Rugby stars join hands on Mandela Day

Jul 19 • General News, National, South Africa • 1660 Views • Comments Off on Rugby stars join hands on Mandela Day

Springboks Lood de Jager, Trevor Nyakane, Jan Serfontein joined Springbok Sevens stars Carel du Preez and Sandile Ngcobo and Springbok Women’s players Veroeshka Grain, Marithy Pienaar and Chané Stadler at two children’s homes in Cape Town on Monday as part of the SA Rugby activities to celebrate Mandela Day.

The players as well as SA Rugby staff members visited the Leliebloem Child and Youth Care Centre and the Christine Revell Children’s Home, both situated in Athlone, Cape Town.

At the youth care centre, the players participated in a number of fun games with the youngsters and they also made a donation of blankets. The kids, in turn, presented the players with some drawings.

They then moved to the Christine Revell Children’s Home, where they donated groceries – collected by the SA Rugby staff members – and sweets parcels to the young toddlers. Afterwards, the players joined in the fun, playing some Rugby Tots games while others read storybooks to the youngsters.

According to Nyakane it was great to be part of an initiative that brought joy to the youngsters involved.

“It was a really humbling experience to give some time back to such a worthy cause,” said the Springbok prop. “Judging from the many smiling faces I know the youngsters had a really awesome time, and the players enjoyed the occasion just as much.”

Jurie Roux, SA Rugby CEO, explained the visits and donations are part of a programme that SA Rugby initiated last year.

“We said last year that our visit to the Christine Revell Children’s Home would not be a once-off affair and this year we also included the Leliebloem House in our Mandela Day programme,” said Roux.

“The players were all enthusiastic and are very supportive of these activities, and we are very proud and grateful to them for their involvement. It’s not only the players who contributed towards these efforts and I must complement our staff members too for their unselfish contributions, which I am sure will make a meaningful impact at these care facilities.”