Rugby spread its message into largely uncharted waters on Monday when the South African Rugby Union’s Champion Tour linked up with the TAG Rugby Association and the Golden Lions to take the game to Lenasia.
SARU’s giant, mobile trophy cabinet stopped at the Trade Route Mall in Lenasia for the afternoon after a morning of rugby activities for nearby schools.
Teachers as well as pupils were introduced to TAG rugby – the SARU-backed non-contact introduction to the sport.
“Soccer and cricket are the dominant sports here and none of the 120 kids we coached today had ever played rugby,” said Stuart McConnell of the TAG Association. “The hope is that we will be able to provide their schools with TAG rugby equipment and that these youngsters will teach their fellow pupils how to play.”
TAG is an entry-level introduction to rugby in which tackles are simulated by the tackler snatching one of two tags hanging from a Velcro belt worn by each player. Once ‘tackled’ a player has to stop and pass the ball. After three ‘tackles’ the ball is turned over to the defending team.
The introduction also included youngsters attending the Mount Olive Outreach programme for Aids orphans and other at-risk young people. Like all the rest, it was the first taste of rugby for former street kid, Tshepo Maswanganyi, 22, (pictured) – who is on the Mount Olive programme.
“It was very nice,” he said of his first taste of TAG. “I had never played rugby before but I liked it.” Tshepo also had the rare chance to visit the Champion Tour and see the staggering collection of trophies collected by South African teams in 2009 – as well as the Webb Ellis Cup.
The visit to Lenasia came on Day 31 of the Champion Tour – an initiative by the South African Rugby Union to celebrate rugby with supporters after a momentous 2009 season.
The Springboks earned the IRB Team of the Year title after claiming the series against the British & Irish Lions, the Vodacom Tri-Nations, Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate and Freedom Cup while the Springbok Sevens team won the IRB World Sevens Series and the Vodacom Bulls won the
Super 14 title.
The tour continues in Lions country on Tuesday when almost a dozen schools will visit the display on its stop at Linden High School in Johannesburg (13h00 to 14h45) before heading off into Valke country.
This Week’s Schedule
Tuesday, 9 March - Linden High School, Johannesburg (13:00-14:45), incorporating a Golden Lions Vodacom Cup training session from 10:00 to 11:45
Wednesday, 10 March - Vereeniging Technical High School (09:00-11:00), Vaal Mall, Vanderbijlpark (12:00-14:00), Flavius Mareka Sports Grounds, Sasolburg (15:30-20:00)
Thursday, 11 March - Hugenote High School, Springs (09:00-11:00), East Rand Mall, Boksburg (12:30-15:00), Glen Acres Shopping Centre, Kempton Park (16:00-19:00)
Friday, 12 March - Centurion Rugby Club (14:00-19:00), incorporating Bulletjie rugby, Women and Schools Rugby games Saturday, 13 March - Loftus Versfeld - B & C Fields, Pretoria (13:30-17:30)
Sunday, 14 March - Modimolle Shoprite Centre (10:00-11:30), Savannah Centre, Polokwane (15:00-17:00)
Public and media can follow the Tour through regular updates and a tour diary from the road by accessing: www.sarugby.co.za .
Issued by SARU Communications
Picture: Former street child Tshepo Maswanganyi visits the Champion Tour in Lenasia after playing rugby for the first time
