Ruan de Swardt is a cricketer any coach would want to go to “war” with as for him it is always about what is best for the team.
Judging by what happened during the Momentum National Club Tournament Kruger van Wyk (Assupol Tuks head coach) is not wrong in his assessment of the youngster.
Assupol Tuks won the tournament. De Swardt has in no small way contributed to his team success proving Van Wyk correct in that he is one of the first to be out of the “trenches when the battle commences.”
In the must win game against the Pukke he received the Player of the Match award for scoring 41 runs and taking 1/23 in seven overs.
When sporting talented was being handed out De Swardt was definitely “standing near the front of the que”. The 19-year-old De Swardt who matriculated from the AfrikaanseHoërSeunskool (Affies) last year is oneof only 13 young men to have represented both the South African Schools cricket and rugby teams.
That led to him facing a difficult decision: cricket or rugby? It was the advice he received from AB de Villiers that led to opt for cricket.
“I was really unsure as to what to do. I had signed a contract with the Blue Bulls but somehow that did not feel quite right. Just before the Coca-Cola KhayaMajola Cricket Week I spoke to AB. He said something will happen that will help me to make the right decision. And it did.
“During the Coke Week it seemed as if I could do nothing wrong. I was named Player of the Tournament as well as receiving the prize for the best all-rounder. That was it. Some inner voice made me realize if I should continue to play cricket there is a real chance that I could end playing for South Africa,” said De Swardt who finished the tournament with a batting average of 86.50 and taking 17 wickets at an average of 10.64.
He describes himself as a batsman who values his wicket and compares himself as bowler to Vernon Philander.
“I got pace as a bowler and I can make the ball do things to complicate things for the batsmen.”
De Swardt played earlier this season for the South Africa the under-19 team in two tournaments. His biggest regret was that he missed out representing South Africa at the Under-19 World Cup due to rugby commitments.
He excelled as a flyhalf on the rugby field for Affies 1st XV – the Witbulle – representing the Blue Bulls at the 2016 Craven Week in July where his performances earned him a spot on the SA Schools team.
Asked as to what he would ascribe his success as rugby and cricket player De Swardt answered saying that once he has set himself a goal he won’t quit until he has achieved what he set out to accomplish.
“It certainly helps that I got a very positive approach when it comes to sport. Once I step onto the field the only thing that matters is that I perform to the best of my ability for the team.”
De Swardt is currently studying theology at Tuks with the aim of later going into sports psychology.
Players to have represented SA Schools in cricket as well as rugby:
Lee Barnard – King Edward VII (1974)
Malcolm Thompson – Maritzburg College (1974)
Chris Smit – Grey College (1979)
GerbrandGrobler – Grey College (1981)
Helgard Muller – Grey College (1982)
Frans Cronje – Grey College (1985)
Udo Goedeke – Maritzburg College (1987)
Errol Stewart – WestvilleBoys’ High (1987)
Greg Miller – Grey High (1991)
Herschelle Gibbs – Bishops (1992)
Conrad Jantjes – CBC Boksburg (1996)
Adrian Penzhorn – Maritzburg College (2002)
Ruan de Swardt – Affies (2016)
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