Croucamp on how a Saffas rugby team was born

Phillip Croucamp found the idea most appealing – the idea of putting together a rugby 10s team of South Africans
or 'Saffas'. It sparked during a practice session at the Sharjah Wanderers Club at the beginning of 2008.

Why a team of South Africans? Simple: an overwhelming number of players in the practice session were South Africans.

As soon as the idea struck, meetings were held, sponsors were sourced and before he knew it, they had geared together a dozen green and gold jerseys and registered for the Sharjah 10s tournament.

This was early last year. The team started training rigorously and… walked away the winners of the Sharjah bowl competition.

Croucamp says he will never forget the moments leading up to the final: "Coach Japie Potgieter and I made the team a promise – an overseas tournament if they performed well.

They held up their end of the bargain and we kept our promise. It was unanimously decided to compete in the Bangkok 10s in 2009.

"We arrived in Bangkok last month a new and unknown team. But by the end of the first day, we had made quite a few of the bigger teams sit up and take notice.

"The New Zealand team's coach came and watched us on the second day of the tournament and took notes.
At the end of the game, he approached me and said that he hoped that we would not eliminate each other before the finals. He was clearly more than a bit nervous that we might put them out of the competition!" says Croucamp.

"The tournament was an international event and myself and the rest of the team were thrilled to rub shoulders with some world-famous players, including World Cup 2007 Springbok player Bobby Skinstad and the captain of the Fiji sevens side, as well as numerous other players who represented their provinces and countries at various levels.

"I think it would be an injustice to single out individual performers," he says. "They all played exceptionally well. But I can't forget the inspirational team talks led by fly half and stand-in for our injured captain, Murray Campbell. The brilliant tries scored by Ryno Moolman and Louis Roos will also stay with me for years to come.

"There were no shortage of highlights on this tour and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. I was also most pleased that my son, Shaun, joined the squad.

"As a team we showed that although it had absolutely no training prior to leaving the UAE, South African expatriates have a home-bred passion for rugby so strong that we can overcome many barriers on and off the field.

We played with passion for our home country as well as the country we all presently reside in – the UAE.

Many friendships with players from other countries were struck and at the end of the day, I think that that's what the spirit of rugby is all about."