EAST LONDON native Vuyolwethu Vazi treads where few women - let alone her peers in the black community - would dare.
EAST LONDON native Vuyolwethu Vazi treads where few women - let alone her peers in the black community - would dare.
The 22-year-old Vazi and her girls at the University of Pretoria have quietly been eroding the strongly held belief that rugby was exclusively for the big, the burly and the bad.
Vazi is not the first woman to debunk this myth by a long shot. Among those who came before her was Nomsebenzi Tsotsobe, who has captained the Springboks.
As a flyhalf, outside centre and wing, you are free to think of her as the female equivalent of Morné Steyn and Brian Habana. She learnt to perfect the positions in East London before being spotted by coach Riaan van der Merwe.
Van der Merwe's Tuks Ladies took part in a Sevens tournament in Dubai in December, where they gave a good account of themselves, managing emphatic wins against sides such as Thailand's Bangkok Angels whom they thrashed 33-0 and the USA, before losing out to eventual tournament champions France.
"I started playing very early on, when I was seven years old, and was the youngest player in my team.
"The move to Pretoria has beenreally good for my career. It is great playing for Tuks and as a former athlete I do not regret ditching that code in favour of rugby," the former 100m sprinter said.
Van der Merwe's team has a tight programme this year, which kicks off with another 15-team tournament in Hong Kong on March 25.
Also lined up is a friendly against the Zambian national team before they take part in the African Club Championships in Uganda in June.
"I must say we are doing quite well. The fact that seven of our girls are in the Springbok team proves this," she said.
Vazi's not winging it on the rugby field
EAST LONDON native Vuyolwethu Vazi treads where few women - let alone her peers in the black community - would dare.
EAST LONDON native Vuyolwethu Vazi treads where few women - let alone her peers in the black community - would dare.
The 22-year-old Vazi and her girls at the University of Pretoria have quietly been eroding the strongly held belief that rugby was exclusively for the big, the burly and the bad.
Vazi is not the first woman to debunk this myth by a long shot. Among those who came before her was Nomsebenzi Tsotsobe, who has captained the Springboks.
As a flyhalf, outside centre and wing, you are free to think of her as the female equivalent of Morné Steyn and Brian Habana. She learnt to perfect the positions in East London before being spotted by coach Riaan van der Merwe.
Van der Merwe's Tuks Ladies took part in a Sevens tournament in Dubai in December, where they gave a good account of themselves, managing emphatic wins against sides such as Thailand's Bangkok Angels whom they thrashed 33-0 and the USA, before losing out to eventual tournament champions France.
"I started playing very early on, when I was seven years old, and was the youngest player in my team.
"The move to Pretoria has beenreally good for my career. It is great playing for Tuks and as a former athlete I do not regret ditching that code in favour of rugby," the former 100m sprinter said.
Van der Merwe's team has a tight programme this year, which kicks off with another 15-team tournament in Hong Kong on March 25.
Also lined up is a friendly against the Zambian national team before they take part in the African Club Championships in Uganda in June.
"I must say we are doing quite well. The fact that seven of our girls are in the Springbok team proves this," she said.
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