years, with the former Sharks and Springbok player now working on a special wine collection.