Rugby newcomers selected for Golden Lions Under-15s

Prop Gabriel Schiffman started playing rugby only six months ago and blindside flank Devon Berger initially never really liked the sport, but both have been selected for the Golden Lions Youth Rugby Under-15 squad.

These two 14-year-old King David Linksfield students, who play for Wasps Rugby Club in Edenvale, will be heading with the Lions Under-15 team to Durban to play against the Bulls, Sharks, and Falcons in an interprovincial tournament from 22 September to 28 September.

Proudly donning a Lions jersey, Berger and Schiffman’s team will be playing five out of those seven days in this annual interprovincial tournament for teenage boys and girls.

When the 26-man squad was announced on 7 August, Berger and Schiffman were two of seven players from the Wasps. The other players play for Diggers, Alberton, and Pirates rugby clubs.

“While at Wasps, we were encouraged to attend the trials for the Golden Lions youth teams,” Schiffman, a Grade 8 student, says. “After two gruelling rounds, I made it through to the final round held in Alberton. I didn’t enjoy that game and thought it was very hard. I didn’t hold high hopes of being selected.”

Grade 9 student Berger, who took up rugby at the beginning of last year, says they played for their club teams in the first two weekends of the three tough weekends of the trials. “For the last weekend, only 60 boys out of all the teams were invited back for the last round of trials,” he says.

“The competition was tough. We were also under constant observation from selectors looking for any mistake, but also for the moments of brilliance. These games were also unlike any other game, as I had to play for my team but also ensure that I stood out if I wanted to make it. I knew this wouldn’t be easy, so I pushed myself to the limit and it paid off.”

Berger stood out by “always making my tackles, sealing rucks, and running hard at my opponents. I made sure I kept my fitness levels up by doing some training at home on the treadmill.”

Two weeks after the final round of trials, the selection process took place. “I found out that I made the team when it was released on the Golden Lions Instagram page,” Berger says.

Schiffman was at school when a friend came up to him and wished him mazeltov as he had just seen the announcement on the Lions Instagram page.

“I couldn’t believe it!” Schiffman says. “The hard work and effort certainly paid off.” In the past six months leading up to his selection for the Lions youth squad, he went to school rugby practice three times a week and club practice twice a week. He also swam laps in the pool when he had time.

Says Schiffman, “It’s a huge honour and privilege to play for the Lion’s provincial team, and I’m really proud of myself. I can’t wait to go to Durban with my team and hopefully bring home the gold medal for Lions. Maybe one day you’ll see me playing for the Springboks at the Rugby World Cup.”

Lions youth players have gone on to represent the Springboks. Schiffman’s fellow prop, Julian Redelinghuys, for example, represented the Golden Lions at junior level and went on to play for the Springboks.

Schiffman never realised rugby would be his calling because he is an avid swimmer, having completed two Midmar Miles. When he started high school at the beginning of this year, he gained a new-found knowledge about rugby and started enjoying the sport, having played touch rugby in primary school.

The previous year, Schiffman joined a clinic called Young Guns, run by two ex-King Davidian first-team rugby players to get primary school students ready for their first season of rugby in Grade 8.

At the start of his high school career, Berger “never really liked rugby, but decided to do it because my friends told me it would be fun. I went to a few training sessions and played a few games for the King David Linksfield A team. After a week or two, I was hooked. I loved being on the field. I love the physicality and speed of the game.”

Some of Berger’s memorable moments in rugby include “winning the Pirates League Cup with my Under-14 King David Linksfield team; getting players’ player of the season for my club Wasps; and of course, making Golden Lions. I was captain of my Wasps team a few times and loved the leadership role.”

Berger not only hopes to win the tournament with the Lions in September, but would like to win more Pirates League cups with King David Linksfield and get selected for the Grant Khomo Week next year. The latter is a prestigious South African Rugby Union Under-16 tournament named after one of the country’s best rugby centres who put to rest the myth that only white players could excel in the sport.