The South African national Rugby team for deaf people, the Deafboks have been granted Test Status, and later this year will undergo a tour of the United Kingdom where they will test themselves against their English and Welsh counterparts.
(The Article is in Afrikaans)
Sport24
Deafboks kry toetsstatus
Stil-stil slyp hul vir rugbystryd
Dennis Conroy van Krugersdorp, ’n dowe speler in die Oostelike Eagles-rugbyklub in Pretoria se derdespan, gebruik gebaretaal tydens ’n oefening op die veld van Hoërskool Die Wilgers in Pretoria
’n Feitlik geluidlose spel
Net die gedawer van hul gehardloop en soms ’n gesteun en gekreun klink op wanneer dowe jong mans rugby speel.
Die voetwerk het begin om dowe spelers te slyp vir die Dowerugby-wêreldkampioenskap-byeenkoms volgende jaar in Wallis. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Dowerugbyunie (Sadru) het Danie Engelbrecht (52) verlede week as die hoofafrigter van Suid-Afrika se dowe rugbyspan, die Deafboks, aangestel.
’n Voorlopige oefengroep van 32 is gekies en Engelbrecht het reeds sy hulpafrigters aangewys.
Die hulpafrigters, Raymond Jonker (39) en Michael Oosthuyzen (42), is doof. Hulle gaan onderskeidelik die agterlyn en die voorry afrig. Jonker en Oosthuyzen, wat die Blou Bulle se aanlyn toets gedoen het om te kwalifiseer vir ’n IRB vlak 1-afrigtingskursus, is oor sy pad gestuur, vertel Engelbrecht.
“Ek kan sign (vir die spelers), maar hulle kan vinniger en beter sign. Hulle is my ekstra oë.”
Oosthuyzen sê laggend hy en Jonker is “per ongeluk doof gebore”.
Danie Engelbrecht, hoofafrigter van Oostelike Eaglesrugbyklub se dowe derdespan gee handsine vir die spelers op die rugbyveld. Engelbrecht is nou ook hoofafrigter van Suid Afrika se Nationale dowe rugbyspan die deafboks
Marius Badenhorst (links) dowe speler in die Oostelike Eagles-rugbyklub in Pretoria, spot met een van sy dowe spanmaats tydens’n span oefening
Die spelers in die oefengroep (tussen 20 en 30 jaar) is van Gauteng, die Vrystaat, KwaZulu-Natal en die Wes-Kaap. Die Gautengers is (saam met ’n paar horende spelers) in die derde span van die Oostelike Eagles-rugbyklub in die Carltonbeker-reeks.
“Hulle is fiks en het onlangs net 5-12 teen TUT se derde span verloor,” sê Engelbrecht, wat ook die hoofafrigter van Oostelike Eagles se derde span is.
Engelbrecht het in sy 14 jaar as onderwyser aan die Transoranje Skool vir Dowes in Pretoria handseine ontwerp as opdragte vir spelers op die veld. Hulle noem dit rugbytaal, pleks van gebaretaal. Om ’n wedstrydplan met sulke seine in te oefen, is “ure en ure” se werk. Dit kan volgens hom tot ses uur neem om een beweging in te oefen.
Die Deafboks, wat toetsrugbystatus bekom het, gaan hul Engelse en Walliese teenstanders in November pak. Volgens Engelbrecht moet borgskappe nog daarvoor bekom word.
Surely a proud moment for all concerned and proof to all of us that if you really want something badly enough, it’s achievable.
A special word of congratulation to Andre du Toit of Outotec South Africa on his selection for this team earlier in the year..
Thanks to GBS for “fine tuning” the article.
What does the Ref use instead of a whistle?
@ cane:
Varking good question.
I’ll ask Andre….well I’ll try to ask him.
@ cane:
I sent one of the players, Andre du Toit an e-mail and asked him.
As soon as he answers I’ll let you know.
I thought perhaps Mr Ref,
may have been issued with a cattle prodder.
Can’t see how else he could sort the out the chaos of the rucks and mauls.
@ Scrumdown:
Please don’t tell him about the “cattle prodder” idea.
😉
cane wrote:
Could always get a Sharks loose forward who’s just been banned for a few days to give lessons in “gaining peoples attention”.
@ cane:
Andre reckons just a whistle like any other ref’.
The players may well pick up the higher pitch sound of a whistle.
I once knew a deaf mute who together with his wife won numerous dancing competitions. They used to “feel” the music through the wooden floor.
As I said in the article, where there’s a will there’s a way.
Years ago when I was still playing club Rugby in JHB there was a deaf referree.
He was actually a bloody good ref’, but goodness did some of the players bite him shit knowing that he wouldn’t pick it up unless he saw your lips.
@ Scrumdown:
Thank you for that Scrumdown.
.
Still think your idea of Jean Diseasel sounds like an option.
11 @ cane:
Howzit Cane, How you mate? Hope well.
You think your Canes can beat the Chiefs this weekend? Would help my Sharks a lot if they do…
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