Helping his boyhood union, the Sanlam Boland Cavaliers, to qualify for the Currie Cup Premier Division is not enough for veteran hooker Sidney Tobias.
Since joining the provincial team, his Springbok-capped father, Errol, represented 40 years ago, the 36-year-old Tobias tells Telecom Asia Sport he has made it his mission to get Boland back to where they belong.
That is, for the Cape Winelands union to become a regular competitor in the Currie Cup
Premier Division, after the union won back-to-back Currie Cup First Division titles in 2023 and 2024.
Push for Currie Cup Promotion
To get to the Premier Division, though, the Cavas need to at least finish amongst the top four in the SA Cup standings.
After seven rounds, Boland find themselves within touching distance of getting to the top division of Currie Cup rugby and occupy fourth place with 25 points, but are still looking over their shoulders as the Novavit Griffons are also sitting pretty on 25 points and occupy fifth place due to an inferior points difference.
The Valke (sixth with 20 points) are also still in the race for Currie Cup promotion as the SA Cup hits boiling points this coming weekend where the round 8 games promise to have huge implications for the teams mentioned above, including the Toyota Cheetahs, third with 27 points, who are also not yet guaranteed of a spot in the Currie Cup top-tier.
SA Cup Crown Not Out Of Reach
However, Currie Cup promotion is not enough for Tobias, who has been a standout performer for the Cavas since the start of the season, earning him the nickname Mister Accountability, who urges his team to dream big and go all-in by trying to win the SA Cup.
And a test of character awaits Tobias and his Cavaliers teammates as they get ready to tackle the unbeaten SA Cup log leaders, the SA Airlink Pumas, this Saturday at Boland Stadium in Wellington in their final home game of the competition’s league phase.
Tobias says of why they can go out and win it all:
This is a union that belongs in the Currie Cup Premier Division. It is not just something that we say, but that is truly where Boland belongs when you consider the amount of rugby talent this union develops for national and other provincial teams.
And I have to tell you, since my time here, it has been one of the periods in my career that I have worked extremely hard, and the change that coach Hawies and his management team have brought can be seen. With our conditioning coach, Iver Aanhuisen, putting us through our paces during pre-season and making sure we are in the correct condition to play the game.
Credit must also go to the other assistants like Alshaun Bock (defence), Mornay Kurtz (forwards) and Jacquin Jansen (attack), team managers Moses Fourtuin and Grant Jantjies, as well as our stadium staff Uncles Maans and Abraham. They deserve their flowers for the hard work they have been putting in.
Personal Sacrifice
Tobias tells Telecom Asia Sport the nickname Mister Accountability started becoming a thing after telling good friend and former Varsity Cup star for the North West University Eagles, Lucian Cupido, how he strives to keep himself accountable for his actions on the rugby field and when it comes to being a family man who has had to sacrifice living 905km away from his wife and daughter.
My wife has a very good job at the Department of Education [in Kimberley], but it’s still not easy being away from them, although I always try to fly out to Kimberley every third week to reconnect.
And because I am not seen in terms of age as the youngest in terms of what age a player can still play on a professional level, one has to make provisions for the future, you know.
Yes, Lucian likes to poke a bit of fun at me, but that is Lucian for you. He is someone with strong Christian values, like me, and he is one who always tries to uplift me spiritually.
My slogan for this year has been to hold myself accountable, and that is how I try to play in every game when Coach Hawies (Fourie) selects me. I just want to give my best for this union because I, and the rest of the team, know that we are playing for something bigger than ourselves.
Homecoming
Meanwhile, playing for the Cavas after last representing the union at primary school level (Boland U/12) is something Tobias describes as a full circle moment.
During High School, at Paul Roos Gimnasium, he represented neighbouring union Western Province at youth level (u/16 Grant Khomo and u/18 Cravenweek) and afterwards also played for their u/19 and u/21 teams, before going professional and representing the blue and white hoops in the Vodacom Cup.
Loan spells at Sale Sharks (England) and the South Western Districts followed thereafter, before Tobias had his first stint at the Vodacom Bulls from 2013 to 2014.
He then moved on to the Suzuki Griquas for two seasons before signing with Italian United Rugby Championship side Zebre Parma, where he played a handful of games in the previously named Pro12 competition.
Bulls recall
A second stint at the Bulls then followed after Tobias initially decided to retire as a pro and work and play for the Northam Rhinos before he decided to make another overseas move to play for two seasons in the American Major League Rugby competition with Rugby ATL club.
A move to France then followed when he got a call from Boland to be part of the project of taking the union back to the top-flight of provincial rugby.
At that stage, the news broke that coach Hawies Fourie had decided to leave the Cheetahs and come and coach Boland, along with flyhalf Ashlon Davids also signing on to represent the Cavas, I immediately knew that the union was serious about taking their game to a higher level.
And for me this move feels like a full circle moment after I last donned the famous black and gold hoops as an 11-year-old kid for the Boland u/12 team. My dad also represented Boland more than 40 years ago and made my arrival at the Cavas two years ago an even bigger full circle moment for me, as it is an honour to now say that I have played on the highest level for a team that my dad had also represented.
