A giant trailer filled with world rugby’s most sought-after silverware will visit schools and clubs across the country in February and March to share the success of South African rugby with all supporters. The 15m-long travelling trophy cabinet will criss-cross the country to take the game to the people and show off trophies won by South African teams in 2009. Among the display will be the Tri-Nations Trophy, the IRB Sevens World Series trophy, The British & Irish Lions series trophy, the Super 14 trophy, the Freedom Cup and the Mandela Plate.
The display will also include the Rugby World Cup (won in 2007) and that icon of South African rugby, the Absa Currie Cup.
“The 2009 season has been an extraordinary one for South African rugby and our outstanding players and coaches have collected some of the game’s most prized silverware,†said Andy Marinos, acting managing director of SA Rugby.
“The trophy cabinet in Cape Town is overflowing and now is a golden opportunity to share the success with our supporters in every corner of the country. It is also a chance to showcase the work that the provincial unions and SA Rugby does and offer people the chance to become involved in the game.â€
The tour will start in Cape Town on Friday, February 5 and snake its way through all 14 provinces, including rugby “outposts†such as Springbok, Upington, Polokwane and Nelspruit before concluding the tour in Durban on Sunday, March 21.
The vehicle will make 116 stops en route visiting close to 50 schools as well as clubs, shopping centres and rugby development projects managed by provincial unions in its near 7 000km journey.
“We want to celebrate South African rugby with all of our people and we hope that the day that the green monster from SA Rugby rolled into town will live long in the memories of the people who come to see it,†said Marinos.
“Seasons such as the one South Africa has enjoyed only come along every so often and SA Rugby is proud of the fact that we can claim to be one of South Africa’s most successful sporting codes.
“Most of these trophies were won overseas and had they been collected at home only a few people would ever get the chance to see them close up, which is why we wanted to take them on the road to the people that matter most – the rugby supporters.â€
The trailer is being purpose built, complete with a fold-out stage and retractable roof, by Henred Fruehauf in Cape Town while trucking specialists, Value Logistics, are providing the horse, driver and routing support.
“As well as celebrating success we want to educate and stimulate interest in the sport,†said Marinos.
“Visitors to the Champion Tour will be able to enroll in coaching and refereeing courses, join a local club, learn about our rugby safety programme BokSmart and our development initiatives as well as become members of the revamped Springbok Supporters’ Club.
“They will have the chance to understand what SA Rugby does: the 11 different professional and amateur rugby competitions the organisation manages as well as the referees and disciplinary procedures for all of them
“We manage and fund six national teams on top of the Springbok and Springbok Sevens team and plan and arrange their fixtures in conjunction with the Unions as well as managing the broadcast and commercial programme to fund all of rugby’s activities.
“The Champion Tour is our way of taking all of that and the success we have had doing it out into the countryside and sharing it with the fans.â€
Champion Tour Schedule
Date | Tour based in | Tour overnight in
Feb 5th Friday | Cape Town | Cape Town
Feb 5th Saturday | Cape Town | Cape Town
Feb 7th Sunday | Cape Town | Stellenbosch
Feb 8th Monday | Stellenbosch | Paarl
Feb 9th Tuesday | Paarl | Worcester
Feb 10th Wednesday | Worcester | Saldanha
Feb 11th Thursday | Saldanha | Vredendal
Feb 12th Friday | Vredendal | Springbok
Feb 13th Saturday | Springbok | Upington
Feb 14th Sunday | Upington | Calvinia
Feb 15th Monday | Calvinia | Oudtshoorn
Feb 16th Tuesday | Oudtshoorn | Mossel Bay
Feb 17th Wednesday | George | George
Feb 18th Thursday | Knysna | Uitenhage
Feb 19th Friday | Port Elizabeth | Port Elizabeth
Feb 20th Saturday | Port Elizabeth | Port Elizabeth
Feb 21st Sunday | Peddie | Port Alfred
Feb 22nd Monday | Port Alfred | East London
Feb 23rd Tuesday | Queenstown | Queenstown
Feb 24th Wednesday | Queenstown | Kimberley
Feb 25th Thursday | Kimberley | Kimberley
Feb 26th Friday | Kimberley | Bloemfontein
Feb 27th Saturday | Bloemfontein | Bloemfontein
Feb 28th Sunday | Bloemfontein | Bethlehem
Mar 1st Monday | Bethlehem | Welkom
Mar 2nd Tuesday | Welkom | Welkom
Mar 3rd Wednesday | Welkom | Kroonstad
Mar 4th Thursday | Kroonstad | Klerksdorp
Mar 5th Friday | Klerksdorp | Potchefstroom
Mar 6th Saturday | Potchefstroom | Rustenburg
Mar 7th Sunday | Rustenburg | Johannesburg
Mar 8th Monday | Johannesburg | Sasolburg
Mar 9th Tuesday | Johannesburg | Johannesburg
Mar 10th Wednesday | Johannesburg | Johannesburg
Mar 11th Thursday | Johannesburg | Johannesburg
Mar 12th Friday | Johannesburg | Pretoria/Johannesburg
Mar 13th Saturday | Pretoria | Pretoria
Mar 14th Sunday | Pretoria | Polokwane
Mar 15th Monday | Polokwane | Witbank
Mar 16th Tuesday | Witbank | Nelspruit
Mar 17th Wednesday | Nelspruit | Ermelo
Mar 18th Thursday | Ermelo | Newcastle
Mar 19th Friday | Newcastle | Pietermaritzburg
Mar 20th Saturday | Pietermaritzburg | Durban
Mar 21st Sunday | Durban | Durban
Send us your photos with the silverware!