Marco, a young rugby player currently with the Griquas, shares his journey through the ups and downs of professional rugby, emphasizing the importance of resilience and adaptability in a competitive environment. He reflects on the challenges of transitioning from a larger union like the Sharks to a smaller one, highlighting how this move allowed him more game time and opportunities to grow as an athlete. The conversation touches on the cultural differences between Durban and Kimberley, illustrating how team dynamics and community support play a crucial role in personal development. Marco also discusses the mental challenges of being a professional athlete, including coping with injuries and the pressure of performance. As he looks to the future, he aims to improve his skills and remain focused on his goals, while also enjoying the journey that comes with playing rugby at a high level.

The episode is a rich exploration of Marco's rugby career, focusing on his early inspirations, the importance of grassroots development, and the role of education in sports. Marco reflects on how his family influenced his love for rugby, recounting fond memories of playing with his father and brother. As the conversation progresses, he highlights the significance of tournaments like the Varsity Cup and Varsity Shield, which provide young players with platforms to showcase their skills. Marco's insights into the rugby culture in South Africa reveal the competitive nature of the sport and the varying opportunities available to players from different backgrounds. He also stresses the importance of hard work and resilience, particularly for those who may not have immediate success in their careers. This episode is not just a personal account but a motivational piece for young athletes, emphasizing that with determination and passion, they can carve out their unique paths in the world of professional sports.

Takeaways:

• Marco emphasizes the importance of hard work and resilience in pursuing a professional rugby career.
• He shares his experience of moving from a bigger union to a smaller one, highlighting the benefits of more game time.
• The mental challenges of professional rugby include coping with injuries and not getting selected for games.
• Marco discusses the various systems available for young players to showcase their talent in rugby.
• He believes that not everyone’s journey in sports is the same, and setbacks can lead to growth.
• Marco acknowledges the significant difference in team culture and environment between Durban and Kimberley.

Like you said, such a big squad, there's a lot of people, a lot of high profile players.

You learn a lot, but on the other side, you do need to play as a youngster.

So at the griguise, I could get more game time.

A lot of younger guys don't necessarily get the opportunities that everyone gets.

Well, I think if you have that desire, you would work hard already.

But there's also a lot of systems in place for you to still showcase your talent.

I mean, if you can go study.

I think the Varsity cup is also a nice tournament for you to be seen.

Varsity Shield as well.

If there's players who came from the Varsity bossy Shield, and then club rugby is also getting quite big now.

So I think there's a lot of systems in place for you to showcase your talent.

Yeah.

Not everyone's journey is the same.

You have to go through certain stuff to where you want to be.

Hello, Marco.

Nice to have you on the episode today.

If you can maybe just kind of introduce yourself and kind of just give us a bit of an overview and a highlight of where you are currently in your journey.

Thank you so much for having me.

Yo, my name is Marco the third.

Currently I'm at the Kriegwas.

I'm 22 years old, and prior to the Krikwas, I was at the Sharks for just over a year.

And I was a junior at the pools.

Cool.

And, yeah, if you could just give us a bit of where did your love for acne begin?

And I mean, who was your early role models and inspiration to become a professional rugby player?

I think any young boy in South Africa plays rugby from a young age.

So since I was little primary school, I've played rugby.

My dad also enjoyed playing rugby.

He wasn't a professional player, but obviously growing up, he used to kick ball with us.

I have an older brother as well who also played a bit of rugby at school.

So I kind of grown up into the whole rugby system.

I went to Bulan Lanpo and there obviously also rugby culture, and it just went on from there.

Any specific moment that made you decide that you want to become a professional rugby player?

Not really.

I think you just enjoy the game and then if you can do.

If you.

Yeah, you can do it for a living when you're younger, I think it's quite cool.

Now that you're older, you see what actually comes with it.

Not that I won't choose it now as well, but you see what comes with it.

So it's not always just sunshine and roses you do have your downs as well.

Not, as always, your ups, but yes, I'm enjoying it still.

And then obviously breaking into the professional rugby environment is obviously a very daunting task and it does take a lot.

I mean, how was your, like, what was your building blocks?

Did you have any struggles?

Can you give us a bit of an overview of how you kind of made that jump into professional rugby?

Where did you get the opportunity?

Was it an easy road?

Was it a fight for you to get to that place or.

Yeah, you can just give us a bit of a overview.

Yeah.

So at school I played NAFTA, Groncomo under 16.

And then in grade eleven I played Craven week.

But in matric we didn't have rugby because I was in during COVID I did matric.

So we didn't play any rugby, which made it quite difficult because as a schoolboy you always.

You're looking forward to your matrix year.

You know, you want to play, you want to make the most out of it.

And then unfortunately we didn't have that.

But fortunately enough for me, I got an opportunity at the Bulls as a junior.

So I went there after school.

So we got there in Jan and then they told us.

But a lot of guys tested positive for Covid.

We can go back.

Our tournament, that had to begin in the beginning of the year.

And then it only started at the end of the, I believe in August.

So that was quite a long preseason as well.

And then training with masks.

And when you get off the field, you have to sit there with a mask.

That was quite, quite an experience.

Obviously you think, okay, no, it's going to be professional.

It's always nice.

You have these team buildings, but then you can't always do it because of COVID But as Covid got less, you see the whole setup.

It's not always that easy, but it is enjoyable.

I think you have to make it nice for yourself.

If you go out with the guys and you try to enjoy it, I think you make it better for yourself.

You can't just always not want to go out with the guys.

Obviously being a professional and doing it as a job, you also have certain responsibilities.

You have to watch your clips, you have to watch the other team's clips, do your analyze work, do your extras.

Because it's your job.

It's not just, okay, fine, actually a job, you can make a career out of it.

And I mean, just talking about obviously the greek course where you're currently playing.

I mean, how did you end up there?

And I mean, how's the team culture been for you guys?

I know the greek horse are always a tough team to go and play in Kimberley.

So how is your guys, your establishment going?

And I mean, what's the team culture currently?

Like I said, I was at the shocks previously.

So coming from Durban, Schlanger, bolito, it's much different to Kimberley.

I mean, you have the beach there.

It's always nice and hot.

On a winter we have off you go to the beach, you really enjoying your time.

You go to a cafe with your friends, really making the most out of that lifestyle.

And then coming to Kimberley, totally different, much more Afrikaans, where Durban is more English.

You don't have your cafes, you don't have the beach.

I came here in Feb, really hot and then June, July, really cold.

So you get the extreme hot and then the extreme cold, which is really something you have to work with.

But then the team culture really enjoy it.

I think because we're such a small union, you really only have the guys.

Everything.

Kimblee is quite close to each other as well.

The furthest thing is like ten minutes away.

So our culture is.

I think we know that we only have each other and we should make the best out of it.

I've really enjoyed it as well.

Came here, we played the SA cup and we went unbeaten in the SA cup.

And obviously that gives you a lot of confidence and it really makes you enjoy your time because you.

You are winning the whole time.

But now in the Curry cup we've played a few games where it didn't always go our way and that's not always the best.

But having the guys next to you and having a great coaching staff, it really helps you a lot.

I really think it's a good place to develop skills and where you can grow as well.

And I mean, just talking, you obviously was at the Sharks and I mean, it's hard to kind of be at a bigger union and then either get cut or get released or.

I mean, we all experience setbacks in our careers.

I mean, it's not like you have a great path in your whole career.

So, I mean, it's obviously set back for you to go to a smaller union, if you want to name it that.

So, I mean, just tell us a bit about your kind of resilience and what you've learned from obviously moving away from the Sharks to the Griquas.

At least you guys, or you had opportunity to go and play professional rack pistols.

I mean, what happened?

What was the decision to obviously move to the Griquas and I mean, what's the kind of main things that you can see is different from being in the Sharks environment compared to the Griquas?

Yes.

So I was still under 21 when I went to the Sharks.

So I played a bit of Curry cup and then after that I played under 21 tournament.

I played one game.

Urc.

But like you said, such a big squad, there's a lot of people, a lot of high profile players and it's really nice working with them.

You learn a lot, you enjoy it as well.

But on the other side, you do need to play as a youngster and that wasn't really the case.

So at the Griqua I could get more game time.

And to be honest with you, it's not always nice hearing you have to go to the smaller union.

Like you said, you want to be in the setup with those guys and that union.

With bigger unions you will see franchises and that's what I learned.

Sometimes you have to, you know, not necessarily go step back to go forward, but not everyone's journey is the same.

I mean, we all know people just, they just make it from the get go.

And I think something I realized was not everyone's journey is the same.

You have to go through certain stuff to where you want to be.

Yeah, I think that's important.

Like you just mentioned, I think that's something a lot of guys don't always experience, the smooth road that gets them to playing your c or the Springboks or something like that.

So, I mean, it does teach you a bit of resilience to obviously through that journey.

So, I mean, as much as rugby is obviously a physical game, there's obviously a lot of mental challenges that you obviously experience and especially like a big move from the Sharks to the Kimberley.

So, I mean, what have you done to kind of cope mentally and prepare your mindset to be stronger, to obviously try and compete at the highest level every weekend and then obviously, like what's your, your vision for yourself over the next couple of seasons?

You obviously are still very young, so there's still a lot of time for you.

But what is your kind of goals that you've set for yourself over the next couple of seasons?

Yeah, so to get back to the mental side of it, that's what I said.

When you're a young boy and you hear that you can play rugby as a professional and that's your job, it's quite nice.

But you don't always think about not getting picked, you don't think about an injury and you, you can't play or you are fit.

But then, like I said, you don't get picked or you don't see your family.

You don't necessarily attend funerals or birthdays.

So that really does get to you sometimes.

But that's probably the beautiful thing of it because on the other side, when you get to play and you get to see the world, that's also nice.

Our future plans at the moment, we still have a game against province this weekend, so I'm just trying to focus on that.

If anything, any other opportunity presents itself, I would talk to my family and the people around me to make a decision about that.

But I'm still here at the griquest until next year, September.

And yo, at the moment I would just like to become a better athlete on and off the field.

Just grow.

Think any young boy, like I said, would want to be in South Africa?

If you see how the box they're doing now, I mean, it's the best team in the world.

You can't deny that.

Back to back champions and everyone would love to represent it.

If the opportunity overseas comes, we'll have to make a decision about that.

But at the moment, I would like to stay here and just grow as a player.

I mean, obviously you were in school and you've gone through the junior structures.

I mean, is there anything that you've experienced during those times that you think could be done differently?

Especially like young guys listening to this or looking at the video clips?

A lot of younger guys don't necessarily get the opportunities that everyone gets because South Africa is such a big country and it's obviously hard to.

To always break through and always see the talent at specific times of the season.

You might get an injury, you might not get seen by a coach, or you maybe only develop a bit better later on in your career.

So, I mean, what advice would you give for younger kids that maybe might not have made the Craven week side or might not have played in the academy side, but they're all kind of passionate.

They want to play rugby professionally and they've got that desire to try and make it in a team?

Well, I think if you have that desire, you would.

You would work hard already.

I think that's a given.

You have to work hard.

But there's also a lot of systems in place for you to still showcase your talents.

I mean, if you can go study, I think the Varsity cup is also a nice tournament for you to be seen.

Varsity Shield as well.

There's players who came from Varsity Shield and then club rugby is also getting quite big now.

So I think there's a lot of systems in place for you to showcase your talent and where you can just enjoy the love of the game.

Any improvements that you think can happen in that type of areas in South.

Africa at the moment, not really off the top of my head now.

I think they are giving people chance who doesn't always get the chance.

So I think South Africa is doing well where they can give people a chance who's not always in the position to get one.

Yes, rugby, kind of your personal life.

I mean, can you give us a bit of a insight into your.

Do you have any daily routines that you follow or anything that you do on a consistent basis?

Not really.

I try to not always think about the rugby I've learned when I was younger.

Like, I need to decompress a bit more.

My first year, I was quite hectic about not doing certain things and not going out or not doing this or not doing that.

Where I think you have to realize that there's a time where you work and then there's a time where you can enjoy your life and your time.

So, yeah, just going out with friends, maybe.

I know pedal is getting quite big.

Some.

Some of the guys play pedal or just keeping your mind off it, maybe studying on the side or anything like that.

At the moment, I'm trying to do this one course, but it's taking some time now as we're playing Karika.

And then obviously, do you have any kind of business passions or something that you've started on the side while you're still playing Rakpius?

Obviously you.

You are obviously young, so that that makes it a bit of a different story for you.

But as you obviously get older, then things do change.

I mean, do you have any passions in business sector or any ideas that you might want to come up with in the next couple of years?

Yes, I'm kind of just focusing on rugby at the moment.

I know there is life after rugby, which is also an important thing to consider, but at the moment I'm just enjoying my time and trying to find out what I like and what I don't like and what I would go into after rugby and maybe even during rugby as well.

Yeah.

I mean, in terms of your growth as a player, is there anything that you want to working on or you want to improve over the coming seasons to make you a better player?

Yeah, I think any player can work on a lot of stuff, like to be more clinical, like do the small things.

Right.

It's always nice to have a big moment, but there's a lot of off the ball stuff that you can work on as well to get into the right positions, run the right lines, even though you're not getting the ball.

So a lot of maybe off the.

Ball and yeah, just from a rugby pointer's view, I mean, who's been your toughest opponent that you can think of quickly?

Toughest opponent at school?

It would inter schools versus against Oakdale, always a big rivalry.

I know you have your pole schools as well, so those schools were quite difficult.

And then I think any URC franchise is quite difficult.

And then a big game for us is obviously the Pumas as well.

We enjoy playing them.

And then our next door neighbors, the cheetah.

So actually any team in South Africa basically.

But yeah, the URC franchises are doing quite well at the moment.

Any, any specific meal you like to have before game or something?

You tend to eat more than, than regular?

No, I'm not quite picky on what I eat before game, what I don't eat before game.

I don't always want to start a superstition because then it feels like you have to keep up with it and then sometimes it just grows.

So at the moment it.

Any hidden talents that no one knows about?

Singing, dancing, something like that?

Definitely not singing.

No, I can't sing.

I used to do athletics at school.

I was a mammoth athlete.

I won essays at school level, so I think athletics is probably one that not everyone knows about.

Yeah.

Cool.

Well, thanks, Michael, it's been nice chatting with you today and yeah, thank you for joining us and we're looking forward to keep an eye on you with your acid journey and where life takes you and hopefully we'll see you back in a URC team at some point.

You've had a really good season up until now, so congratulations on that and good luck for the weekend's game.

And yeah, hopefully we'll chat to you again on here as well.

Awesome.

Ronaldo, thank you so, so much.

Thank you for having me.

It's really a privilege for me.

And yeah, good luck with your journey as well with doctor field.

Thank you very much.

Awesome.