A memorial rugby tournament was held in honor of Pedrie Wannenburg who died after a fatal...
Members of the University of Houston rugby team prepare to play their first game during a memorial rugby tournament held to honor the memory of Pedrie Wannenburg, a South African rugby player and coach who had a profound influence on the game in Houston including coaching at Rice University, on the practice fields at Aveva Stadium on Saturday afternoon, April 30, 2022, in Houston. Wannenburg was killed in a car crash earlier in April.
The friendly fundraiser was organized primarily by the students, according to Rice Rugby Alumni President Patrick Hayes. Wannenburg spent many years on South Africa’s national rugby team, known as the Springboks — before playing with clubs in Ireland, and France. He came to the U.S. in 2016 to play for the Denver Stampede, eventually moving on to play and coach the Austin Elite, now known as the Gilgronis.
“What we lacked before was the discipline and the goals to focus on,” he said. “I think when he came in we were all in awe of his credentials that he would decide to come to coach us.”“The thing that struck me the most about Pedrie is that he was never the one to talk about his experience and success,” Miles said. “He was never intimidating.”
Prior to the pandemic, the Rice Rugby club could barely field a team often coming into matches with 15 players, according to Miles, but when Wannenburg joined it sparked a change in how the club operated. Now, the group has, on average, 25 players suited up for a game and is almost able to field a second squad.
“It made it hard for him to commit to the club but I still would get calls from him at 9 p.m. on a Wednesday,” Miles said, adding he could often imagine Wannenburg putting his kids to bed while still thinking of ways to improve the squad.
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