By Nangamso Mabindla
18 August 2008

THE hunt for the next Springbok wing, to follow in the footsteps of Bryan Habana, reached Mdantsane on Friday, 15 August when talent scouts for the forthcoming television reality show, Up & Under, visited the area to look at what the township’s youth had to offer.

The reality show, which will air shortly, is an initiative of the newly launched Bryan Habana Foundation that aims to develop some of the country’s best rugby talent. Mdantsane was the second hunting ground after Cape Town; from here the scouts will move on to other parts of the country.

In all, 36 boys will be selected for an intensive eight-week training camp, during which they will be moulded into running, tackling, scrumming, mauling, kicking, scoring machines. Habana, the World Cup winning wing and current International Rugby Board Player of the Year, will give the youngsters tips and insight from his experience.

David Ruiters, the coach of United Rugby Club, said that this was a great initiative for the youth.

“I have played rugby all my life and opportunities like this never came for me. I will do all my best to ensure that these boys don’t miss this opportunity because this will give them more experience and exposure. And this will help them to avoid criminal activities.”

One hopeful, 15-year-old Bonga Madliki, thanked the foundation for selecting Mdantsane as one of places to benefit from the programme. “Our talent is not known by most people. If I get chosen, it will be great for me because I love rugby. This will also prove to my classmates that I can make it in the sport,” he said.

The director of the Up & Under television series, Warren Bleksley, said that Mdantsane had a lot of talent, especially in its loose forwards and front rowers. “If the series becomes successful, we will think of making it an annual event.”