Kovsies coach Erick Colyn said he is proud of his team for winning this year’s Varsity Sevens and adding to the winning culture that has gripped the University of the Free State over the last couple of weeks.
Having been losing finalists on two previous occasions, Kovsies finally won their maiden title when then beat UP-Tuks 24-19 and in doing so added to the Varsity Cup title their 15-man compatriots won a few weeks earlier.
“It is a privilege for us to be part of something like this and a season like this. A winning culture is starting to become a habit at the Shimlas now. It really helps a lot and it is just a privilege that we are now part of it,” Colyn told varsitysportssa.com.
“Everyone is enjoying the moment. For the last three weeks, after Shimlas won the Varsity Cup, there have been celebrations and I think it will go on now for another week or two. Everyone is very happy.”
Colyn and his assistant, Varsity Cup winning captain AJ Coertzen, have both played in previous Varsity Sevens tournaments and would have undoubtedly played their parts in the win. However, Colyn said it was all down to his players and the preparation they had in the 15-man side.
“There was not a lot of planning going into the whole season. The guys were well conditioned after training with the 15-man squad. So it is down to those guys that coached them like Andre Tredoux from the Young Guns and Franco Smith at the Shimlas.
“Those guys really worked hard on the players’ fitness and conditioning and skill level. They were actually the real coaches.
“I think AJ and I played more of a manager’s role for the tournament. The guys were pretty well coached before the tournament in their 15-man squad. It was more like just managing the guys and getting them motivated all the time,” Colyn added.
With the game on a knife edge and with just a minute to play, UP-Tuks could have snatched a late winner as they had all the ball in that last few moments, but it did not rattle Colyn’s nerves one bit.
“I think the stress levels was at its highest before the match, but as soon as the game started I was relaxed.
“Even though they went on to score the first try I knew we were going to get better as the game went on so I was not stressed a lot and I have to thank my boytjies at the end for their defence,” he said.
