Lasting lessons learnt in women’s rugby hiatus
Though men’s rugby has ground to a halt and salaries have been cut during the pandemic, the players continue to be paid. Women’s rugby had the rug pulled from under its feet.
Springbok women’s utility back Piwokuhle Nyanda was one of those who had nothing to fall back on when the coronavirus ended sport in March.
The lockdown, which has been gradually eased to the point where rugby players have been allowed to return to training, has obliterated incomes across many spheres.
Nyanda, who coached the girls U16 and U18 teams at Greenside High School in Johannesburg, relied on her family, but has learnt important lessons.
“Some days were really hard, some days were hopeful, but if there’s anything lockdown taught me, it was to be able to live with myself.
“You learn new things about yourself.
“You compete with yourself in everything, but it’s created a mirror for me in which I’ve become a better and more disciplined person,” Nyanda said.
“Things are a bit better now because we’re receiving assistance from SA Rugby, but I’m still on the hunt for a job.”
Like most women in sport Nyanda, 27, had to get herself educated to have something to fall back on after rugby has run its course.
She is an operations management graduate from the University of Johannesburg, having matriculated from Bedfordview High School in 2012.
Her experience at national level last year encouraged her to take rugby seriously.
“I only really thought about rugby as a full-time matter when I got called up for the national team.
“Once I completed my studies last year, I realised I could make some sort of a living out of the game,” Nyanda said.
A Mastercard-funded rugby excursion to Dubai with her club last year, when she met double Rugby World Cup-winning All Blacks flyhalf Dan Carter, changed Nyanda’s mindset about how she should approach her rugby.
“There’s something special about Dan Carter.
“He told me to keep on working hard and trust the process.
“I think from there I realised that I was working hard, but not hard enough,” Nyanda said.
“Those conversations really changed my belief of how I saw things. After all, failure’s temporary. It’s the hard work that’s important.”
Lockdown robbed Nyanda of her interactions with players, and those under her charge.
“I miss the kids so much. They’re one of the reasons I love what I do. They love rugby and they look up to me. I also have a duty to be a mentor, a role model and a leader,” she said.