SPORT: Rugby on rise in local townships
“The Moshate Cup is held yearly to improve the standard of rugby in our townships. For the project to be sustainable, we not only teaching these children about rugby but we are helping them become active and fit.”
Following the success of the Moshate Cup, rugby in Pretoria’s townships continues to grow.
Thousands of children have taken to rugby as their third preferred sport behind soccer and cricket.
With more exposure, rugby could overtake cricket into the second most preferred sport in Pretoria’s townships.
In the past three to four years, rugby academies have been built in Mamelodi, Atteridgeville, Eersterust and Soshanguve where many underprivileged children are taught the basics of rugby.
St Albans rugby director and coach Kennedy Tsimba said the Moshate Cup was created to grow rugby as a sport in rural areas and townships.
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“The Moshate Cup is held yearly to improve the standard of rugby in our townships. For the project to be sustainable, we not only teaching these children about rugby but we are helping them become active and fit,” he said.
Earlier this year, the Department of Sport and Recreation said more focus was needed on township and rural schools to ensure that transformation targets were reached.
“Rugby is succeeding in the transformation process, and we’re pleased with the outcomes of the EPG report,” SA Rugby chief executive Jurie Roux said in a statement.
“We’re proud of the fact that rugby was the top performing federation from the five sports that were part of the pilot project in terms of transformation – we have worked hard to achieve our targets. We remain on track to deliver on our five-year Strategic Transformation Plan (STP), which we launched in 2015.”
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He earlier said that the greatest challenge for South African sports federations was the state of school sport.
“The report notes that only eight percent of learners in South Africa’s 25 000 public schools have any kind of access to sport,” Roux said.
To tackle the issue of transformation, Tsimba said local rugby clubs needed to get involved more in the townships to ensure fast-paced growth.
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“We are well aware government wants transformation in sports, so having this kind of gathering builds towards that goal. I think more could be done though if all the big clubs invest in this young boys,” he said.
“We have kids from Mamelodi, Eersterust, Soshanguve, Atteridgeville and other surrounding townships who have potential to play around the country if they receive quality training.”
Tsimba, a former Blue Bulls player, said a love for rugby was growing in townships.
“The love for the game in townships is there but unfortunately there is no structure or financial support. The key is the kids are involved; that they love and enjoy the sport. We all want to see a difference in their lives.”
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Over 700 underprivileged children attended this year’s edition of the Moshate Cup at St Albans College, where Atteridgeville beat Mamelodi 20-5 in the final while Eersterust won the plate final, finishing third overall.
Tsimba thanked Standard Bank, MTN and Allianz Insurance for sponsoring the tournament
“They all contributed to making this the biggest festival to date. We are positive that the future of this initiative is in good hands,” he said.
Photo: Supplied
