FNB NWU Eagles’ right centre Indiphile Tyeda, better known as Indi, has taken a long road to Potchefstroom. From humble beginnings in Fort Murray, a small town near Qonce in the Eastern Cape, to wearing the purple of the Eagles. His rugby journey has been marked by setbacks and triumphs.
FNB Varsity Cup caught up with Indi to reflect on his rugby journey, his time at FNB UJ, and the challenges of transitioning to life at the North West University. The 23-year-old also opened up about how he adapted to a new playing style under Eagles’ coach Burger van der Westhuizen.
Indi’s love for rugby began at a young age, and his talent wouldn’t go unnoticed as he would get the opportunity to play for Dale College, a rugby high school in the Eastern Cape.
“I started paying when I was 10, till one of the scouts from Dale College spotted me and gave me the opportunity to play there.”
After finishing high school, Indi moved to Johannesburg in 2020 to join UJ’s Young Guns squad.
However, his journey was delayed due to the COVID-19 outbreak and he had to go back home for six months. He furthermore said that “the uncertainty of the pandemic was a challenge, but I returned later that year for pre-season training.”
In 2021, he played FNB Varsity Cup for UJ and also represented the Lions U20 team, winning the competition that year. He continued playing at a high level, featuring for the Eagles and Lions U21 squad in 2022. However, 2024 turned out to be his last season at the University of Johannesburg due to academic setbacks.
“I couldn’t play last year because I didn’t have enough credits,” he said.
Despite stepping away from the game for a while, fate had other plans.
“Coach Beggs [Burger van der Westhuizen] called me around April, just after the FNB Varsity Cup, and asked if I wanted to come play for NWU,” Indi said.
At first, he was hesitant, needing time to think about the move. Eventually, after discussions with his family, he decided to take the opportunity.
“I came here in June just to see how things work, played a couple of club games, and by September, I had made up my mind to study and play here,” he added.
Adjusting to a new university and rugby culture wasn’t easy. “Coming from Joburg to a small town in the North West was different,” he admitted. “But I knew I had to step out of my comfort zone and try new things.”
He also had to adapt physically. “At UJ, I struggled to gain weight. Here, they told me I needed to get to 86 or 87 kg to fit into the system,” he said.
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By: Lesiba Dikhoba
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