Hoërskool Roodepoort is counting down the days until the Xerox Golden Lions touch down at the school during July. The school will be the venue for a momentous occasion when the Lions take on SWD Eagles in a Currie Cup fixture.
The official hosts of the match will be the Roodepoort Rugby Club (RRC), which relocated to the school at the start of the season. The club and school have been hard at work to ensure the day is successful. Principal Hoppie van Jaarsveld, an avid rugby supporter and coach is ecstatic to be part of the historic event. He was approached by RRC last year when the club did not renew their lease at Rand Leases.
“I was so happy, he said. “They needed a home and with the school governing body’s approval, it was all systems go. Their previous home was deteriorating but our school is in a much better condition. The club is part of the community, just as we are, so I knew this partnership would work. Now we are helping them host such a big match. Being able to support the Lions right here in Roodepoort is a chance nobody should miss.”
As the school is now dual medium, the principal wants to expose pupils who have not played the game previously to the fine art of rugby. He sees the relocation of RRC to the school, and the Lions match, as the ideal way to do this.
“The club is now closer to the community and I can only see positives coming from our partnership. At our school, we have pupils who come from backgrounds where rugby is not the sport of choice. So we want to use this occasion to expand their horizons.”
Van Jaarsveld is urging the community to come out in their numbers to support the match. “This match is a chance for the community to come together and unite with a common goal. And that goal is to support the Lions. Not everyone can afford to go to Emirates Airline Park, so this makes sense. The community can see their heroes up close. The school and club can also benefit from the exposure this will bring.”
A full day of activities has been lined up to ensure fans have an exciting day out. Starting at 8am, there will be plenty of options for fans to choose from, for instance the Welpies rugby festival, and the High School rugby teams taking each other on. The crowd will also be entertained by Hoërskool Roodepoort’s drummies team and the Randburg Mannekoor. After the main match between the Lions and SWD, the RRC first team will be going head to head against Alberton Rugby Club’s first team. This match will constitute the second round of the Pirates Grand Challenge.
There will be an autograph session with players from both teams and fans can take a picture with the Currie Cup trophy. There will be plenty of other activities and stalls to keep children and adults entertained all day long.
Tickets are on sale now at the Roodepoort Rugby Club Office or https://roodepoortrugbyclub.nutickets.co.za/16July
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