When you grow up in Zimbabwe like I did, you can sometimes feel like you are in a far corner of the world and a million miles away from everything. But it’s amazing how, when you find your passion, it will lead you to your future. Wherever in the world that may be.
For me, it was chasing my passion for sport from a boy growing up in Harare to Ireland and wearing an Ulster jersey.
I was sport mad from a young age and come from a family of strong sportsmen. Both my father, David, and grandfather, Arthur, played rugby in Ireland. My dad actually played first-class cricket at Oxford University and was capped 13 times for Ireland on the rugby field. My grandfather played three tests for Ireland at flank. I also grew up loving both cricket and rugby, but there was never any pressure from my father to follow in those illustrious footsteps. Instead, I just always remember him just motivating me to give whatever I was doing a proper crack.
If I ever needed anything such as equipment or extra coaching and so on, he was there to support. That’s what my dad always did so well in my young sports career. He supported. He never pushed or put pressure on me. But the clear message was always, if you are going to do something, do it properly and put your whole heart into it.
When I was 14, I left Harare to attend Hilton College in South Africa, and I was fortunate there that I could still pursue both of my passions for cricket and rugby.
Playing schoolboy rugby in South Africa is a huge step up when you come from Zimbabwe. There are so many really good schools in South Africa and they’re all so competitive. It’s also extremely physical, and I think anybody around the world will tell you that. You really get a sense that the physicality of South African rugby is something that starts at a very young age. I absolutely loved it. That level of raised competition was so good for my own game. You translate that schoolboy level into the Craven Week teams and you just have so much rugby quality that you’re playing against, which definitely raises your own game and I feel it gave me a good chance to kick on with the next phase of my career.
I played Craven Week for the Sharks, and after that I had a chat with my dad. I was starting to favour rugby over cricket and had seen a future for myself in the game. Once again, my dad supported me as he’s always done and I was fortunate to join the Ulster Academy. I haven’t looked back. It’s amazing for me to think that I’m playing for a club my dad would’ve played against when he played for Connacht during his own rugby career.
What I also love about the Irish rugby culture is their love for the game is the same as what I experienced in South Africa. You get the same sense that they’re just as invested in the game with their passion for it. There is so much rugby culture here. The competition for places is tough. No doubt about it. Anytime you’re playing at a high level and in a team that has a history of excellence such as Ulster, there will be competition within the squad. You have to constantly work hard and take your opportunities when they come.
And if you follow your passion, those opportunities will find you.
Even in a small corner of Africa.
“My Voice” tells the Vodacom United Rugby Championship journey of the players and coaches – their highs and their lows on and off the field – in their own words.
By Angus Curtis, Ulster flyhalf/centre