It’s just a game
Werner teams up with his boss DeWet for the Hillside rugby quiz, but it comes at the expense of his ex-teammate wife.
If there’s one thing you can say about Hillsiders, it’s that they’re patriotic. And the Springboks are at the heart of a new storyline. “Everyone’s rugby mad,” says Zak Hendrikz (Werner). “Werner comes to his wife Tanya (Liezl de Kock) with tickets to the Springbok match against the All Blacks in Nelspruit (the real-life match will be played on Saturday 6 August at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit).” They’re all excited about the game and Werner tells his boss DeWet (Dirk Stoltz) about it, too, which prompts businessman DeWet to invite the Visagies to his house to watch another game. And that’s where trouble kicks off for ‘Bok super-fan Werner…
PLAYING THE GAME
“Werner buys the hats and shirts and flags – anything in Springbok green and gold, he’s got it. It’s actually really fun to see, the spirit and the camaraderie,” says Zak. DeWet, as a rugby man himself, sees this shared appreciation as a way to bond with Werner, who works for him at DeWet’s security company.
While watching the rugby match on TV, the men get into a spot of “I know more than you,” says Zak. “They get on well, so there’s banter. They both claim to know the most about rugby.” Impressed by Werner’s knowledge and his mental game, DeWet asks Werner to be his Stasie Ses Rugby Quiz teammate – but Werner already has a partner…
SUBSTITUTED OFF
Zak says, “Werner can’t really say no to his boss because he wants to keep their working relationship on the good side. But he doesn’t know how to deal with his teammate, Tanya. And while she takes it in her stride, she immediately puts a plan in place to teach her hubby a lesson. She’s not offended by Werner teaming up with his boss. She’s a little hurt because they’re spouses and a team already, but she’s definitely not going to let this upset her,” explains Zak.
Instead, Tanya goes in search of a new teammate and she finds one in the form of Aggie (Mimi Mahlasela). “It’s a little known fact but Aggie is a rugby megafan. She makes the men look like weekend warriors who play at their local park for fun,” says Zak, laughing, because his character is in for a shock. “Tanya might not have the knowledge, but she makes up for it with enthusiasm. Aggie, on the other hand, she would probably wear a Springbok rugby jersey every day if she could. She knows every player in the team, she knows their statistics and everything about them. Tanya and Aggie aren’t coming to play – they want the trophy on game night!”