Kwanda shares his inspiring journey in professional rugby, highlighting the importance of resilience and building strong relationships both on and off the field. He discusses his career beginnings in King Williams Town and his transition from the Sharks to the Pumas, emphasizing the need for game time and personal growth. The conversation delves into the challenges faced by players from less privileged backgrounds in the Eastern Cape, underscoring the significance of perseverance and faith in one’s dreams. Kwanda also reflects on the impactful coaching of Jimmy Stonehouse, who plays a crucial role in developing players’ character and skills. The episode concludes with Kwanda’s heartfelt message for young aspiring rugby players: to never give up and always remember their roots while striving for success.

Renaldo and Kwanda engage in a vibrant dialogue that weaves together personal stories, professional insights, and the camaraderie of rugby. Kwanda shares his journey from King Williams Town, where he began playing at Dale College, to his time with the Sharks and ultimately joining the Pumas. He recounts his challenges in breaking into the rugby scene, particularly emphasizing the fierce competition in the Eastern Cape, where talent often goes unnoticed. The importance of building relationships within a team is a recurring theme, with Renaldo highlighting how friendships forged on and off the field can significantly impact performance and morale. This episode delves into the essence of teamwork and the human connections that underpin athletic success, illustrating how a strong bond among players can create a resilient unit capable of overcoming adversities.

The conversation takes a reflective turn as both guests discuss the pivotal role of coaches, particularly Jimmy Stonehouse, in shaping their careers. Renaldo paints a vivid picture of Coach Jimmy's tough yet nurturing coaching style, which not only develops players' skills but also instils a robust team spirit and character. The discussion moves towards the realities of life as a professional athlete, with Kwanda candidly sharing his toughest moments, including a challenging period in 2020 when he struggled for game time. He emphasizes the importance of resilience, family support, and maintaining a positive outlook, regardless of the setbacks faced. This heartfelt segment resonates with anyone who has faced challenges in their path, offering a message of hope and perseverance in the pursuit of dreams.

As the episode unfolds, Kwanda's aspirations beyond rugby come into focus, revealing his commitment to education and personal development. He discusses his ongoing studies in sports science and his ambitions to transition into coaching, underscoring the significance of having a 'Plan B' for life after rugby. This perspective is particularly valuable for younger players who often overlook the importance of education amidst their athletic pursuits. Kwanda's message is clear: success in sports should be complemented with educational growth, as injuries and career uncertainties can happen at any moment. The episode concludes with an encouraging note directed at aspiring rugby players from less privileged backgrounds, urging them to remain steadfast in their dreams and never lose sight of their goals. Ronaldo's legacy, as he hopes to be remembered, is one of positivity, resilience, and a deep connection to the sport and its community.

Takeaways:

• Building strong friendships on and off the field is essential for team unity.
• Rugby careers are filled with ups and downs, and resilience is key to pushing through tough times.
• Education is crucial for young players, as rugby careers can be short-lived and unpredictable.
• Having a strong support system, including family and coaches, can help players through challenging periods in their careers.
• Never give up on your dreams; perseverance and faith in oneself can lead to success.
• Coaches like Jimmy Stonehouse play a significant role in developing players and building character.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Sharks
• Pumas

Each and every player knows each other, knows everything about each other.

That's what it's all about, you know, trying to build that friendship on and off the field, which is something very key towards every union and every team as well.

Hey, guys, we've got Conda di Maza today here on the episode playing rugby out of Jimmy Stonehouse province there in Pumalanga Kwana.

Nice to have you on here today.

It's great to have a fellow puma as well.

I also obviously played for the Pumas, so yeah.

Good to have you on the podcast today.

Thank you so much for having me, actually, Ronaldo, thank you so much.

Can you give us a bit of an overview of your career, where you started?

We know you're obviously playing at the Pumas now, but where did your rugby journey start and how did you end up with Jimmy?

So, obviously, I come from King Williams Town, a small town in the Eastern Cape.

Started my journey at Dell College, Dell junior as well.

Yeah, I've been this side for quite some time now, so really enjoying it as well.

Okay.

And I mean, you said you come from Eastern Province side, so obviously that is a region that I think personally has got a lot of talent that's not been kind of coming through the system or guys that's not been spotted by right coaches or teams or stuff like that.

So, yeah, just give us your story.

Like, where did you, how did you get a break to go and play at the Sharks?

Was it easy?

Was it hard to get into that type of structures?

At the time, it wasn't quite hard.

So I went to Craven week.

Obviously it was tough for me to get into Craven Week as well, especially those days when Eastern Cape was mainly like southern college and summer battle Queens and Hill.

But I feel like especially when it comes to the Eastern Cape schools, it's quite tough for people to go out there and look for players because some of them come from not so privileged schools.

I mean, I think mostly if you could go to Dell now, you'd see, like, people that are there.

Most are from the rural areas that, you know, Dell has been spotting and taking them to the system and everything like that.

So it's quite hard.

But, you know, I think the work ethic that we have there in Eastern Cape is quite amazing.

So it just brings out that kind of thing for all of us in the Eastern Cape that we have.

So, yeah, and I mean, did you have any inspirational guys through your journey?

Was there any guys that inspired you to become a professional rugby player?

What made you make the decision to say, listen, I want to become a professional rugby player.

This is what I want to do.

So I had actually two, it was Terem Tembu and Keegan Daniel.

So they both come from Dell.

I remember watching Terra when I was still a small light in school.

I was back in Dell junior and I used to go and watch the first team.

I got inspired back then.

He played center before he moved to 8th man.

So I think that's where my inspiration came from.

And then he went to the Sharks.

Obviously it was a no brainer for me to go to the Sharks as well because obviously I played with both of them when I went to the Sharks and that's where everything for me started quite well.

So, yeah, enjoyed myself very well.

If we talk about the Sharks, I mean, what was your, why did you leave the Sharks?

Was it a decision just to kind of get game time or were you not happy there?

What was the main reason for you to leave the Sharks?

I think for me it was mainly because I needed more game time, especially that time.

I think it was super sport challenge was ending.

I was on the main focus back then was super happy.

So I thought, nah, I'm not going to get any game time.

You know, you got the likes of Kombuza notche that went there.

So I started contemplating everything and then I was like, okay, why not try to make a move to Bombayla and, you know, try to get some game time and try to pull my name up again.

So I think that was a decision that had to be made by me and my family, especially with my father.

And then that's where everything for me said I must come to Monbella and spoke to Jimmy as well about it.

Yeah, I mean, let's talk about Jimmy.

I mean, Jimmy Stonehouse coached me for a long time as well.

And I mean, I still think he's probably one of the best coaches South Africa has ever had.

Especially like sourcing players and getting guys that's been playing at other teams or haven't had an opportunity and then bringing them into the Pumas.

And, I mean, I had an interview with Jimmy earlier this year and you were one of the players that he said that we have to look at this season.

I mean, you had unbelievable curry cup this season.

So just give us a bit of, like, your background working with Jimmy and how has he made you better in your.

In your development as a player, as a human, as someone developing a next big star and waiting for the bigger unions, if you want to call it that, to basically sign you and then give you that stepping stone to maybe play in the URC and even maybe reaching further dreams.

Yeah.

Coach Jung is a tough coach, but he builds character.

I think most of the players that know him would say that he's a very tough character.

He builds a lot of heart towards his team, especially with the mindset when it goes into a game.

I think when it comes to, like, the pyramids as well, the mindset will always be with a smaller union.

But, you know, we try to look beyond that.

We try to look beyond a thing off, you know, we a small union and everyone looks down upon us.

That's where Coach Jimmy comes in and just tries to build character and build heart.

And, you know, when you go out there, you see most of the players play for him because, you know, what he builds in that team is so strong.

And, you know, for me, I think coach Jimmy is one of those best coaches that have coached me so far when it comes to building the character towards a player.

And for me, everything every day, you know, tough, you know, but it's good because most of the players that leave here are, you know, Urc right now, you know, like Julie Engelbert, topiye before that's in the Lions, Darren Landsberg with the Lions as well.

You can name a lot, you know, it all came here.

But that's why it happens every season that, you know, we have new players because most of the players that are here are going and that's something that actually quite good in the union that, you know, he's doing something correct.

But yeah, my relationship with him is quite good and he's a good man.

He's a very good man as well.

I mean, you've made significant strides with apiumas.

How has your experience been with a team?

And, I mean, obviously shaping your approach to your game and your development as a player?

And then I think that's where I built my character when it came to my game as well.

It was tough, but it's something that was worth journey for actually, I could say so, yeah.

What are some of the biggest challenges you guys face when playing at the Pumas and how have those experiences contributed to your growth both on and off the field?

So one of the challenges that we have right now, every season we'll have new players.

So every season we have to build also financial thing when it comes to sponsors as well for the pmos.

But I think that's something that management would obviously talk about.

But obviously us as players, we just try to build ourselves, try to build a spiritual thing towards the team, to have that brotherhood as well.

I think that's one of the best things that we do have with the players.

Each and every player knows each other, knows everything about each other.

That's what it's all about, you know, try to build that friendship on and off the field, which is something very key towards everybody, union and every team as well.

So, yeah, I mean, rugby careers are filled with ups and downs and moments that are great, moments that are not so great.

So what has your toughest moments been in your career and how did you find the resilience to push through them?

But I think at that point in my career, you know, I spoke with my family a lot.

I think they helped me very much when it came to my self esteem, to my mental thing, you could say.

So my family helped me a lot and I think, you know, when you speak with your coach as well and you tell them how you feel, you know, it actually opens everything up.

So it was a very, I won't say dark, but I think that's the upside of my career as well.

And then, you know, you just had to work harder and harder each year and then I got my opportunity to play as well.

So I think that's where everything just kind of happened for me and it's just never having that stopping attitude, you know, just trying, even if it doesn't work out, you always try, you always build yourself as well, even if you don't get the result, you know, you building, you growing as well as a person.

So, yeah, I think that was the darkest time of my career I could say.

I mean, obviously when you play Rakpian, you go through those tough times.

I mean, what do you do as a player to get through that?

I mean, obviously it becomes a challenge when you don't play or you get injured.

Like those moments, for me, I think defines a player and that's something that shapes you in becoming a better player further down the line.

So what do you do as an individual to get through those tough times when you don't play, when you don't get picked, coaches don't rate you, when you get injured, what is your kind of go to thing to push through those tough times?

Obviously, you wake up in the morning and pray.

I think that's the first important thing to do as well.

Also, you know, you try to build yourself.

You know, even if negativity is coming into your mind, you just try to go past those thoughts as well when everything is just down, down and under.

But mostly, I would say for any player, speak to your family, speak about it, because if you carry it upon your shoulders, it's going to be hard for you as well.

Especially when you go through injuries.

Those times, you know, you have to be with your family, try to get out of right before, but get that weight off you.

And then when you come back stronger, you know, you come back refresh.

And then after that you build yourself.

You know, you work upon your own schedule, you build yourself towards everything you want.

You have certain goals that you have to go through and I think that's what's so important about coming through those things of injuries, not playing and everything like that.

Yeah, I think it's about that as well.

So.

Yeah, and talking about like life after Akbar now, that's always a question that pops up and some players are kind of geared some or not.

So is there anything that you currently find interesting?

Do you, have you done any studies?

Do you have something that you started as a business or what's your kind of.

How are you preparing for yourself for life after RB so far?

I still want to complete my sports science.

I still have one more year with it.

I was looking to coaching as well, so automatically we have level one.

So I'm just trying to go into level two now as well, coming to my coaching and then we'll take it from there.

I'm so far looking to rub it because, you know, it's been my passion since I started when I was still young, watching Brian Burn or score a try.

You know, it's always been about that.

But obviously, if there are other business ventures while I'm still playing, then I'll also pursue them, but obviously for now, since I'm still young, I'm still going to coaching and looking forward to that as well.

So yeah, I mean, how important do you think that is for younger players when they make the decision to go and play professional rugby to study something or to continue to educate themselves further than just playing rugby?

Your rugby career is only so long and injuries happen every day.

Something bad might happen that will end your career and you haven't really prepared well for that.

So how important do you think that is?

No, it's quite important.

I think, you know, you get those things whereby everyone tells you to.

Everything can happen just like this in rugby.

So I think education is quite something very key because in lifespan of rugby I think it's ten years.

If you're lucky you can go to 15, but I think it's rare to go into 15 years, like Duan fury, for example.

So with the education, I think it's very important, especially when you start rapping like at a young age, at 19 you start like making your own savings.

At that time, especially when I was with sharks, you know, they gave us education there.

So after practice you go to classes.

I think that's where my sports science started as well.

So I think it's very important now because we have the facilities and networking right now to have those things for after RP.

So I think it's very important for anyone, like especially now to have that plan B because anything might happen in RP.

You never know.

Yeah.

And I mean, just while we on the top people, younger guys, like, like what is the message that you would give to guys that's in the Eastern Cape that doesn't have money to go to big schools, they can't play Craven week.

They really want to become a professional rugby player.

Like what is the advice that you would give younger players that aren't as fortunate?

What is your big message for them?

For me, my message would always be never give up, always have faith in what you want to do.

You know, everything can happen.

You never know who's watching.

I think that's the biggest thing ever, never giving up, always having faith and remember why you're doing it the first place where you coming from.

You know, it's always hard, you know, to say stuff, but you don't know a certain situation of a person.

So you always look at your background and you literally tell them, like, don't give up.

Look where you are and what you want to do.

You know, let the focus be the focus.

Always remain in a straight line.

Never go across it, never look back, but always remember where you coming from.

Always keep humble.

Like I said, never give up.

I think that's the main thing.

You know, us as Ravi players, we tend to give up when certain situations will come towards us and that stuff.

I think one of the baddest things we have as a rugby player.

But, like, my message for anyone in the Eastern Cape right now is just don't give up.

Just remember who you are as well.

Yeah.

Another question.

What legacy do you want to leave behind when you finish rugby or leave the Pumas or wherever you go?

What legacy would you want to leave behind one day?

A guy that always smiles, always had a positive attitude towards everything.

Never saw the negative side upon anything when it comes to rugby.

I'm physical, skillful, but he always had the smile upon his face that, you know, you would never see that he was in a bad space.

You know, my legacy would always remain as, you know, he was always smiling, you know, he was always happy.

And he was a people's person.

I think that's one of the main thing that I always want to leave behind.

So, yeah, just the last question.

I mean, is there anything that people maybe don't know about you?

Any hidden talents or something that people wouldn't know or your teammates might not know about you?

I literally don't have a hidden talent.

Literally.

I don't have one.

I won't lie.

I literally don't have one.

Who goes, Jimmy's son.

Now, at the Pumas, he has to have someone that's his son.

That the guy say his son right now.

Okay.

Obviously now most of his son's left is sucky.

It's sucky.

Definitely sucky.

Definitely sucky.

Thanks a lot, man.

It's.

It was great to have you on here today.

Yeah, it's great to have these chats and hear everyone's stories and just get to know you a bit as well.

And again, like, I really am passionate about telling everyone's stories and helping, helping everyone get to that point where they all can contribute to a successful South Africa when it comes to sports, and I think we all have the power to do that.

So, yeah, thanks for joining us today.

We're looking forward to your journey again, and we'll definitely have you on here at some point again.

So, yeah, thanks for your time today.

Thank you so much, Ronaldo.

Thank you so much.

Bye.