After two days of intensive physical test Chiefs players returned to normal training on Wednesday with the news that they had passed their first test of the season with remarkable results. After spending Monday and Tuesday at the University of Johannesburg Sports department in Auckland Park Johannesburg, where they were put through three tests the first of which was to test players body fat ration.

Once the easy work was out of the way players had to undergo a draining cybex strength test, which saw all the players come through with out any difficulty. Finally the guys had to go for a lactose test, which required them to run on a treadmill at various speeds with different gradients.

Amakhosi physiotherapist David Milner explains further “with the guys having been away for so long we needed to assess just how much work needs to be done in reacclimatizing the guys. From these tests we have found that every one is fit and we do not need any of the guys to go to the gym in order to get back on level with the other guys, what was also very nice to see was that the guys who were suffering with injuries towards the end of last season all fared well in these tests. So going into our pre season programme we are okay and every body at the moment seems to be in good health which really is good news at this stage”.

The biokinetist at the University of Johannesburg were surprised at the fitness level of the Chiefs players, taking into account that the tests were conducted after the players had been on a month long break. Particularly impressive to those carrying out the test on Monday and Tuesday was the fitness of midfielder David Mathebula and that of new signing Siyabonga Nkosi. According to the test results the pair are super fit and their results matched the kind of results in terms of strength and speed with those usually associated to tri athletes.

With the first step out of the way Chiefs will continue training on Thursday morning and just as they did on the Wednesday morning. The Amakhosi will once again training in freezing conditions, as the weather outlook for Johannesburg was again looks to be heading to the wrong side of the thermometer.

Amakhosi Coach Ernst Middendorp has been showered with winter warmth with the positive results from the two days of fitness tests and will be hoping that Chiefs get stronger and fitter with the first pre season games just over a week away.