In the third instalment of the international podcast series, Ben Dudley, Head of Rugby, Dan Yates in the Upper Sixth and Jacob Anthony, Tommy McMurray and Will Mellor in the Lower Sixth, discuss this year’s Senior Rugby Tour to South Africa. The series seeks to celebrate our school’s engagement with the wider international community and discussing both the sporting and charitable elements of the tour is a notable showcase of how the PE Department excels in ensuring our students become global citizens.
Ben begins the episode by explaining the selection of South Africa as the destination for the Senior Rugby Tour and provides listeners with an overview of the standard of the sport in their schools. Arriving in the Western Cape to torrential rain and wind, Ben then discusses how the best laid plans of any international trip can go awry, with excursions and games cancelled due to record-breaking weather.
The students continue the conversation with their thoughts on the various matches they played against South African schools as well as the moment they witnessed England’s U20 team defeat the Junior Springboks at the Athlone Stadium on their way to winning the World Rugby U20 Championship title. Other highlights include their reflections on surfing lessons, a visit to Johannesburg’s Apartheid Museum and seeing the “Big Five” during game drives on the Pilanesberg Nature Reserve.
Particularly memorable is Ben’s explanation of our school’s involvement in the Rugby Recycled Initiative and how this charitable enterprise is helping to benefit the students of Paulus Joubert Secondary School. The students also speak sensitively of their interactions with their counterparts and how visiting the school has instilled a sense of gratitude within them.
If you would like to listen to this podcast episode, please do visit the school’s SoundCloud account using the link here.