Ruthless rugby league action at Bosman Stadium

The NSW Country League Team first played a South Africa Rugby League (SARL) Combined Clubs Side at Silverton Rugby Club (which they won 50-0) on Saturday, October 12, as part of their preparations to take on the South African national team, The Rhinos, at Bosman Stadium, Brakpan, on Friday, October 18, at 7pm.

This tour is the beginning of a wave of teams who are coming to South Africa to play the Rhinos and local clubs.

After the strong showing of the SARL Student Team at the 2013 Student World Cup, the message is very clear to the international community: you haven’t played a strong, physical side until you have played the Rhino’s.

While in the country the players and coaching staff will also do a few training clinics to help promote the game of rugby league to the youth, and to educate existing players in the finer nuances of the game.

Kobus Botha, President of South African Rugby League, is very optimistic and said: “The national team is a strong squad of players, and where they might lack experience in international matches, the physicality is there, as well as the passion and drive to represent the country.

“It is such a scandal that the leaders at SASCOC have steadfastly refused to acknowledge rugby league as a sport, even when all the required paperwork has been done, and therefore local sportsmen cannot get recognition for representing their country.”

Gerry Gendall, National Senior Team Coach, is looking forward to the match-up, going as far as saying that the Rhino’s are in with a fair chance to cause an upset.

“I know the New South Wales Country Team is a strong team, and they are coming here to win, not to be tourists, so we expect an extremely physical match.”

Chris Botes from Maxxium Sport, the organizer, had the following inputs: “Rugby league is one of the fastest growing team contact sports in the world, and South Africa has the potential to be the number one in the world in this sport.

“The tour is the first of many international tours that are coming to South Africa, regardless of the support of SASCOC.”

For any enquiries, contact info@sarugbyleague.co.za.

Tickets are available at the gate and scholars (in school uniform) will get in for free.