Scorpion Park

Roodepoort stung their first opponents of the season on Saturday afternoon.

The Scorions stung UJ and reversed a score of a few weeks back and triumphed 27-19.

The Roodepoort side scored four tries for a valuable bonus point.

Kalla Barnard praised his troops for the commitment and defensive effort.

The team assembled for breakfast early Saturday morning and spend invaluable time together at Ramkiki.

Their tries were scored by Ruan du Toit, Tiaan Naudé, Barend Steyn and Ricardo Burger.

*Ronald Strydom was named Man of the Match.

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🚨 Announcement 🚨
Roodepoort Rugby Club is delighted to renew its relationship with World of rugby Randburg.

[Roodepoort, 12 May 2021] – Arguably one of the strongest rugby clubs in Gauteng over the last 80 years, Roodepoort Rugby Club (RRC) has undergone several evolutions in structures and philosophies.

Like all rugby (and other sports) clubs, the community and the club leadership have had to negotiate challenging times and market conditions – with the sole aim, of course, of remaining relevant and competitive in all facets of the sport, the business of sport and in the hearts and minds of the people this institution serves.

It's only through consistent support from long-standing sponsors and the general camaraderie between business, people and the RRC fanbase that Roodepoort Rugby Club has managed to not only maintain its presence – but grow its footprint among the people of Johannesburg’s West Rand (and the overall rugby fraternity at large).

We have a lot to be thankful for – and many-many people and organisations to thank but, today, we’d like to make special mention of Sportprosa World of Rugby.

For years now our teams across senior and junior ranks have been running out with high-quality rugby gear and professional training support from WOR.

“Like all of our mainstay sponsors, Theo van Rensburg and his team at WOR have stuck with Roodepoort Rugby Club to not only help us negotiate staggering difficulties brought forth by the Covid pandemic and general economic crunch – but they have done so without waver, without complaint and with enthusiasm in answer to every need,” says RRC Chairman, Mathys Booyens.

“After five quality years together, we are delighted to renew our partnership with this dynamic company and, more importantly, with such a willing group of people who always put the interest of community, players and the public ahead of their own.”

The Sportpro South Africa World of Rugby facility in Randburg (not far from SuperSport’s studios) carries a huge variety of sports and fan gear, as well as equipment – all complemented by a state-of-the-art training facility that’s often used by professional teams and individual sportspeople.

“Our association with Roodepoort Rugby Club stretches beyond the cold realities of business,” says van Rensburg, WOR founder. “In RRC we have found friends who share our passion for the sport and how it impacts communities. Sport unites and connects all of us and we are delighted to be a part of a club that thinks similarly about the endless possibilities and the privilege of serving our communities.”

Roodepoort Rugby Club is on the precipice of an exciting season and a truly promising future.

With the return of club rugby activity, bubbling commercial opportunities aplenty and the continued support of business and the public – our mantra of ‘defying odds through skill and not force’ rings more true than ever.

Ronald Strydom, wie later vanjaar sy 40e verjaardag vier, begin Saterdag op Greenside op skrumskakel vir Roodepoort.

Strydom en die jong Ethan Anderson- ‘n oud Pirate - is die Poorte se nuwe skakelpaar.

Strydom is ‘n oud Bobbie en Raider wie ook ewe tuis in die middelveld is.

Die nuwe skakelpaar behoort rigting aan Roodepoort te gee.

Roodepoort teen Pirates: Johan du Toit; DeKock van Zyl, Louis Trichardt, Johan Venter,Siya Mlabo; Ethan Anderson, Ronald Strydom; Ruan du Toit, Brevin Herbst, Luan Nel, Selvyn Barnard, Nagel Niemand, Ricardo Burger, Ian Pottas, Barend Steyn. Reserwes: Tiaan Muller, Michael Vermeulen, Senxo Hlatswayo, Yende Mololise, Desmond van Rooyen, Spyker Esterhuizen, Rapulane Moshoaliba.

D**k aan Roodepoort-rugbyklub en jy d**k onmiddellik aan Dries Maritz, die groot Transvaalsenter wat lank die rekordhouer vir die meeste wedstryde en drieë vir die ou Transvaal was.

Sy rekords van 141 wedstryde en 49 drieë het lank gestaan, maar dit is maar ‘n kolletjie in Dries Maritz se groot prentjie.

Maritz rig Roodepoort nou saam met sy eertydse spanmaat Kalla Barnard af en die foto is vandag by die klub se nuwe hoofkwartier by Scorpions geneem.

Maritz het op 56 die tuig amptelik as speler neerlê toe sy een skouer uit sy potjie gespring het toe ‘n youngster hom getêkkel het.

Sy vriende het dit so ernstig beskou dat hy ‘n verklaring by die prokureur Tommy Bosch, moes aflê dat hy nooit weer kontakrugby sou speel nie.

Dit was in sy 49e jaar as speler (die amptelike syfer) maar Dries sê dit was eintlik 50.

Bosch was die eerste Raukie om vir Transvaal te speel en Maritz het hom dit die jaar daarna nagedoen.

Hy was ‘n rittelinkind sé Dries, wat op vyf al skool toe is in Vereeniging en hy was maar ses toe hy saam met onder 9’s begin speel het.

Wat min mense onthou is dat Dries sy eersterangse buiging vir die destydse Riemlanders, die Oos-Vrystaat gemaak het toe hy nog ‘n junior was en ook vir Wes-Transvaal gespeel het.

Hy sal altyd ‘n Roodepoorter bly, sê Maritz, maar hy is eerstens ‘n Transvaler.

Hoogtepunte was daar uiteraard vir Dries baie op die rugbyveld.

Sy eerste wedstryde vir Transvaal op Upington teen Noordwes-Kaap, sy wedstryde vir Wes-Transvaal teen Hugo Porta se Suid-Amerikaners en sy wedstryde teen die Britse Leeus in 1980 op die Wanderers.

Maar sy wedstryde vir die Gaselle in 1978 teen die Amerikaanse Cougars staan vir hom uit.

Hy was een van die spelers wat die RAU as ‘n rugbykrag gevestig het, het die Trekliga as ‘n lid van Wanderers gewen en die Nasionale Klubkampioenskappe in 1989 as ‘n Roodepoorter.

‘n Ander hoogtepunt was dat hy saam met een van sy helde, Gerald Bosch gespeel het.

Hoewel Bosch as ‘n skoppende losskakel onthou word vertel Dries dat hy eintlik ‘n aanvallende tien was en deksels goed kon têkkel en onder instruksies gespeel het.

Kevin de Klerk was ook een van sy helde en oom Salty Durand was sy eerste Transvaalkaptein.

Het hy Salty as oom aangespreek? Dries sê nee, jy het hom glad nie aangespreek nie.

Hy het al sy truie aan die Leeus geskenk van die Riemlanders tot die Gaselle en al sy Transvaaltruie.

Sy moeilikste tenstander was uiteraard Danie Ge**er maar die beste senter teen wie hy ook ooit gespeel het was Willie du Plessis.

Willie was ‘n tradisionele binnesenter wie alles kon doen, onthou Dries.

Dan sal hy sy rugbyvriende nooit vergeet nie, en die grootste van almal is Redeloos, soos hy die eks-Transvaalhaker Kalla Barnard noem.

Foto: AB

Roodepoort het hul seisoen Saterdag by Scorpions teen die Rautels afgeskop die telling was kort voor die einde op op ‘n mespunt gebalanseer voordat die studente ‘n lang wegbreekdrie gedruk het.

Die Rautels was net 15-14 voor voordat hul losskakel Rethabile Nzamo na ‘n lang lopie gedruk het.

Die senter Louis Trichardt en skrumskakel Marcelle le Roux het die Poorte se drieë gedruk.

UJ se drieë is deur Mzamo, Riaan de Jager en Matthew van Huyssteen gedruk.