A win for all the young rugby stars of tomorrow in Bryanston
How Bryanston Badgers form part of the bigger picture for developing rugby in Gauteng.
The South African rugby player production line seems to be in good shape.
This was evident when the Bryanston Badgers, as part of the Golden Lions Rugby Union (GLRU), hosted nine other teams from the region to league games at Bryanston High School on July 13.
The event saw several fast-paced rugby games showcasing the talent of players from U6 to U18. Joining the Badgers were fellow GLRU teams, Pirates, Alberton, Northern Cats, Wanderers, Ditau, Kagiso, Roodepoort, Khoza and Diggers.
GLRU’s Keith Baille said the main goal of this league was to develop young players’ rugby skills.
“At the moment, it’s majority boys but we are now in a strategy to introduce girls’ rugby from 2025 on a serious level,” Baillie said. “There will be girls’ rugby teams from the same age groups, U6 to U 18 competing on the same days as the boys. Girls’ rugby is growing, it’s the fastest-growing sport in the world, and we need to keep up with that. The Lions Union has mandated us to go out and fulfill this goal.”
Baillie talked about the opportunities available for the youth of Gauteng through the GLRU’s rugby leagues.
“We have had boys who are awarded with bursaries into top schools in Gauteng. We’ve even got boys going to top schools in the Midlands, KZN and the Western Cape.
“We’ve had players getting opportunities to study further at university. A lot of boys who came through our system are on full bursaries in various universities across the country.”
Chairman of the Badgers club Anthony Losco described the tournament as identifying players with the potential to develop into true game-changers in South African rugby.
“We’re always looking for that diamond in the rough, so we’re taking players from all walks of life – whether they can afford to play rugby or not,” Losco concluded. “There’s a lot of dedication. We’re not perfect, but we try to get it done as right as we can. We’re not a Mickey Mouse tournament. Every weekend during our league season, we have games at different clubs.”
