Middelburg Magic takes Mbombela! Twenty-year-old flanker, Juandre Odendaal, has found himself in the optimal position to make his dreams turn into realities – from the Pumas Rugby Institute model in less than 6 months, into the official Senior squad of the New Nations Pumas professional team! This incredible achievement of Juandre’s offers INSPIRATION and ignites HOPE and opportunities to many young aspirant rugby boys, who too want their opportunity in the Professional squads.

Juandre is a highly motivated and talented young rugby player from Middelburg, who has been dreaming of this momentous squad selection his entire life. Prior to his journey as the Institute, Juandre represented the Pumas u/16 Grant Khromo squad, as well as the Pumas u/18 squad. However, these impressive accolades still didn’t guarantee Juandre a professional Union contract. This, however, did not dampened Juandre’s rugby dreams. When asked about his ultimate rugby aspirations, Juandre stated that his goals are to “achieve a position in a provincial and Springbok team”. Juandre has done just that and has landed himself in the New Nations Pumas professional team – ticking off that first box of his rugby dreams in Mbombela.

Situated in the Mpumalanga province, the Pumas Rugby Institute allows rugby players to experience all that this picturesque land has to offer, all while engaging in a High Performance Rugby Programme. The Institute is housed in the heart of the beautiful and beloved South African stadium: Mbombela Stadium. Situated in the picturesque Lowveld region of Nelspruit, lying along the Crocodile River, Mpumalanga is one of South Africa’s top tourist destinations. Known as “Paradise Country”, few regions in the world can match the extraordinary beauty of the Lowveld and escarpment. From day trips in the country’s most renowned game reserve, the Kruger National Park, to rafting down the Sabie River, to boasting a rare collection of plant species in the botanical gardens- the spectacular Mpumalanga province offers our rugby athletes an unforgettable experience.

The self-funded Rugby Institute at the Pumas, the “Pumas Rugby Institute”, was where Juandre was exposed to the same level of high-performance training and development as a contracted or semi-contracted player. Juandre has been exposed to the same coaches, same facilities and the same high performance standards as the Senior Pumas players. The Institute further offers accommodation, which is conducive to an elite performance lifestyle, and allows for effective athletic focus. This exposure has instilled professional sporting skills, values and disciplines, that are pivotal for movement up into the professional Union systems.

Success stories like these are testaments to the power that the youth have to achieve their dreams. It is possible to create your own opportunities, if those opportunities don’t directly present themselves to you. The UXI Sport Rugby Institutes are developmental platforms, which are closely aligned to the Union professional pathways, and are able to create opportunities where there were few before.

The Pumas Rugby Institute and the UXI Rugby Institutes are self-funded models. It offers players the opportunity to INVEST into their talent and future in a platform that creates an ultimate athletic development opportunity. It is not only investing into a two or more years sporting career; it is an investment into the opportunity to make a dream turn into a reality, an investment into the significant adaptations that an athlete must endure in their sport to reach an ultimate goal. It is an investment into the qualities and values that are learnt that reflects into daily life: accountability, adaptability, ownership, sacrifice and toughness. It’s investing in the opportunity and the environment which cultivates and inspires GREATNESS across all facets of the sport to life – an opportunity pursued by Juandre Odendaal and one that will give him the RETURN OF INVESTMENT in years to come!