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Democratic Republic of Congo-born winger Madosh Tambwe talks about his move to the Sharks and finding his place at the Vodacom Super Rugby level in this interview DYLAN JACK.
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How did you settle in Durban, given that you have spent your whole life in Joburg?
It has been absolutely amazing. Great people and great teammates have made my stay enjoyable. Everyone is very friendly. I am only a couple of minutes from the beach. So there is always something to do to distract yourself. The lifestyle in Durban is not as hectic as in Joburg. Everything feels a little more relaxed. The fact that the Sharks had such a fantastic run before the lock made things so much sweeter for me.
Given your relationship with the Lions and Joburg, was it difficult to leave the franchise?
There were many emotions involved. Literally everything I knew, growing up, was in Johannesburg. The Lions played an important role in helping me jump-start my rugby career. I’ve only been to Durban on weekends when we played the Sharks and it was my first time being alone, which was kind of scary and overwhelming because I was leaving my entire support system behind. On the other hand, it was challenging and exciting. I was expecting something new. At that point I felt like I was going to have to make a difficult decision, either at that time or later in my career. I felt the time was right to make that decision so that in the future, if I have to make one or two more, I know how to do it. The opportunity was too great not to seize it.
There was a lot of talk about the fact that you would play behind the Springbok World Cup winners Sbu Nkosi and Makazole Mapimpi. How did you see that look?
I saw it as a great opportunity for me. In the Lions, I was fortunate to also play among the Springboks. An environment with the Springbok guys would only benefit me. It was a new beginning and I needed to be positive. The only way he was going to play was by working much harder than he thought he should. I am blessed to be able to play with those two. It has been amazing and we have formed a bond between us. We learn from each other. We work hard in training because we know how good we are. This only helps the union, because you have three world class finalists on your team.
Was rugby your favorite sport at school?
I started playing soccer. I played from U9 to U13 at Highlands Park. Meanwhile, I was also doing track and field for my elementary school and went to district and national champions in Cape Town. Soccer was the best for me. Then I got to high school and I had to make an adjustment because you have to play a summer and winter sport. For my winter sport, I did track and field but was also dragged into playing rugby so as not to get in trouble. In U15, I started to take rugby a little more seriously. I was battling injuries so I took a break from track and field. That year I played for a Lions Invitational Team and made the Craven Week team when I was 18 years old.
How did the opportunity to play for the Lions come about?
He was still in school when he played for the Lions U19 and Joey Mongalo was the head coach. I had trained several years before at the Lions Invitational. He asked me what I was going to do with my life. I told him I was not accepted into any varsity team, so I will only hope for the best. He said he was going to talk to the Lions guys to get me a college deal, which wasn’t a contract. I went there with an open mind and Joey said he loved how he was training and said he would speak to the CEO. [Rudolf Straeuli] to let me play even though I agreed. A week later, I made my U19 debut against the Cheetahs. I played every game that season and finished the season as the top scorer of attempts. Then I sat in the office with Rudolf Straeuli, Coach Ackermann and they told me that they were going to give me a contract and that I would have to join the Super Rugby preseason at the end of the year. That was also on a training basis with no game guarantee. I wrote my enrollment finals on Monday and had to go to training on Tuesday. In January I was selected to play some friendlies and then I came down to join the SA U20 team. Then I had to go back to Joburg because the Lions called to say I was going to make my Super Rugby debut.
What was it like racing against the Reds?
It was crazy. I really have no words for that. I still feel like it’s one of the best moments of my rugby career. Everything is for me. That year, I managed to be in a moment that I had wanted all my life, I wanted to be a professional athlete as a child. Being in that position and seeing your dreams come true… you can’t put words to it. My father always says, you don’t know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory. It was a great occasion. I was so nervous that my clothes were already wet before reaching the stadium. During the pre-game meal, Wazza [Warren Whiteley] He told me that the boys are behind me and that I don’t have to worry. Having those words of affirmation from his captain made it even sweeter.
How was it for your family?
My mother cried, actually. He came to the field and wept. I too was almost on the verge of tears. I went back to the locker room and my dad and my older brother, the rest of my family, started flooding my phone. Because I wasn’t on my phone for about three days before the game. It did not allow distractions. My family was the only one I spoke to after the game until that Wednesday. Later, my dad told me something that stuck in my mind. They give us everything in life, all the opportunities we want, it is up to us to make sure that those opportunities are not wasted. I have kept it in my heart until now. I don’t take any opportunity for granted.
In 2018, he made headlines by scoring four attempts against the Stormers. What did that performance mean to you?
Before that game, in preparation for that week, I didn’t feel like myself. I had some personal things that were bothering me. So that game was a way of blocking all the other things he was running from. That game helped bring some peace to my heart. It happened so fast, that at the end of the game I couldn’t believe what had just happened. He had just scored the fastest hat-trick in Super Rugby history. It was a lot to take in. It took me about a week to decide what had happened. Fortunately, we had a weekend off. It was a great game. It also helped my confidence and the belief that I was struggling at the time. It was a reminder that I belong at this level and that I am here because I have worked hard.
Are there still aspects of your game that you can work on?
The beauty of this is that I am fortunate to have started my career at a young age. Seeing how I have progressed with the player I was in my first season is incredible. To be the player I want to be, there will always be room for improvement. There will always be a couple of things that I need to tweak a bit to take my game to the next level. You can never afford a position in a profession where you feel there is no room for improvement. For me, every season I continue to drive myself to be a better finalist and defender than I was the season before.
* This feature first appeared in the latest SA Rugby magazine, now on sale!
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