Senior Rugby Tour to South Africa

This summer, our senior rugby players embarked on an unforgettable tour of South Africa, where they played rugby, explored the culture and experienced incredible sights and adventures.

Our senior rugby squad first travelled to Pretoria, where they spent the morning visiting the Loftus Versfeld stadium, home to the Blue Bulls rugby team. In the afternoon, they played their first game of the tour against Harlequins, in which they secured a comfortable 39-14 victory.

The following day, the pupils visited the remarkable Lesedi Cultural Village, an attraction that celebrates the cultural traditions of five different tribes of South Africa. There they enjoyed a tour of the different tribes’ villages, a lesson in djembe drum and a traditional South African lunch, learning much about the tribal history of South Africa on the way.

After leaving Pretoria, the team travelled on to Eswatini, spending time in the beautiful Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary.  The team also held a coaching session at a primary school in conjunction with Skrum, an organisation that uses the game of rugby to engage children and educate them about HIV/AIDS, inspiring better leadership in communities, raising awareness of gender violence and promoting the benefits of school and education, before playing a fixture against another local school in the afternoon. In the evening, the pupils were hosted by Simon Boyden, British High Commissioner to Eswatini, who gave an engaging and most interesting talk about his life in the Foreign Office  and the various roles he has undertaken over the years.

Next on this amazing itinerary was the world-renowned Kruger National Park for two excellent game drives with elephants, giraffes, crocodiles, hippos, hyenas and zebras aplenty. This unforgettable safari ended with a delicious braai, which is a BBQ, South African style.

The second leg of the tour took place in Cape Town, where, after exploring the V&A waterfront and visiting the Two Oceans Aquarium, the squad put up another brilliant performance against Groote Schuur HS, securing a 27-12 victory.

The following day, it was all thrills and adrenaline as the team completed the Cape Canopy Tour, descending 700 metres across 11 zip wires surrounded by spectacular scenery.

With their head for heights firmly acquired, the squad spent the following morning ascending Table Mountain, where they were treated to the most outstanding views!

It was truly an amazing experience for all the players and a trip they will never forget!