RGS Guildford tour delivers vital rugby kit to underfunded Paarl school

RGS Guildford has donated new rugby kit and secured funding for equipment at Paulus Joubert school in Paarl, where coaches say sport is vital both to player development and to keeping children safe.

The English school’s recent South African tour included matches against Boland Landbou, Durbanville, Somerset College and Wesvalia. However, the significance of the visit extended beyond the results, with donations made to both the primary and high schools at Paulus Joubert, a non-fee institution with limited resources.

Andy Daniel recorded the visit for The Rugby Factory, proudly brought to you by BOSSA. His coverage captured how rugby can support communities well beyond the tryline.

At Paulus Joubert, rugby provides an important outlet for children in a challenging environment. Davin Titus, head coach of the school’s primary rugby programme, said the lack of external financial support meant staff had to find ways to develop players themselves.

“We don’t have any outside funding from sponsors or stuff like that which helps develop our kids, so we have to do that ourselves. If we don’t, they go on their own journey,” Titus explained.

The difficulties facing the programme are not limited to a shortage of money. Titus said the wider community could also present risks, making organised sport an important means of protecting young people.

“Another challenge we have is the community itself, it’s not always the best environment for kids. We need to keep our kids safe, and the one way to do that is sports,” Titus revealed.

The equipment donated by RGS Guildford included tackle bags, which are essential for teaching youngsters how to tackle safely.

“It might be small things, but without a tackle bag, it is difficult to safely teach kids to tackle,” Titus noted.

Despite the obstacles, the primary school team has enjoyed an outstanding season in the Paarl league.

“In the Paarl league, we have won all our games.”

A tour designed to offer perspective

For Giles Cover, head of sport at RGS Guildford, the trip was intended to give his pupils more than an opportunity to play rugby overseas. He wanted them to understand the circumstances faced by children at Paulus Joubert while experiencing the country’s strong sporting culture.

“We want to go to a country where they’re absorbed by the sport. Our boys come from a pretty privileged background, they come from a wealthy area of England. It is really important for me that they get some perspective,” Cover explained.

He also hoped the visit would allow the players to recognise the common bond created by rugby, even when the circumstances of those involved are very different.

“For them to be in a place in the world that is underprivileged but where there is still happiness and love for the game, that is the connection there. And I want a great rugby experience for them on the pitch as well.”

The relationship between the English schoolboys and the players in Paarl demonstrated how rugby can build understanding across social and economic divides.

For Paulus Joubert, the practical benefits are clear. New kit gives pupils greater dignity, while equipment such as tackle bags makes it possible for coaches to teach skills more safely and effectively. The resources also give the school more opportunities to keep its players involved in rugby despite the challenges around them.

For the RGS Guildford group, the lasting memory of the tour is likely to be the difference made at Paulus Joubert rather than the matches against Boland Landbou, Durbanville, Somerset College or Wesvalia.

The visit showed how a school rugby tour can leave a legacy beyond the pitch, with equipment helping children to stay safe, develop their skills and pursue their ambitions through the game.