Tafelsig winger Saadiqah sidesteps her way to success

Those that have been keeping an eye on Portland High’s Saadiqah Corbett, 18, an all-round sporty girl, from Tafelsig, will tell you she’s destined for bigger things.

With ball in hand or at her feet, Saadiqah’s got game and is not shy to showcase her talents.

A member of the Western Province under-18 girls’ side that went unbeaten at last week’s SA Rugby Youth Week, at Jeppe High, in Johannesburg, the live wire wing was named back line player of the tournament; named in the SA under-18 Elite side; and awarded a partial bursary to attend the University of Johannesburg on completion of her schooling.

Western Province, along with Border, Eastern Province and the Golden Lions were dominant throughout the tournament, with WP taking on the Blue Bulls in their final match at Jeppe High School.

Trailing by nine points going into the break, Province bounced back in the second half to score 24 unanswered points on their way to a 36-21 win.

In what some pundits describe as a golden era in Western Province rugby, the WP boys’ under-18 side also impressed with straight wins throughout the competition and beat Free State 37-24 in their final match after leading 18-17 at half-time.

“It was the best experience of my life,” said Saadiqah, “getting to know other girls and their talents. It was the platform to execute my talent.”

“For me, ” she said, “the toughest game was against the Bulls, because they rushed on their defence from the word go.They were in the lead during the first half but we came from behind and won the match. We stood our ground and didn't give up the fight.”

A prolific try-scorer, Saadiqah remains modest about her achievements, saying her performance is the result of an outstanding team effort.

“We worked well together and won all our games because of hard work and dedication. I did what I could and I did stuff I never thought I could,” she said.

“Some tries I scored were similar to those of Cheslin Kolbe,”she said, referring to her rugby idol, the Springbok hotstepper known for his wizardry on the ball and his uncanny knack to score magical tries.

“I'm immensely proud of myself. I’ve even caught my first high ball,” said Saadiqah.

“For now, I have to keep on grinding and staying in the SA camp, showing them what I'm made of,” she said.

“It’s important for girls to get the same opportunities as boys and to show we are also capable of playing the sport. There will always be people for and against you. All you need to do is stay positive, focus on bettering yourself and not take note of negative comments,” she said.

Portland High rugby coordinator, Euan Booysen, who first met Saadiqah at the start of the 2023 season, said it took a bit of convincing to make her switch from soccer to rugby.

“We had to quickly convince her that she is an amazing athlete with a special ability and talent for rugby. She was shy and unsure of the rules at first, but hungry to learn and improve, always asking questions and even getting into it with some of the boys for some pointers on how to improve her stepping and tackling,” he said.

“Saadiqah is a lethal winger. She has a side step that can break ankles and she's solid under the high ball, but most of all she’s got gas. At full tilt there are very few players that can catch her before she crosses over the white line,” he said.

Booysen was quick to pay tribute to Saadiqah’s parents, whom he says worked hard to make sure that she has everything she needs to excel, and Mitchell’s Plain girls’ rugby coach Jeanette Bailey, who has been guiding Rocklands High School’s girls’ squad for the past three years.

“Because of her exceptional talent, the school found it good to support her with the small things she still needed. The school also made sure that the transport was always available to ensure that the players get to the important games where they could get opportunities to be scouted. Ms Bailey has also played a crucial role in assisting Saadiqah with the journey. A lot of this may not have been possible without her input,” he said.

Bailey said Saadiqah follows in the footsteps of a number of players from the area with whom she worked with during her 10 years as a coach, among them Leandi Smith and Leigh Fortuin who both earned SA colours under her watch.

On top of that, she said, Saadiqah’s not the only player from Mitchell’s Plain who got the green light to play at this year’s schools rugby showpiece as Kodah Marman, from Eastridge, a player Bailey has worked with for the past three months, represented WP in the girls’ under-16 division while Smith accompanied the WP under-16 team as an assistant coach.

“For me, the most rewarding thing about coaching is when players from humble beginnings excel and progress to WP and Springbok level. It’s truly rewarding,” Bailey said.

“When I met Saadiqah she was a scrum half with very little knowledge of the game or where she needed to be on the field. Coming from a soccer background, the stepping and running into space was a plus that she mastered and needed to implement that on the rugby field. To no surprise, she mastered it... like the king of sidestepping, Cheslin Kolbe,” she said.

“Her knowledge of athletics is evident on the rugby field,” said Bailey.

“The education department needs to implement girls’ rugby at all primary schools as it will feed into the high school structures and into WP. All girls should get the opportunity to achieve their dreams by playing for their country,” she said.

WP under-18 girls’ rugby team manager Thembisa Ngamlana, agrees, saying it’s important to look after the players’ well-being on and off the pitch.

“Sport, along with education, have the power to open doors for everyone. We just have to create opportunities for them to do so,” she said.