Eldoronians Rugby Club has been working on the way the community looks at rugby as a whole and has inspired boys and girls from the community to take up the sport. It’s highly entertaining and the opportunities made available are increasing the odds of making it a career.
It is, after all, festive season and this time the Eldoronians were receivers of the giving spirit. The Sports Development and Coordinator Directorate from the Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Boyce Mfuneko paid them a visit.
Charles Visagie, chairman of the Eldoronians and former 100 and 200 m sprinter anticipated just a meeting with the department but he was in for a surprise. Mfuneko, like Santa, came bearing gifts for the Eldoronians RC and one lucky aspiring athlete.
The Eldoronians were blessed with a set of rugby jerseys, rugby shorts, 18 pairs of socks, 10 rugby balls, two kicking T’s and set of 15 gum guards. The aspiring athlete, Ashlernick Botha, received a pair of studded Puma sprinting shoes. Botha is a 100 and 200 m sprinter with a future that looks bright for her if she continues to pursue her career in running. Jesse Maart, captain of the Eldoronians said that she could possibly be an ambassador for Eldorado Park and the first lady in the South African team from Eldos.
Visagie was quite overwhelmed by what Mfuneko has done as he did not expect it any of this at all. He said, “Since we’re busy reviving the club this is a stepping stone in the right direction.” He continued by saying that this was just the beginning.
Maart said, “This has definitely exceeded the club’s expectations taking into consideration that the club is in the process of trying to get sponsors that could assist the Eldoronians to grow further as the only rugby club in Eldorado Park.” The club runs by one motto and that is, “Once an Eldoronian always an Eldoronian, no matter the situation.”
Visagie added, “The Eldoronians are on the right track, we just need to regroup and play the attractive rugby that Eldos is used to”. He concluded, “As a club, we want to grow in every aspect of the game. Our future expectation is to be club champions again and the only way to do that is to start to developing young players.”
The club would like to send out a great thank you to the Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture, and Recreation for the equipment that they have donated. They said that it is definitely not going unnoticed.
