South Africa Rugby Tour

Monday 7 August was the day that Shiplake’s 1^st and 2^nd XV departed for their Rugby Tour of South Africa. After a slightly bumpy 12-hour flight, the boys headed to the Stellenbosch Rugby Academy for a light training session and some lunch. After lunch the boys toured the Fleur Du Cap Wine Estate with some being lucky enough to sample some of the produce, whilst others had to settle for some fizzy grape tizer. Following the wine tour, the boys returned for some downtime and a gym session before settling into their chalets for a well-deserved rest.

It was day two, and it was time for the training to be taken up a notch as the group headed out for a training session run by a coach at the Stellenbosch Rugby Academy. After lunch it was back into the gym for the boys, with some opting for the yoga options while some went for the old-school bench press. With rumours going through the camp that ice baths were next on the agenda, a few of the squad sneaked away whilst the others braved the ice cold water. Following this, the boys headed into Stellenbosch for a walking tour of the historic city.   After visiting the tallest tree in Stellenbosch and a number of old slave houses, burial chambers, and the oldest town house in South Africa, the boys were given some free time to stock up on water, sweets and BILTONG!    

Day three started off with the boys observing the South Africa U19 side who were training against Stellenbosch. In the afternoon, the boys got on the coach and headed out to play the first two matches of the tour. The 2^nd XV came out as comfortable winners defeating Rusthof U17 24 – 8. The 1^st XV were involved in a far tighter fixture against Rusthof U19 with neither side managing to come out on top after a 24 – 24 draw. The day then ended with the boys having a team meal and an early night ready for more training in the morning.

Day four started with a downpour which meant the squad were unable to train. The boys headed to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and visited the Springbok Museum.  After some fun and games in the entrance hall where boys tested their fitness and kicking skills against some of the professionals, the boys learnt about the chequered past of South Africa and its rugby. The day ended with a quiet evening as the boys prepared for their matches against Mouth Gordon High School.

On day five the boys said goodbye to the Stellenbosch Rugby academy and headed to Gordon High School. The 2nd XV had a thrilling 19-19 draw, whilst the 1st XV were dominant for huge sections of the game, eventually coming out on top with a 26-12 win. After the matches, the group headed to the Newlands Stadium to watch the Western Province v Blue Bulls rugby match. It was then time to rest and recover for the hike up Table Mountain.

After the amazing experience of hiking up Table Mountain on day six, there was an early start to day seven. The boys caught the ferry to Robben Island where the group experienced a guided tour by one of the island’s ex-prisoners. After lunch, the boys travelled back to Wynberg High School to play their penultimate fixtures. Both squads performed outstandingly, with the 2^nd XV winning 60 – 12 and the first XV winning 79 – 0.

Day eight started with the boys heading to the Newlands Stadium for a tour of the facilities. Following the tour, the group headed to the Langa Township where they were met by their tour guide and ex-Springbox 7s player Tshotsho Mbovane. Tshotsho gave the boys a motivational talk about his journey to becoming a professional rugby player. The boys then headed to a Siyakhanyise pre-school and had the opportunity to donate pens, pencils, toys and clothes.

Day nine gave the boys the opportunity to have some rest in the morning before their final set of fixtures later in the day. Mr Beckett ran a training session prior to the game focussing on the breakdown and on adaptability in defence.  The 2^nd XV were narrowly defeated, losing 26 – 33 with the 1^st XV finishing the tour with an impressive 33 – 24 victory.

With the fixtures now finished for the tour, the boys got to spend the final few days of their trip exploring and enjoying some much needed rest. This was a fantastic trip enjoyed by all pupils and staff that attended. Shiplake’s head of rugby Mr Sam Backett ran a blog throughout the trip, and you can view some incredible images and detailed match reports by clicking here.