Captain of The IIE’s Varsity College rugby team, Abande Mthembu, right, will be taking part in the FNB Varsity Shield later this month. He is pictured with coach Jeremy McLaren after a training session.
Varsity College student Abande Mthembu is tackling his way to the top and will lead the college team in the FNB Varsity Shield competition after the squad and coaching staff nominated the scrum half to be their captain.
It’s going to be a defining moment for the IIE’s Varsity College as their rugby side ventures into the national competition for the first time.
FNB Varsity College will get their campaign under way with a home clash against FNB TUT on Friday February 23. Mthembu said the squad is shaping up nicely to hit the ground running in this much anticipated competition.
Mthembu, a former Westville Boys’ High School head boy, is no stranger to the role going into the Varsity Shield but is looking forward to leading his side into what is relatively unknown to them.
“It’s a real honour for me to be the captain for the FNB Varsity College side in the Varsity Shield,” said Mthembu.
“Being nominated during the USSA (University Sports South Africa) week last year by my teammates and given the history I have with coach Jeremy (McLaren) makes it even more special to me. It’s a huge privilege for me to be able to represent this team both on and off the field.”
Mthembu comes into the squad with Varsity Cup experience having played for FNB Maties in 2021 and returns to Durban to lead the FNB Varsity College side which adds another Durban-based team in the FNB Varsity Shield.
“They say that things come full circle, and having been schooled here and now I’m back here representing this team in my hometown is a fantastic opportunity for me,” he said.
“We are showing people that there are opportunities here in Durban for players who want to make it, and we want to create a legacy where players can come and express themselves. We want to build a platform for guys to succeed both on and off the field.”
With only a few weeks to go until the FNB Varsity College team begin their campaign, Mthembu believes that his side is heading in the right direction and is prepared for this match.
“We are taking it step by step and everything that we are doing is one day at a time, one session at a time until we get to where we need to be,” he added.
“The teams are excited to entertain the crowds. I am confident that our team will produce their own unique style of rugby. If we had to say what our brand of rugby is, I would say it’s about expressing ourselves,” said Mthembu.
The FNB Varsity Shield kicks off on Friday February 23 when FNB Varsity College play FNB TUT at The IIE’s Varsity College Durban North campus.