April 10, 2006
By Lucky Sindane
IF you thought Soweto was the home of soccer, think again. Over the Easter weekend 12 rugby clubs are to do battle on the home pitch of the Soweto Rugby Club.
This is the first time in the history of the township that such a rugby festival will take place. The Easter Rugby festival, hosted by the Soweto Rugby Club, is on from 14 to 16 April in Orlando.
The annual tournament has previously been held in Eastern Cape and Western Cape, where rugby enjoys a strong following in the black communities.
However, points out South African Rugby Union's manager for club rugby, Xhanti Lamani, "Not every athlete in Soweto is born to play soccer."
He says that when people come to watch the games, "they will be exposed to a different and exciting environment. We are serious about growing the game both at player and spectator levels."
"The idea of the tournament is to strengthen the foothold rugby is beginning to have in Soweto," Lamani. "Soweto is a huge market. If we are to grow the game and meet our transformation ideals, we must penetrate such markets, and present rugby as an alternative."
Clubs from around the country
The three-day tournament will feature teams from as far away as Port Elizabeth, East London, Grahamstown and Butterworth.
Some of the clubs participating boast a rich history, having produced black Springboks. They can lay claim to players such as Zola Yeye from Port Elizabeth; Themba Ludwaba and Lucky Mange from Spring Rose; East London's Max Bukashe (Winter Rose) and Price Ncunyana (Swallows); and Grahamstown's Humphrey "Sugars" Nojoko (Easterns).
Former Springbok Sevens player and SABC1 presenter Mac Masina hails from Soweto.
"He is a role model to athletes born and raised in the Gauteng region," says Lamani. "Fortunately the number is growing, with young national players from Gauteng playing key roles at under-19 and under-21 levels."
The Soweto tournament will serve as a shop window.
"Club rugby poses a particular challenge for our organisation," says South African Rugby Union's deputy chief executive, Mveleli Ncula. "Through these tournaments, the culture of popular community rugby is re-emerging. This is an opportunity to take rugby to the people."
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