Rugby Championship
Boks to honour Maimane
2012-09-28 20:35
Pater Maimane (Gallo Images)
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Pretoria - The Springbok rugby team will wear black armbands and hold a minute's silence for the late Peter Maimane ahead of their Castle Rugby Championship match against Australia at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Maimane, a much-loved figure in the Bok camp, died two weeks ago after being found unconscious at his home. While the circumstances surrounding his death are still unclear, the former coach, manager and technical adviser died shortly after a scan at the hospital showed he had bleeding on the brain.
The Boks were preparing for their test against New Zealand at the time the news reached them and a team decision was taken to rather pay a proper tribute to Maimane when the team returned home.
Last week the Blue Bulls Rugby Union paid tribute with a minute's silence to Maimane before their Absa Currie Cup game against the Cheetahs at Loftus Versfeld.
Maimane was born and bred in Pretoria, and became a giant in township rugby circles, coaching and playing for the Blue Bulls age-group teams and also for the Blue Bulls during a short playing career.
When he stopped playing he coached age-group teams in Mamelodi and introduced the sport to many youngsters in the townships and also started coaching the Blue Bulls age-group level and A-team in their respective competitions. He was also captain of the Eersterust Rugby team and chairman of the Mamelodi Rugby Club for three years.
Maimane coached the Blue Bulls A team to the SA Cup when it was held for the last time in 2003. Maimane was also the technical adviser for both the Bulls and Lions Super Rugby teams and also served as the Lions team manager in 2008.
When Peter de Villiers became coach in 2008, he appointed Maimane as his technical adviser, a post he filled until the end of the Rugby World Cup campaign in 2011.