Mark Barnard

Deafbok, rugby mad, gamer, reader, freelance writer/editor and full-time husband

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

My forays into the world of wordsmithing:

1) https://t.co/XoOkuuwiWW

2) https://t.co/4oIeh0cmGn

3) https://t.co/De2DlkeYQO

4) https://t.co/3UFWoL8JUW

5) https://t.co/hnJgsO0XOi

6) https://t.co/B3knYjtbiS

7) https://t.co/fOYSX18K7p

8)
https://t.co/zYnc8kwpMG

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

@RediTlhabi Looking strong at the 40km mark!

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

35. Started off this year's KZN Premier Division (reserves) league season with a full 80 minute shift at 7.

Somehow still keeping up with outside backs 10-14 years my junior for pace, even if it was a rough day at the office for us collectively.

Nice to just focus on that 80.

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

Just a casual 100m sprint after running a 5km with my wife...

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

@watsenaam Touch rugby is freaking dangerous, man. My best man snapped his Achilles and my wife did her knee playing in social leagues.

Me, playing full contact, on the other hand? LOL. LMAO, even.

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

At school to be able to compete as boarders, which is new ground for the school. As a KZN LSEN school though...just Google that. "KZN LSEN schools". See what pops up. Ja.

Anyway. We're starting. We will get there. A week of pride, and a week of beginnings.

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

That was an exhausting week.

Back into coaching rugby for the first time since...2016? At Hillcrest High. After running a half marathon on Sunday with my & discovering we hadn't QUITE recovered from flu, that was Mon/Tue/Thu, then last night was a swimming gala, also at /1

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

Pretty much the whole swimming squad ALSO wants to play rugby, so HH and Fulton are working on partnering for that. Deaf Rugby on the rise in KZN, at last! Going to need plenty of help though. Kit, nutrition, funding for extra accommodation - kids now having to spend weekends /3

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

@Slipcatch Hey, I've officially coached a junior Bok now!

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

@watsenaam @Oom_Rugby Heh, I just remember being able to pass back into the 22 to kick out on the full without it being brought back...or is that my memory playing tricks?

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

"Ulnocarpal intra-articular bony opacity/soft tissue calcification in relation to the ulna
styloid process-? Old fracture with non-union, previous TFCC injury."

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

The good news is my thumb is not broken.

The bad news is I apparently DID break my wrist last year.

And didn't realise.

And played a full match on it.

Which we won.

LMFAO.

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

One swimmer in particular, from what I can tell, is 1 second off the national qualifying time for her age group in breaststroke. @TerenceParkin 2.0 loading? And that's without a competent swimming coach! (It's me. Hi. I'm the p̶r̶o̶b̶l̶e̶m̶ PE teacher. It's me.)

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

Right, getting an informal jump-start on this - I have a bunch of learners going to PADSSA swimming trials this weekend. A couple of them have real talent, and I'm wanting to look at putting together a proper school swimming team kit for them - that means sponsors. /1

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

You might be able to tell from my profile pic that my preferred code has me with two feet FIRMLY on dry land, so I'm a little ignorant of which brands are appropriate/best to use for competitive swimmers!

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

@KelRo736 Coming out of Twitter exile/hibernation to vociferously agree with this.

Hell, it could hypothetically be my last chance to play a World Cup there, and I would withdraw from the squad with a very pointed public statement right now.

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

@cocker Hey Tim, been following you for a while!

I play for South African Deaf Rugby, just spotted this from our counterparts up North, thought it might be something you'd like to see:

If you check it out, please let the guys who came out on the SA tour know Mark says howzit!

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

@SquidgeRugby, with the hype around Zimbabwe making the 2027 World Cup, I feel like this, the strangest scrum I've ever been involved in at our joint 2026 Deaf Rugby Sevens World Championship training camp, has to be set up as an offering. To whom, I know not. 🤪

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

@VodacomRugga Oh, and guy.

[Mark Barnard @MarkBarnard10]

@VodacomRugga Bug
Rug
Bury
Ruby
Grub
Burg
Rub
Bru
Buy

And then, to scar Star Wars fans:

Yub yub!