Progress boss hails star side’s guts
Commitment, determination and sacrifice were the attributes that led to Progress dominating the Eastern Cape Super 14 club rugby competition, the team’s president Deon Basson said after the side romped to yet another milestone.
Progress again asserted their dominance when they retained the title by beating their arch-rivals PE Harlequins 19-15 at the WJ De Wet Stadium in Despatch.
Progress were denied home-ground advantage when the organisers decided to take the final to Despatch, owing to the unsatisfactory condition of their Central Fields stadium, dubbed the “House of Pain”.
However, this did not deter them. Basson attributed the team’s performance to the incredible commitment of the players and the technical staff, led by coaches Deon Booysen and Elroy Ligman. “You can have all the talent in the world, but if you are not willing to work hard and commit to the cause, you are as good as nothing,” he said.
“I always tell the guys that hard work beats talent any time of the week.
“Everybody is prepared to die for this club and that has been the cornerstone of our success.
“When the home-ground advantage was taken away from us, it served as a motivating factor to double our efforts.”
Basson said retaining the Super 14 crown they won in 2019 before the competition was put on hold due to Covid-19 had proved that they did not do it by fluke.
Progress were the only team that finished the competition unbeaten in eight games, which won them the team of the competition award. Their captain Deon “Moya” Plaatjies was voted player of the tournament and Darrion Edwards the man of the match after contributing 14 points in the final.
While Progress, whose victory came with a R40,000 prize, are without doubt the most dominant side in club rugby competition, Basson said there were other players waiting in the wings to slot in should their star players get snatched by other sides in higher leagues.
“Already our players have been recruited by EP Elephants, but we have others ready to slot into their places.
”They know that this platform leads to bigger things.”
Progress have been invited to participate in the Saldanha Bay Easter Tournament, where they will represent the province against eight other clubs from different regions.