The first time Bolla set foot on the WPRA UXI Rugby Institute, I met a man whose smile went from his face to my heart.
A legend capped as Springbok in the history of South African Rugby ,over 80 times, and one who represented the proud WP jersey in iconic years, when crowds streamed to Newlands and camped outside the stadium for hours to see their heroes in action. Those were the days when dreams were real, and the sons from the people of the Cape, played bare foot in the dirt roads and fields of the Cape communities, They had one dream only, and that was to wear the blue and white striped jersey one day.
The days where there were no lucrative contracts and insurances. They played for the PRIDE of the jersey and loyalty to the Disa!
That spirit, that heart, are all still very evident and present in the man known as “The Rock”, who became a precious member of the WPRA coaching team in Stellenbosch at the beginning of 2021. One that few 17/18 year old players know, and some coaches in elite circles labelled, as too “old school” for the modern game! But UXI Sport believe that our youth, the “modern players of the game”- our new “ generation Z” needs these qualities, that he represents, instilled BACK into the value systems of players that enters the UXI Rugby institute rugby development program and system. Values and attributes that have been lost over the past decades but have become Future Fit skills to survive in a Y2K era.
That quality that “Inspires greatness”, that does not matter where you come from, but where you are going. And this is exactly what underpins the world-class UXI Rugby Program. We witnessed Bolla transform diverse players with diverse backgrounds and experience levels in only 5 months, to performance levels that humbled us! Not only on the field but for LIFE!
Bolla “speaks” the language of the people of our Western Cape in a way few coaches can, transferring skill, passion and pride, breaking through generation barriers. Bolla ignites HOPE, Bolla inspires greatness, years after he hung up his boots.
How proud we are of this Legend, part of the UXI Sport Dream team, leaving a mark in the lives of many aspirant and development players every day, and now returning to assist the professional coaching teams at WP.
This goes to prove how South African rugby needs their legends for more reasons than one!
UXI Sport in support of the Legends of Rugby, whose voices should never be silenced, for they represent too many lessons in the game of rugby and LIFE to bury!
Inspiring Greatness, Through Sport to Life
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