Mahoney says goodbye

After four years and more than a hundred matches for NWU Pukke, scrumhalf Andries Mahoney said goodbye to the University in a most fitting manner on Tuesday 12 October. 

  During the NWU Puk Rugby Institute’s year-ending occasion, Mahoney walked off with the Johan Claassen trophy for Player of the Year as well as the Piet Malan trophy for Back of the Year.
  Apart from this, Mahoney was nominated Player of the Match three times during this year’s Varsity Cup and was also crowned Best Back of this Competition.
  “I can’t really say how it feels. It was very nice,” Mahoney said about his bulging trophy cabinet after Tuesday evening’s prize-giving.
  He attributes his brilliant season to “hard work and perseverance” and mentions the entire Varsity Cup as well as the Intervarsity victory over Kovsies as being highlights.
  With the match against the University of Johannesburg in the finals of the Golden Lions’ Semi-Professional league, he made his appearance for the Puk for the hundredth time.
  Mahoney, a native of Klerksdorp, who matriculated at KHS, made his entrance for the Puk in 2006 against the Tswane University of Technology (TUT) and in the same year he turned out for his team against Griquas in the Vodacom Cup in the first of his nineteen matches for the Leopards.

  “Winning the Superbowl with Puk in 2006 and the Club Championships in 2008 was great,” he said about his career highlights.
  When not making his defenders act like cats on hot bricks with his frisky steps, he devours thrillers.
  “I am mad about reading, especially crime and detective stories. James Patterson is my favourite. I have read practically all his books.”
  He is still in consultation with his agent concerning where he will be pursuing his rugby career next year and in the meantime he will be focusing on lowering his handicap on the golf-course.       
  “I would like to say thank you to the Puk for all the support and everything they have done for me through the years.” 
Report written by Bertie Jacobs.