Triumphant rugby tour of South Africa

For many students the summer meant a chance to rest and recuperate from the task of exams and a long year of school. However for a select group of about 60 students, chosen by the Head of PE and Games, this meant a three-week rugby tour of South Africa.

The group chosen consisted of students from Years 11 up to 13 preparing them for the season ahead and was a chance for them to experience different teams, ways of playing and their culture. This was also an excellent chance for the students to build greater relationships not only between themselves yet also the five coaches who came along.

The first few days included intensive training and a visit to Camps Bay Sports Science Institute Fitness Assessments. Whilst the last two weeks consisted of a balance of site seeing and matches.

The first match of the tour came on the first Wednesday against Zwaanswyk Secondary School. The Under 18s first team went on to draw one match and lose four. The seconds lost their first three matches but fought back towards the end of the tour by winning their last two games. The under 16s came away with four wins and only one loss throughout the whole tour. However they had lost to the best team of the tour and this was a graceful defeat.

The students also experienced many wonderful sights that can only be found in a place such as South Africa. One of the most joyful was their trip to Aquila Game Reserve, which gave the students a chance to experience the wildlife up close and personal.

For all of them, including the staff this tour was the opportunity of a lifetime, and all took full advantage of this. Hopefully Worth rugby can take this as a point of success and build on it this season.