A powerful all-round performance and nine tries secured a convincing win in Alice, with Dewald Gerber earning the Player that Rocks accolade.
Alice, South Africa (05 March 2026) – South Africa’s favourite university rugby competition is back, bringing passionate crowds, colourful posters in the stands and plenty of action on the field. And early in the season, the Madibaz show that they are ready to lead.
The Nelson Mandela University side delivered a strong performance in their third-round FNB Varsity Shield clash, defeating the University of Fort Hare (UFH) 49–11 in Alice. The result marked their second consecutive win in the competition and showed a team beginning to find its rhythm.
Madibaz utility forward Dewald Gerber played a key role in the victory, scoring one of the Gqeberha side’s nine tries. His efforts also earned him the Player That Rocks award.
However, the 20-year-old was quick to credit the collective effort behind the performance.
“We focus a lot on growth and being better week after week.”
Dewald explained that the team had placed a strong emphasis on unity and supporting one another throughout the match, particularly in a challenging away environment.
“We said that the 23 players and management are our community. We knew we needed to stand strong and motivate each other throughout.”
That mindset meant players were quick to back each other up whenever mistakes happened during the game.
Born in Komani before moving to Gqeberha at a young age, Dewald made his Varsity Shield debut during the 2024 season. Now a sport management student at Nelson Mandela University, he is steadily building his reputation as a physical and reliable presence on the field.
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“Coach David has been hard on me to improve that.”
Dewald sees the team’s long-term mindset going beyond individual performances or even the scoreboard.
“We need to detach ourselves from the outcome. We must handle winning and losing the same.”
Madibaz will be hoping to carry that mentality into their next match when they host WSU at the Madibaz Stadium.
Sources: Supplied
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