Captain’s profile: Wian Engelbrecht

Brackenfell captain Wian Engelbrecht regards his performances on the field as a show of gratitude for his God-given abilities.

The 1.93m, 88kg utility forward relishes the physical nature of the game, testing himself against top competition and the camaraderie between players.

However, central to his love of the game is that it serves as a platform for him to show his love of God and appreciation of the talent he’s been blessed with.  

“God gave each of us certain talents as a gift and what we do with those talents is our gift to God,” said Engelbrecht, who’s in his second year as a key member of the Brackenfell first XV.

Equally adept at lock and flank, Engelbrecht is a strong ball carrier and prides himself on his defence.

“It’s a great honour to lead the team. I’m thankful for the opportunity and it’s very humbling,” he said of his leadership role.

“The past two seasons have been great. As captain, I’ve tried to set an example for my teammates on the field and to motivate and support them.

“We are a talented and well balanced team with a good mix of Grade 12s and Grade 11s and have improved significantly this year. We play and compete until the final whistle and the matches that we’ve lost have all been by less than six points, so I’m very proud of our team and our performances.”

Engelbrecht and his team have their sights set on making history this weekend. Brackenfell have been on the losing side against Tygerberg since the rivalry began in 2010 and they are desperate to secure that elusive win in Saturday’s FNB Classic Clash.

“We expect a tough game against quality opposition but we’ve prepared well. We’re going to enjoy the challenge and play the game in a good spirit.”