Highway area well represented at Touch Rugby World Champs
Although South Africa has seen recent success in touch rugby, Gillitts resident, Donovan Payne still feels the sport is underrated in the country.
GILLITTS local, Donovan Payne (42), played an integral part in the South African Men’s 30′-side second place finish against Australia at the 9th Touch Rugby World Championship in Malaysia.
Payne is the oldest in the team and pointed out that the tournament was the highlight of his sporting career.
“It was such an honour,” he said.
“I was nervous to play at that level but the team and management are extremely professional and we were all very well trained before the tournament and, because of the team and intense training, I was able to rise to the occasion,” said the humble player.
Payne is supported by his wife, Carryn and their children, “My wife is my biggest supporter and thankfully so, as I play in a local league during the week and then provincial training often happens on the weekends so this does take up some family time. So I am very grateful for my wife’s support. My children have also been very supportive and I’ve noticed their interest in the sport since I made the SA team,” he said.
Although South Africa has seen recent success in touch rugby, Payne still feels the sport is underrated in the country.
“I definitely feel that touch rugby is a very underrated sport in SA. It is such an incredible sport for both girls and boys, yet I don’t feel it gets the attention it deserves. Due to this, our teams do struggle to bring home the gold and silver medals from the World Cups.
“We have always struggled against the Ausie and New Zealand teams and this is due to the fact that they play the sport from primary school stage. We are now trying to get the sport played in primary schools and if we achieve this, I can only imagine our SA teams will one day be able to compete against these two countries that tend to win most divisions.”
Other Upper Highway players who took part at the Touch Rugby World Champs were: Telise Tonkin (senior referee), Clair Weston (ladies), Sven Muncha (juniors) and Bryn Emms (juniors).
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