Zulu Zebras send Redcoats packing on the football field

The annual Rorke’s Drift Red Coats/Zulu Zebras football match, played at Rorke’s Drift to mark the anniversary of the battle (January 22), this year saw soldiers from the Royal Welsh Regiment making up seven of the players in the Red Coats team.
The Royal Welsh Regiment title is descended directly from the 24th Regiment of Foot who fought at Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift. The main objective of the visiting soldiers was to take part in the commemoration of the 140th anniversary of the battle.
They are based at the city of Brecon in South Wales. Their commanding officer, Owain Luke, laid the wreath on the British graves and also presented the medals and trophy to the winning football team, the Zulu Zebras, who won convincingly 4-0. (They cheated actually since they practiced!). The Zulu wreath was laid by Lelelani Mazibuko who is the AMAFA manager at Rorke’s Drift.

“Battlefields Country Lodge kindly loaned the cutter which was used to prepare the pitch. Farmtrac Dundee was kind enough to transport the cutter out and back. The pitch was marked out by Rorke’s Drift Hotel staff.” 

The Rorke’s Drift Redcoats were again led by Devon Cherry. The annual football game is the brainchild of Charles Aitkenhead of Rorke’s Drift Hotel. Charles said the event was certainly a community one with various businesses coming on board to make it a reality.
“Battlefields Country Lodge kindly loaned the cutter which was used to prepare the pitch. Farmtrac Dundee was kind enough to transport the cutter out and back. The pitch was marked out by Rorke’s Drift Hotel staff.”
Players and visitors were treated to a cool drink and braaied burgers kindly supplied by Tourism Dundee after the match. This was preceded by prayers from the two pastors and a procession around the battlefield to the three mass graves on the site. The procession was led by ex Irish Guards Pipe Major Robbie Lyttle.

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