Reservoir Hills Rhinos ready to gore
THE RESERVOIR Hills Rhinos
Rugby Club have developed a stirring reputation in local amateur circles over the years.
Their gutsy performances have seen them punch above their weight in the KZN Rugby Union’s fifth division and their title-winning effort in 2009 is their best achievement to date.
They opted not to accept promotion in 2010 due to a lack of squad depth.
It was a move that halted their momentum, but a few years on the club’s administrators and players are determined to build the club up again.
With the 2018 season looming, the club has launched a long-term plan to climb.
“Our ambition is to progress up the league ladders to the first division,” said newly appointed club chairman Niren Misra.
The club was founded by rugby fanatics Teddy Chetty and his son Vernon in 1999.
They identified a need to develop the game in a community not previously associated with the sport.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was our club,” Misra said. “We aim to build on the hard work, blood, sweat and tears of all those previous administrators and players who have gone before by again taking the club forward this year.”
Their first port of call ahead of the season is to grow their player base. The club currently has players from Reservoir Hills, Westville, Pinetown, Clermont, Newlands and Ntuzuma.
“We are proud to have one of the most diverse and progressive demographics of any of the local amateur clubs,” Misra said.
“We are currently recruiting players from all our feeder areas.
“Thus far, we have 20 registered players, but we will need a larger player pool to challenge for title honours. As the season goes on, injuries take their toll.”
The club holds training sessions twice a week at Kings Park under the guidance of coach Andrew Osborn.
Said Misra: “New players are certainly welcome. Rugby is a team sport that involves a good deal of handeye co-ordination. Our coach focuses on light skills and fitness drills during pre-season training sessions.”
Once players are mentally and physically ready to take full body contact, they are thrown into the deep end.
“First and foremost, rugby is about camaraderie and instilling confidence in young men,” he said.
“New players are taught these skills sets and encouraged to explore their physicality through light contact sessions as the season progresses before playing in a full contact game.
“Confidence comes through experience and we aim to build players before they play.”