FNB Madibaz star hooker Kyle Erasmus bringing physicality to big clash against Wits

Industrious FNB Madibaz hooker Kyle Erasmus is enjoying the fruits of his labour as he continues to impress in the FNB Varsity Shield rugby competition this year. The front-rower’s standout performance in the team’s hard-fought 40-32 victory over FNB WSU on Friday earned him the FNB Player that Rocks award.

He crossed the whitewash twice in that outing and said his current form was a result of achieving a level of dedication that allowed him to add value to the team.

“When you receive an award like that, you’re obviously very happy. But the key is just to focus on being consistent and leaving everything on the field,” he said after a practice session this week.

Erasmus credits the demands of his postgraduate studies in radiography for helping him cultivate the discipline required to grow on the field.

His contribution in Mandela University’s win in a match dominated by the forward packs was immense.

“We knew WSU would be a tough challenge because they have a big forward pack,” Erasmus, who himself weighs in at 108kg, explained.

“Our focus was to match them physically in the scrums and mauls but also to use our mobility to move them around.”

The squad were forced to find their mojo quickly after their opening-round defeat to FNB CPUT.

“Our aim was to put that loss behind us and take the competition game by game. You can’t get ahead of yourself,” he warned.

“It’s about enjoying the rugby and playing for each other, the university and the supporters.”

Focusing solely on the scoreboard added unnecessary pressure, he said.

The experienced Erasmus sees his role as one of leading by example.

“I want to bring leadership, physicality and determination. As a hooker, my job is to be technically sound in the scrums and lineouts and to be positive.

“If you do your job well, other players can feed off that momentum.”

Overcoming self-doubt is key to becoming a better player, which is why he has “worked a lot on my mentality”.

The little voice in your head saying you were not good enough was best answered by trusting the work you had put in, he said.

But, alas, rugby is a physical sport.

Here, too, Erasmus has set clear goals. Besides wanting to be “more physical”, he is working on adding a yard of pace and increasing his work rate to become more of a hybrid player.

He also makes sure his throw-ins are deadly accurate to help the team weaponise their lineouts.

“When you realise every moment could be the last in this chapter of your life, it makes you appreciate it more,” he said.

“I’m trying to stay present, enjoy the rugby and go all out every time I step onto the field.”

The game is all about navigating the ups and downs by controlling the controllables and maintaining belief.

“That’s how you get closer to your ultimate goal,” Erasmus said.

The Madibaz take on the unbeaten Wits in their next match on Friday. Madibaz Stadium in Gqeberha is the venue and kick-off is at 4pm.

By: Jesica Slabbert