Super Hero Sunday: Sport24 scribe sweats for cause

Cape Town – Sport24’s chief writer Rob Houwing is steeling himself for an unusually active role on the bumper “Super Hero Sunday” rugby programme at Cape Town Stadium this weekend.

No, he is not a quirky late signing for any of the four South African Super Rugby sides involved in the pre-season double-header – where the Lions and Sharks kick off proceedings at 14:00 followed by a meeting between the Stormers and Bulls at 16:00.

But he will be braving the summer heat in a different way: as a media participant in the pitch-side Vodacom #TacklingCancer Cycle-a-thon 2019.

Key rugby celebrities taking part will include Springboks Victor Matfield, Breyton Paulse and Marius Joubert.

The Cycle-a-thon is part of a quest to raise awareness – and just as importantly funds – for the Childhood Cancer Foundation (@CHOCfoundation, or www.choc.org.za).

They exist to support and serve the children, parents, families and communities through their cancer journey.

Rob has been tasked with cycling throughout (at least that is the intention …) the Lions-Sharks early fixture on the novel Super Hero-themed rugby bill, on a static bike, to help the big drive.

He admits to a mixture of excitement, primarily through the worthiness of the cause and the fact that a large crowd will be egging the participants on, and trepidation – the latter hallmark because he is all too aware of the already well-established cycling-event credentials of the likes of Matfield and Paulse.

“My only ally in the quest to match or at least get acceptably close to their ‘distances’ on Sunday will be that I am a keen, regular social rider myself, whether it is on the road or mountainside,” Houwing explained.

“But I’ll be giving it everything I’ve got on my 54-year-old legs … it is a pleasure to take up this worthy challenge.

“It will be a first-time method of closely studying a major rugby match for me; I hope I’ll have the strength left to be able to watch the later game from somewhere shadier and higher up in the stands!”

Any Sport24 readers of Rob’s work and the site as a whole are urged to contribute, however humbly or otherwise – there is no minimum amount to donations.

*His special donation page for warmly-welcomed injections of money is found here.  

*Follow our chief writer on Twitter: @RobHouwing