At 2,01 metres tall, Sanlam Boland Kavaliers lock Jeandre Leonard is looking to raise the roof when it comes to his new team’s aspirations for the 2026 rugby season.
Leonard has joined the Kavas family after three successful seasons at the Airlink Pumas, where he helped the Mbombela side win the 2022 Carling Black Label Currie Cup Premier Division and 2025 SA Cup competition.
However, Leonard, who also represented the Suzuki Griquas before moving to the Airlink Pumas, says after three years in Mbombela, he has been eyeing a new challenge.
And his move was made easier when his wife received the welcome news of a new job in the Western Cape.
Also seeing how the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers have been progressing under coach Hawies Fourie for the past two seasons, had also piqued the towering lock’s interest in coming to help the Western Cape team reach new heights.
“This move to the Western Cape with my family and still getting to play professional rugby is an opportunity for us to experience a different side of life,” Leonard says.
“After three years in Mbombela, I also started to feel as if my game was not growing and I needed to take up a new challenge.
“Hearing of the plans that coach Hawies has for the team, I wanted to become part of that conversation.
“I still have high aspirations as a player and would like to see this team win the Currie Cup [Premier Division] and then also in future get to possibly play in the United Rugby Championship [URC].”
Leonard is no stranger to taking the long road to reaching his rugby goals.
In high school at Garsfontein, the second rower did not play regular first-team rugby.
That did not stop him from making a name for himself at the FNB Varsity Cup level with the North West University, before joining the Suzuki Griquas in Kimberley to gain more experience as a lock.
Leonards is, however, under no illusions that he faces some stiff competition at lock with the Kavas bolstering their depth in this department.
“I know that I can’t just expect to walk into this team; I will have to do the hard yards. I am really enjoying that challenge, especially during our pre-season and the work that conditioning coach Iver [Aanhuizen] has done with us.”
They say you cannot teach an old dog new tricks, but for recently recruited Sanlam Boland Kavaliers outside back Jade Stighling, there is an exception to this rule.
Stighling has been in pre-season camp with his new Kavaliers teammates and says he feels like he is learning more about the game from young wingers Xavier Mitchell and Jaden Bantom.
The 32-year-old Stighling joins Boland after a two-year stint playing club rugby in the United States of America for Major League Rugby outfit the Seattle Seawolves.
He joined the Seawolves in November 2023 after making the move from the Airlink Pumas, whom he joined during the 2021 season after growing up and playing most of his rugby as a junior and senior for the Vodacom Bulls in the Carling Currie Cup as well as Super Rugby.
Stighling says he decided to join the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers to be closer to family, but more importantly, help his new team reach new heights, following Boland’s qualification for the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division and also reaching the semifinals of the 2025 edition.
With a Bachelor of Science in Informatics from the University of South Africa (UNISA), Stighling is also looking to put his skills in this area to work, especially seeing how Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a norm in the workplace during his two-year stint in the US.
“With South Africa still being a developing nation when it comes to using AI, it was interesting to see how things are done in America. I would like to use what I have learned over there and put it to use here locally,” Stighling says.
Meanwhile, when it comes to his current career, the former Puma is also taking a lot of learnings on board, especially from his fellow outside backs, who he says are keeping him on his toes.
“Jayden Bantom and Xavier Mitchell are very good athletes and are keeping me on my toes constantly,” he professed.
“I pride myself on being a great athlete, but seeing what a guy like Xavier can do on a rugby field astounds me and makes me feel as if I am learning something new. Sometimes it feels as if these younger guys are teaching me things about the game.”
Stighling has, however, never been a stranger to working hard when it comes to his rugby career, and can be considered a late bloomer when it comes to rugby.
“I wanted to be a soccer player,” he reveals. “As a kid in primary school, I really wanted to pursue a career in football.
“I was a big athletics guy, and a coach at Hans Moore High School in Benoni saw that I was quite quick and basically tricked me into playing rugby.
“I remember he offered me a pair of boots just to come for a trial with the team. I thought I would do the trial and then use those boots to go and play soccer. But, after that first game, my mind was changed, and I ended up sticking to rugby.”
Moving to Wellington has also felt like a reunion to Stighling, with so many of the former Bulls and Pumas players part of the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers’ team.
“Seeing coach Pote [Human] as well as Mossie [Juan Mostert] among others, here and Chris Smit in the short time that I have been here, has been so surreal.
“I feel like the culture and energy that coach Hawies [Fourie] and coach Pote are developing is exciting, and it has made me slot into the environment with ease, especially with me knowing most of the players, that I have played with before at the Bulls as well as the Pumas.”
Newly recruited number eight at the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers, Kwanda Dimaza, says he feels right at home since joining the Wellington rugby team in November last year.
Dimaza spent five seasons at the Airlink Pumas before deciding to leave Mbombela for the picturesque Cape Winelands and mountainous terrain of the Western Cape.
The loose forward, who grew up in the Ginsberg township in Qonce (formerly known as King Williams’s Town) in the Eastern Cape, previously represented the Hollywoodbets Sharks after completing high school at Dale College.
Where he says he spent close to five years, working himself up through the ranks as a junior player and even made the 2019 Sharks Super Rugby squad, before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out a year later.
Game time at the Sharks, however, was very limited, with Dimaza deciding to move to Mpumalanga and play for the Pumas in 2020. He can call himself a Carling Black Label Currie Cup champion after helping the team win the 2022 title.
Dimaza has, however, been seeking a new challenge, and after watching the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers perform remarkably well last season and reach the Currie Cup semifinals, he knew he had to become part of a team making waves in South African rugby.
“Just watching some of their games last season and their style of play attracted me,” Dimaza says. “It is the way that I like to play the game. The running rugby and offloads are some of the things that caught my eye.
WELLINGTON. Kwanda Dimaza during the 2026 pre-season. Photo by Ernest Kilowan/Boland Rugby MediaWELLINGTON. Kwanda Dimaza during the 2026 pre-season. Photo by Ernest Kilowan/Boland Rugby Media
“Overall, I think it is just the whole chemistry of the team, the cohesion that they have and their willingness to fight and play for coach Hawies (Fourie).”
One thing that did surprise Dimaza, though, since moving to Wellington, is the extreme heat in his new hometown. With temperatures typically around 31 degrees, during Bergwind conditions, they can reach 35 degrees.
That, however, does not stop Kavas’ strength and conditioning coach, Iver Aanhuizen, from putting him and the rest of the squad through their paces.
“The first two months when I came here, I noticed it can get extremely hot in Wellington. Nelspruit was hot and humid, but here it is on another level.
“Training has been hard in this weather, but it is getting better, even though Coach Iver sometimes shows no mercy.
“I enjoy it though, especially with a strength and condition coach that is willing to push you to reach new heights. At the end of the day, you get rewards out of it, and we could see that last year with the team reaching the Currie Cup’s semifinals.”
Besides working hard for Sanlam Boland Kavaliers’ upcoming SA Cup campaign, Dimaza has also gotten to know his new surroundings.
“Since I arrived here in November, I have gotten to do some sightseeing around the Western Cape,” he explains. “My new teammates here have been very accommodating by offering to show me around.
“We have even gone to watch some of the SA20 cricket games here in Paarl. It has been a good experience, and there really is a lot to do here.”
Vying for a regular spot in the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers matchday squad, Dimaza says that competing with the likes of Kwhezi Mafu, Thurlow Marsh, and Sbu Sangweni, among others: “It is a good battle at loose forward. We push each other in training, and I think that is what you want if you want to be a successful team.
“For me so far it has been good, and at the end of the day we want to make it difficult for coach Hawies to select who gets to play and who does not.”
When you walk into Boland Park in Worcester and hear the rumble of the scrum, there’s one name that always echoes above the rest – Anele Zingitwa. To the supporters, he’s “The Iron of High Noon.” To his people, he’s “Intsimbi yase High Noon” – the man of steel who never backs down.
With broad shoulders, a determined gaze, and a heart as big as his tackle power, Zingitwa needs little introduction in rugby circles. He’s a player who quite literally carries his team on his back – both in spirit and in strength.
From the farm to the field
Born and raised on the High Noon farm near Villiersdorp, Anele first held a rugby ball on dusty ground; no fancy coaching, no privilege, just pure passion and a dream. His natural ability and fierce commitment quickly shone through, and by his matric year in 2008 at Villiersdorp Secondary, he was already the team captain and a standout leader.
From there, his rugby journey took him through Helderstroom and Elandskloof, and later into the South African Defence Force, where in 2012 he was named Captain of the Gauteng Defence Force and selected for the President’s Team. Those were the years that not only shaped his body but also helped form his character, teaching him the values of discipline, resilience, and loyalty.
Wearing the number 1 jersey as a loosehead prop, Zingitwa is a man who has immense physical strength, but his accurate weapon lies in his spirit. He plays with fire, intensity, and passion, the kind of player who never surrenders. Many an opponent has felt his force in the scrum, yet his teammates know him as a gentle giant.
When his mentor and beloved coach, Aldridge Mercuur, passed away, Zingitwa’s humanity shone through.
“Coach Mercuur believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself,” he said. “He gave me confidence, and I’ll honour his memory forever.”
Villa – Where he found a home
After several successful seasons at Caledon Rugby Club, where he claimed both Forward of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year in 2016, Anele joined Villa Rugby Club in 2022.
When he arrived, Villa was in the process of rebuilding. But from day one, Zingitwa’s presence made an impact. His work ethic, discipline, and infectious energy reignited the team’s belief.
“At Villa, I feel at home,” he says. “The people welcome you like family. That’s why we give everything on the field — it’s for them, for our community, for that sense of pride.”
In 2024, his dedication was rewarded. He was crowned Villa’s Forward of the Year and selected for the Boland Coach’s Invitational Team — solidifying his reputation as one of the finest front-rowers in the region.
His rugby résumé tells a story of relentless hard work:
2007 – Helderstroom B-Team Forward of the Year
2012 – Gauteng Defence Force Captain & President’s Team
2016 – Caledon RFC Forward of the Year & Players’ Player of the Year
2023 – Western Cape Correctional Services Captain
2024 – Villa RFC Forward of the Year & Boland Invitational Team
Today, Anele remains an integral part of the Villagers Worcester Rugby Football Club family, not only as a player but as a role model and mentor to younger athletes. He proves daily that trophies don’t measure true greatness, but by the impact you leave on those around you.
Wanneer jy oor Wesbank Rugby praat, is daar sekere name wat altyd met trots genoem word en een van daardie name is Doppies Coetzee. ’n Ware rugbylegende wie se passie, toewyding en nederigheid oor dekades die Wesbank-trui met trots gekleur het.
Sy Beginjare….Doppies se rugbyreis het begin op die plase van Adamsfontein, waar plaaslike spanne op Sondae mekaar die stryd aangesê het. “Dis daar waar my liefde vir rugby ontwikkel het,” vertel hy met ’n glimlag. Sy talent het gou uitgeblink en op skool het hy reeds vir Boland uitgedraf.
Op net 19 jaar oud het hy sy eerste wedstryd vir Wesbank Rugbyklub gespeel as agtsteman. “Daardie dag was spesiaal,” onthou hy. “Ons het gewen, en ek het geweet dis waar ek hoort.”
Sy Invloede en Inspirasie onder die spelers wat ’n groot invloed gehad het op sy loopbaan, noem Doppies name soos Japie Liedeman, Bus Adonis, Kames Humphreys, en Attie Lategan. Hulle kameraadskap het hom gevorm as speler en as mens.
Soos vir baie jong spelers destyds, was finansies sy grootste uitdaging, maar sy deursettingsvermoë en liefde vir die spel het hom altyd vorentoe gedryf.
Sy grootste rugby oomblikke was een van sy mees onvergeetlike oomblikke was toe hy saam met groot name soos Errol Tobias, Schalk Burger, en Pompies Williams vir die WP Federasiespan gespeel het teen die Engelse op Danie Craven Stadion. Nog ’n hoogtepunt was die RVK-finaal teen Caledon waar sy vertoning soveel aandag getrek het dat Errol Tobias gesê het om “die jongspeler van Malmesbury dop te hou”.
Hy onthou ook met trots die intense wedstryd teen Suidwes-Afrika in Windhoek tydens die Pienaar-wedstryd.
Doppies noem dat spangees was alles. “Ons was ’n eenheid – en daardie bande bestaan nog vandag.” Vir hom is goeie leierskap eenvoudig; kommunikasie, voorbeeld stel en respek. Rondom konflik sê hy, “praat dit uit, los dit uit, en beweeg aan veral voor ’n wedstryd.”
Sy raad aan jong spelers is duidelik: “Wees betyds, moenie oefeninge mis nie, en leer by die ervare manne.”
Na sy speeldae het Doppies by Eskom gewerk, maar sy hart het nooit van rugby weggebeweeg nie. Tot vandag toe staan hy elke oefenaand langs die veld by Wesbank en help hy die jong losvoorspelers met raad en tegniek.
Foto: Doppies Coetzee (heel regs) met sy seun, Joinel (heel links), Wesbank voorsitter, en sy dogter, Sharonay Solomons (néé Coetzee) in die middel. Foto verskaf.
“Ek mis die gevoel om in die nommer 8-trui uit te draf,” erken hy. “Maar ek kry nou my vreugde in om die jongmanne te sien groei.”
Hy bly fiks deur daagliks te stap en in die gym te oefen, en volg steeds elke wedstryd van sy geliefde Wesbank.
Volgens hom is rugby vandag baie vinniger, en die reëls het oor tyd verander. Tog bly die kern dieselfde: “Hard werk bring sukses.”
Die beste raad wat hy ooit gekry het was…Oefen hard as jy bo wil uitkom. Hy hoop sy nalatenskap sal wees dié van ’n toegewyde speler en mentor, iemand wat sy kennis deel met die volgende generasie.
Sy boodskap aan jong spelers is wees vol karakter: “As jy nie gekies word nie, moenie moed verloor nie. Moenie ander afkraak nie ondersteun en motiveer jou spanmaats.”
Selfs vandag nog is Doppies elke oefenaand en wedstryd teenwoordig altyd bereid om ’n helpende hand of bemoedigende woord te gee.
Sy boodskap aan die manne vir die groot wedstryd teen die span wat hulle tien jaar gelede in die Grootuitdaag-finaal geklop het, is eenvoudig maar kragtig: “Speel wen-rugby. Doen die basiese goed reg soos wat julle geoefen het. Speel as ’n span en gee julle beste vir Malmesbury en vir die kinders wat na julle opkyk.”
