GO SIDNEY! Making us proud
Northam – Sidney Tobias, captain and hooker of the local rugby club, Northam Rhinos, is one of the first club rugby players in more than a decade to be chosen for professional rugby. Sidney was invited by the Blue Bulls head coach, Jake White, to be part of the 2021 Vodacom Currie Cup Squad this season.
This humble hero dedicates his success to his teammates, coaching staff and management as he describes his journey as a Northam Rhino Club player. He is grateful to his coach, Pierre van Jaarsveld, Flip de Kock (chairperson of Northam Rhinos), Jannie Cronje (club president) and Coenie de Beer (financial manager). Sidney also wants to thank Danny Gonsalves, general manager of Northam Zondereinde and founder of the Northam Rhinos Rugby Club as well as Raymond Botha of NHR.
He mentioned that it is a huge honour and privilege as a Rhino Club player to be chosen by the Bulls and not as a Tukkie wich is the traditional feeding ground for the Bulls team!
Sidney’s CV in the World of Rugby is enormous. Any coach’s dream! This phenomenal hooker is a machine, weighs in at 101kg and is as tough as nails. His ruggas career started in a rugby home in Caledon, where he was born in 1989.
This young, talented Western Cape son was raised by his well-known father, Errol Tobias. Dad Errol became a Springbok and played in his first test for South Africa on 30 May 1981, against Ireland at Newlands in Cape Town. Errol was playing in the no 10 jersey alongside other Springbok greats like Danie Gerber and Carel du Plessis.
Errol represented South Africa fifteen times in the Green and Gold and it includes six Test matches. The rugby genes are running high in Tobias’s blood. Sidney represented Boland at Craven Week twice in u/12 and u/13 teams.
The next big step was when Dad Errol decided to send this talented young player to the Springbok Factory, Paul Roos Gym. Sidney played outstanding rugby and earned provincial colours for WP u/16, WP u/18 Academic and u/18 WP Craven Week teams.
The Western Province Rugby Union contracted Sidney to play u/19 and u/21 rugby. Sidney was part of the u/21 team to win the national title. He also played for Maties in the Varsity Cup.
In 2013, Sidney moved to Pretoria and played for Tukkies and was part of the team to win the Varsity Cup that year. Unfortunately for Sidney, a bad leg injury kept him out of the game for a long time… He broke his leg in a game he played for Tuks.
In 2017, Tobias decided that spaghetti would be good for him and he moved to Italy to play in the Italian Pro12 for the club Zebre. He finished the season and decided to come back to South Africa. Northam is proud to have this giant in rugby as part of their community.
Sidney’s dream is not only to be a rock on the rugby field, but to become a rock engineer – to be a team member as an engineer, key to the safety and welfare in the mining industry. “There is life after rugby.”
Sidney’s message to young players is simple: “Work hard! Believe in your dreams and remember, hard work pays off, not in your time, but in God’s time!
His routine is not that simple. He gets up at 4am and exercises six days a week. According to him, hard work is the road to success. His mentor in his life is his father, Errol. On Errol’s 71st birthday, Sidney had this message to his father:
“Happy birthday to the best man I have and will ever know, my dad. What you achieved and overcome in your life are tremendous and inspires and motivates me daily. Wishing you many more wonderful years ahead my superman!”
“Last but not least, I want to thank my beautiful wife and little daughter for their love and support.”