Last week, the rugby fields of Somerset West were transformed into arenas of inspiration as Stormers and Edinburgh players made a memorable visit to De Hoop Primary. This visit, ahead of their clash at Cape Town Stadium where the Stormers triumphed 33-14, was not just about rugby. It was a heartfelt outreach as part of the URC’s Communities United campaign, aiming to bridge hemispheres through community engagement.
Edinburgh's Ben Muncaster reflected on their time in Stellenbosch, noting, "It's been beautiful. There's so much passion for rugby here. Seeing young people smiling and enjoying it, that's the most important thing." Meanwhile, Callum Hunter-Hill from Edinburgh offered some advice to the kids, emphasizing the joy of the sport over the competition.
"At this age, it's important to listen to your coaches and be like a sponge,"
he advised.
"But most importantly, just enjoy it. Enjoy being with your friends and enjoy the game."
The Stormers' Stefan Ungerer shared a similar sentiment about the importance of these community interactions. "It’s always a privilege to coach and help out with the next generation," he said. "It’s grassroots to greatness. Seeing the excitement on their faces, it means as much to us as it does to them." His teammate Marcel Theunissen highlighted the joy of simple connection, "It’s a very good initiative. To get together with the Edinburgh guys and support the kids is special. Just seeing how happy they are getting signatures and playing rugby, makes me happy. Hopefully we can do this more."
Aubrey du Plessis from De Hoop Primary underscored the deeper impact of such visits, "What happened here today is extremely important. For these youngsters to see their role models in real life and learn from them, the value is incredible. It creates passion and encourages them to keep playing."
The URC emphasized the broader vision of these interactions, "These community visits celebrate the leagues’ diversity in terms of different cultures and languages, and one of the ways we do that is by connecting with fans across the globe."
Back in the heart of the community, Ungerer summed up the sentiment, "We always say we want to make Cape Town smile. Coming back to places like this, especially for me living nearby here, makes it special. It reminds you where it all started." With such initiatives, the URC not only showcases rugby’s competitive spirit but also its capacity to unite and inspire across continents.
2,100 posts
Last week, the rugby fields of Somerset West were transformed into arenas of inspiration as Stormers and Edinburgh players made a memorable visit to De Hoop Primary. This visit, ahead of their clash at Cape Town Stadium where the Stormers triumphed 33-14, was not just about rugby. It was a heartfelt outreach as part of the URC’s Communities United campaign, aiming to bridge hemispheres through community engagement.
Edinburgh's Ben Muncaster reflected on their time in Stellenbosch, noting, "It's been beautiful. There's so much passion for rugby here. Seeing young people smiling and enjoying it, that's the most important thing." Meanwhile, Callum Hunter-Hill from Edinburgh offered some advice to the kids, emphasizing the joy of the sport over the competition.
"At this age, it's important to listen to your coaches and be like a sponge,"
he advised."But most importantly, just enjoy it. Enjoy being with your friends and enjoy the game."
The Stormers' Stefan Ungerer shared a similar sentiment about the importance of these community interactions. "It’s always a privilege to coach and help out with the next generation," he said. "It’s grassroots to greatness. Seeing the excitement on their faces, it means as much to us as it does to them." His teammate Marcel Theunissen highlighted the joy of simple connection, "It’s a very good initiative. To get together with the Edinburgh guys and support the kids is special. Just seeing how happy they are getting signatures and playing rugby, makes me happy. Hopefully we can do this more."
Aubrey du Plessis from De Hoop Primary underscored the deeper impact of such visits, "What happened here today is extremely important. For these youngsters to see their role models in real life and learn from them, the value is incredible. It creates passion and encourages them to keep playing."
The URC emphasized the broader vision of these interactions, "These community visits celebrate the leagues’ diversity in terms of different cultures and languages, and one of the ways we do that is by connecting with fans across the globe."
Back in the heart of the community, Ungerer summed up the sentiment, "We always say we want to make Cape Town smile. Coming back to places like this, especially for me living nearby here, makes it special. It reminds you where it all started." With such initiatives, the URC not only showcases rugby’s competitive spirit but also its capacity to unite and inspire across continents.