The spirit of Cornal Hendricks must help Boland as Cavaliers try to lift themselves for Pumas
FILE - Boland and their players have been through a lot over the last couple of days following the passing of Cornal Hendricks. The team now face the Pumas in a SA Cup semi-final on Friday night.
Image: Backpagepix
It’s been a rollercoaster week of emotions for the Boland Cavaliers, going from the great high of qualifying for the Premier Division of the Currie Cup to the crushing low of Cornal Hendricks’ shock passing.
Boland beat Eastern Province last Saturday to get back into the top tier of the Currie Cup for the first time in nine years. But the team was rocked by the untimely death of one of the union’s icons on Wednesday night.
Hendricks moved back to Boland after leaving the Bulls in September last year. He had five wonderful years in Pretoria after a period out of the game because of a rare heart condition.
His homecoming back to Wellington to play for the team where it all started for him in 2008 was seen as a bit of a fairytale ending to a career that hit a major speedbump in 2015. The Currie Cup qualification was seen as a fitting way for him to add even more gloss to an already disguised career, even though he hadn’t featured for the team since March.
But the celebrations were cut short by Hendricks’ untimely death, leaving South African rugby in mourning. None more so than coach Hawies Fourie and his Boland team, who were shattered by this incredibly sad news.
But Boland now need to pick themselves up for Friday night’s SA Cup semi-final against the unbeaten Pumas in Mbembela.
There were thoughts of postponing the match, but Boland has got on a plane to the Lowveld to compete.
It’s incredibly brave of the team, who will undoubtedly play with Hendricks' memory in their minds.
Hendricks was loved and will forever be loved within the squad, as he was a real team man and an outstanding professional. The videos of him on social media in the Bulls’ changeroom leading the “gees” are there for all to see, and he brought that same mentality and energy to the Boland set-up until his last breath.
Everyone at Boland has been through a lot this week, but they will want to compete in the spirit of Cornal Hendricks against the Pumas. Win or lose, they want to make their fallen teammate proud.
They will certainly have a few more fans tonight, but their biggest fan will definitely be with them in spirit.
@JohnGoliath82