South African Rugby Prep Women’s Team for the World Stage!
Photo Cred: South African Rugby Legends Association 

Women’s rugby is often overlooked despite the wealth of local talent in South Africa. SARLA aims to change perceptions and build the sport from the ground up at a coaching level.

 

Johannesburg, South Africa (04 March 2021) – The South African Rugby Legends Association (SARLA) and SA Rugby hosted the first-ever World Rugby Level One training course for women at Newlands in Cape Town last weekend.

This was the first session of its kind and exclusively for women. The training session is part of SARLA’s mission to empower 600 women to become coaches, with a strong focus on the importance of giving women opportunities to upskill in the school and club environments. 

Training courses will also be held in the South Western Districts and Boland in March. Jordan Konnight from Milnerton, who participated in the course says, “Rugby has always been a big part of my life and it’s such an honour for me to be involved in the sport. I’ve learned to be more assertive and to voice my opinions on the field. There is so much untapped potential in women’s rugby. And for SARLA to empower 600 women as coaches is so amazing. Thanks to the SA Rugby Legends. We can’t wait to transfer this knowledge to our communities”. 

Women’s rugby is often overlooked despite the wealth of local talent in South Africa. SARLA aims to change perceptions and build the sport from the ground up at a coaching level.

South African Rugby Prep Women’s Team for the World Stage!
Photo Cred: South African Rugby Legends Association

These courses signal a renewed focus on professional women’s rugby as the Springbok Women prepare for the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand this September. SA Rugby’s first High-Performance Manager for Women’s Rugby, Lynne Cantwell, will be joining the team for the tournament.

Gavin Varejes, President of SARLA says, “We’re very excited to be a part of this initiative. We have so many talented female players who deserve the opportunity to receive the best training possible, and we have some of the best coaches on board to make this happen. We were also very privileged to have both the President of WP Rugby, Mr Zelt Marais, and Mr Patrick Khun, SA Rugby’s representative for Women’s Rugby, at the event. Quality coaching is a much-needed commodity in rugby. We want to see a long-term impact on the sport and get the message out there that women’s rugby in South Africa is world-class”. 

Jeanette Bailey from Mitchell’s Plain, who also participated says, “This was a momentous occasion and I’m so proud to have been a part of it. Our generation has seen so many male coaches and this is proof that female coaches are equally capable. I am so grateful for the programme that SARLA is offering to enrich women’s rugby. This has made a change on the streets. On behalf of all the women, I’d like to say a big thank you to Jessie Claassen and SARLA for making such a big difference in our communities and in the sport”. 

To stay up to date with news about SARLA’s continued efforts to support local communities, follow the SA Rugby Legends on Facebook. And for more information, please visit www.sarugbylegends.com.

South African Rugby Prep Women’s Team for the World Stage!
Photo Cred: South African Rugby Legends Association

Sources: South African Rugby Legends Association 
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google
Have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here
Click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes that there’s good news all around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:
Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll hopefully leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

About the Author

Brent Lindeque is the founder and editor in charge at Good Things Guy.

Recognised as one of the Mail and Guardian’s Top 200 Young South African’s as well as a Primedia LeadSA Hero, Brent is a change maker, thought leader, radio host, foodie, vlogger, writer and all round good guy.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *