SARU and HSBC joins hands with TAG Rugby
SARU and HSBC joined hands on Tuesday and successfully hosted a Tag Rugby clinic with the local community of George and other event sponsors.
The Springbok Sevens along with the Namibian and Kenyan teams competing in this weekend’s Emirates Airline SA Sevens tournament joined eight local schools at the Tag Rugby clinic which took place at the Rosemore Sports Fields.
“As the new World Series sponsor, it is extremely important for HSBC to invest in the growth of the series and of the sport around the world,” said Giles Morgan, Group Head of Sponsorship for HSBC Holdings.
“Rugby Sevens is a perfect tool to introduce children to the sport and it is great to work in partnership with SARU to stage two days of grassroots clinics here in George. We held similar coaching festivals and clinics last week in Dubai and will continue to invest in the grassroots development of the game as the HSBC Sevens World Series continues.”
Members of the three African nations that will be in action during the weekend interacted with the young aspiring rugby players. Namibian captain, Melrick Africa, Kenyan skipper Humphrey Kayange as well as former Springbok Sevens captain Paul Delport were among the players that attended the TAG coaching clinic.
“Development of rugby is really important to us as a team, especially giving back to communities,” said Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu.
“Sometimes we forget why we are here but this is what it is about – touching people’s lives and putting a smile on their faces.
“This is where it starts and sponsors must invest at a grassroots level. HSBC have proven over the last few years that they get to the coalface and invest in the grassroots of the game and I hope that continues for many years to come.”
Stuart McConnell, the driving force behind the Tag Rugby initiative in South Africa, said the grass roots legacy programme was well received by all the rugby stakeholders in George.
“Today has been a fantastic event,” said McConnell.
“With SARU and HSBC, TAG Rugby has been able to do some wonderful work in this community from coaching 32 coaches yesterday to developing the game amongst 88 children here today – both girls and boys.
“As TAG Rugby we feel very proud and it would not have been possible to achieve what we have without SARU and HSBC. Every school here today now has equipment and coaching skills to enable them to continue to play for years to come.”
Springbok fullback Zane Kirchner will be attending a special assembly at Kretsenhoop Primary School to present the school with a signed Springbok rugby jersey on Wednesday. Representatives of Tag Rugby will at this event hand over new boots and some sponsored rugby balls to the School for their children to use.
Tomorrow and on Thursday, SARU and Tag Rugby will be taking the new SARU mascot Bokkie out on the town in George. Bokkie will be giving away merchandise and posters to children as well as promoting the HSBC Sevens World Series.
Meanwhile the final of today’s TAG Rugby tournament will be played between Kretsenhoop and Outeniqua schools as a curtain raiser at the Emirates Airlines SA Sevens tournament on Saturday.
As part of their sponsorship of the HSBC Sevens World Series, HSBC has donated tickets for Friday to runners up Thylora and New Dawn Park schools.
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