In this special reader contribution, 12-year-old JOSHUA FOURIE explains how Rassie Erasmus inspired him to overcome adversity and dream of one day being part of the Springboks.
Being a kid has it’s advantages. Like when we overhear conversations when adults don’t know we are listening. It was in one of these conversations that I heard the name Rassie Erasmus for the first time.
My name is Joshua Fourie, and I am 12 years old. I became a huge rugby fan during the 2023 World Cup when I was in Grade 3. I would hear my parents screaming and shouting every time the Springboks scored that Rassie was a genius.
I love rugby more than any other sport and I also wanted to play rugby just like all the other boys in my grade but because of certain physical challenges, I would not be able to.
When I was three years old I was diagnosed with AML (acute myeloid leukemia) and the only way I would survive was if I had a stemcell transplant. Lucky for me, my sister Zoë (her name means life) was a 100% match. She was six years old at the time.
One of the side affects of a stemcell transplant is GVHD (graph versus host disease) and this caused my joints and my tendons to pull stiff all over my body. So I have to work harder than other children if I want to run or play any sport. I cannot play any contact sports like hockey, soccer or even my favourite sport rugby.
When I was sad or angry I saw how Rassie trained and planned with the Springboks and how he taught them to beat their challenges, he opened my mind to find different ways I could be involved in rugby. Now, I draw up different types of plays and try to understand what Rassie was thinking when he made those different plans and ideas.
So for me Rassie isn’t just a person. He is an inspiring, strong, fearless and smart man who helped me to overcome the different challenges I faced and to keep going.
At school my friends love Rassie. We talk about how he helped South Africa become back to back world champs. Whenever my friends and I play hand tennis or are together at break, we speak about the Bokke and the games played over the weekend. We speak about what we think was good and what we would change if we were a coach but we are only 12 so we still have a lot to learn.
RASSIE vs RENNIE: Battle of minds
I often hear my mom and dad speaking about Rassie and how he has brought South Africa together through rugby and I hope to be able to do that one day in whatever I am going to do when I grow up.
I love South Africa and I love the Springboks and my dream is to one day meet them. My goal is to do a refereeing course when I am older and maybe even one day be involved with the Springboks in whichever way I can.
I hope to one day meet Rassie Erasmus to thank him for being so inspirational and for showing me that I can do anything.
Photos: Supplied/David Rogers/Getty Images
The post Rassie through a 12-year-old’s eyes appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
In this special reader contribution, 12-year-old Joshua Fourie explains how Rassie Erasmus inspired him to overcome adversity and dream of one day being part of the Springboks. @RassieRugby
The post Rassie through a 12-year-old’s eyes appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
