Two Louis Trichardt rugby players, Rasenge Kubayi (centre) and Jayden da Gama (lock), formed part of the Limpopo Blue Bulls senior amateur team’s starting line-up in an international friendly against Uganda this past weekend.

Saturday’s match, played at Hoërskool Nylstroom in Modimolle, saw the Ugandan team convincingly beat the Limpopo Blue Bulls, scoring 59 points to 26. The East Africans are coached by, among others, Nollis Marais. Marais is a South African professional rugby union coach with extensive experience in elite rugby, particularly within South African rugby circles. He is best known for his roles with the Blue Bulls Rugby Union, where he served as head coach of both the Blue Bulls XV and the Bulls Super Rugby franchise. Also part of the Ugandan coaching team is retired South African professional rugby union player Zane Kirchner.

Despite the defeat, Saturday’s game gave the Limpopo Blue Bulls senior amateur team valuable international exposure – and the same goes for the Louis Trichardt players. Of the Limpopo Blue Bulls’ 26 points, Kubayi contributed 10 with two tries.

Apart from Kubayi and Da Gama, four other Louis Trichardt players were called up to the Limpopo Blue Bulls senior amateur squad. They are Louis Fourie (scrumhalf), Rikus Nel (lock), David Mandiwana (prop), and Lindo Dladka (prop). In addition to the six local players, two members of Louis Trichardt’s coaching staff were also called up to represent the Limpopo Blue Bulls senior amateur team – Lukas Visser as assistant coach and Stefan Swanepoel as team manager.

The Limpopo Blue Bulls senior amateur team’s next match will be against Kenya in Mookgophong on Thursday, 26 June.

On the home front, the Louis Trichardt Rugby Club’s second and third teams enjoyed home-field advantage this past weekend. The second team faced Letaba’s second team, handing them a 71–7 thrashing. Similarly, Louis Trichardt’s third team was in devastating form, beating their opponents from Blouberg 64–0.

There will be no local club rugby matches played this coming weekend. Louis Trichardt’s next fixture will be against Letaba 1 on 5 July, with confirmation of the second- and third-team games yet to be received.