All eyes were on FNB Tuks in the first round of the 2024 FNB Varsity Shield as the Pretoria outfit began their fight to return to the Varsity Cup.
Kamohele Tlome put in a sterling performance in the thrashing of FNB UFH that earned him the Player That Rocks accolade.
The flanker from the Stripe Generation says rugby changed his life. His patience and resilience have finally paid off as he waited three years to make his Varsity Cup debut since joining the Tuks Young Guns in 2021.
“Rugby got me out of a lot of personal situations at home and (it) allowed me to get a tertiary education. Now I am in my final year of BCom Marketing Management and everything is going well. I can’t be more grateful.”
Tlome says it was his older brother who made him fall in love with rugby as he used to watch him play when he was still in primary school.
“I fell in love with rugby when I was in Grade 1 because of my older brother. The age gap is 7 years and watching him play for the under-13s, I wanted to be him, and watching (the) Springboks play on SABC 2, I was like ‘This is what I want’.”
Tlome’s rugby career started moving in the right direction when was chosen to play for the Griffons under-13s. His talent then landed him a scholarship with Jeppe High School for Boys where he spent his entire high school period. His career blossomed when he got to represent the Lions under-18s in the Craven Week when he was only in Grade 11.
Playing for the Lions under-18 side, Tuks spotted him and Tlome says he is extremely grateful for the opportunities he’s been given.
“I’ve always rated Tuks as a formidable side where my skills can develop. When I arrived in 2021 it was high pressure. They had guys like Sango Xamlashe and Hanru Sirgil setting the bar high and I did not think I would make it. I played for the Young Guns in 2021, I managed to get to the Bulls but unfortunately, I got injured in 2022. And then 2023 did not go as planned, we felt the pressure with what the team went through last year.”
by Lehlogonolo Ditshego
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