Rugby remains inactive as per government regulation with only professional allowed to train, but our players are now at least able to do contact training and this has already made a tremendous positive difference both mentally and physically.
We still await further announcements from SA Rugby on the return to competition but our players are happy to be playing rugby again during training. This week saw our players take a break from training as we know that if the proposed plan gets the go-ahead it will be a very busy time until next January.
On the club front, our clubs continue to remain active on several fronts. As we have seen several of our clubs are still busy with outreach project as a manner of supporting their players or those in need in their areas. These projects include NGO partnerships, team initiative and individual initiatives.
Some examples include St Georges reaching out to close on five hundred people weekly, including a recent event for women’s day where their senior ladies and women’s staff received gifts chocolates and a card.
Eersterivier did a Sunday lunch at Kleinvlei together with their Women’s rugby team last week and Caledonian Roses has been reaching out to local schools with a focus on girls schools. Paarl Rangers and Vineyards have been busy with soup kitchens in the Paarl Region and Collegians has also been busy with soup kitchens to help more than one thousand people weekly.
Albions RFC juniors and seniors went to Rusthof home for the elderly in Paarl to support the residents by helping in the garden this past Sunday. This again showcasing the variety of incredible initiatives our members have.
For many of our clubs, these projects are not new and we commend everyone for their contribution as this truly showcases the true value of club rugby.
In addition to the outreach projects, it’s fantastic to see that some clubs have turned their attention to their facilities. These clubs have engaged their players, old boys and local fans to help and sees a wide variety of skills deployed by those that are so willing to commit their time and resources. In some cases, we’ve seen bricklaying, painting and fencing skills as well as individuals using their own vehicles to deliver sand, cement and other materials. We’ve also seen that some clubs have started slightly bigger construction such as levelling the surface of the playing field with a view to improving the grass layout. These efforts bode well for the facilities future and we look forward to our players return back to improved venues.
Some of our clubs have also begun club activity extensions outside of the immediate rugby activity but yet with a crossover in terms of training and additional benefits to their members. These include setting up functional outdoor gym facilities which can be constructed from basic materials.
With gyms and restaurants now allowed to operate under the regulated conditions, we also see some clubs opening their doors for business and although it’s not business, as usual, every bit helps.
Our players and clubs continue to engage outside of the training arena with many doing beach runs, mountain runs and even some cross-fit training.
Last week saw us conclude our second week of online media, sponsorship and marketing training with Super League C and the City League. The workshops have been enjoyed by all and there seems to be a real sense of value derived from the sessions. Each club has been asked to submit up to three members to fulfil the role at the club with a view to building the future of that club for a committed period. It was emphasised that dedicated individuals with a determined focus are required and that club management should fully support these individuals.