Siblings set sights on touch rugby world cup

IF you’re driving through Glenwood, look out for siblings Tylo and Tristan Joubert who will be standing at various intersections in the area to ‘beg’ for help in raising funds to get them to the 2018 Federation of International Touch Youth World Cup in August.

The siblings were selected for the SA Touch Ruby Teams who will compete in the tournament in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, their first international competition.

Tylo’s passion for touch rugby started when she joined Durban Girls’ High School. She said the sport was listed on the curriculum and she decided to try it out and see what it was all about. Not long after, her coach Brendon Walpole, approached her mom to ask if she would consider Tylo participating in the KZN trials.

“I went to the junior KZN trials in July that year and made the junior side. I took part in the Senior Inter Provincial Tournament in 2014 when I was 16, and was chosen to play for the over 21s, a team I have play for,” she said.

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Tylo participates in the In2Touch Wednesday night league at Kings Park, which she has just taken over as manager, and in the first and fourth term she takes the Friday afternoon schools league at Kings Park.

“I would like to get the sport into more junior primary schools,” she said.

Her goal is to play for the SA Touch Rugby Team and go to the senior world cup next year.

Tylo’s passion for the sport rubbed off on her younger brother, Tristan, in 2014.

“Glenwood High School doesn’t offer touch rugby as one of its sports, so Tylo introduced me to the sport. I went to the KZN trials and was selected. Because of my background in rugby, waterpolo and athletics, I took to the sport easily,” he said.

The siblings played in an inter provincial tournament last September which was used to scout and select players for the SA team to take part in the World Cup in August 2018.

They said a big squad was chosen from around the country, and from this the six teams of 14 players were chosen. Tristan will play for the U18 men’s team and Tylo was selected to play for the U20 ladies team.

“The youth world cup is a relatively new tournament and we are very excited to have been chosen! The reality hasn’t quite hit us yet. It’s going to be an interesting feat to take on international teams but we are looking forward to representing our country,” they said.

The duo have been doing all they can to raise funds for their trip, which will cost around R100 000. Their mom, Louise, said they knew they needed help to do this and has set out to raise the funds .

She said she set up a bank account and posted on social media, and so far people had been helping with donations.

“We raised R13 000 from this and afterwards raffled a weekend down the coast, which helped us to raise R24 000. The kids are now going to put on their takkies and hats and they have had signs made to walk the streets to raise funds! We might do another raffle, but will need a prize which will appeal to the younger generation, which we hope can be donated,” she said.

Louise said they still need to raise R40 000 but that she believed in miracles.

“I trust that we will make this happen. My children are representing their country overseas, this is important,” she said.

If anyone can help with donations, contact Louise for banking details on 072 160 8770.

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