In the culmination of a year-long partnership, HSBC and the Tag Rugby® Association hosted the 2023 HSBC Tag Rugby Clinic Championship, an event aimed at empowering underprivileged children in the Western Cape through the sport of rugby.
The event brought together 160 girls and boys and their teachers representing 16 schools from various communities, including Atlantis, Cape Town and Worcester. These schools have actively participated in Tag Rugby® Association’s community clinic programmes, which promote rugby engagement and teach valuable life skills. Last year, the Association delivered 1,168 coaching sessions, positively impacting the lives of 1,212 children.
Tag Rugby® Association Director Stuart McConnell said, “In February 2023, we started receiving requests from teachers for this event. We are delighted to continue the legacy of the HSBC SVNS with the HSBC Tag Rugby Community Clinic. Our relationship with HSBC began in January 2009, and the partnership has continued. The children, teachers, and coaches appreciate and enjoy this fantastic initiative. Meeting international Sevens superstars makes the experience even more special.”
Adding a touch of South African pride to the festival, players from the South African Tag Rugby and Deaf Rugby teams, who have enjoyed notable success at their respective 2023 World Cups, actively participated in the coaching sessions.
Throughout the day, school teams honed their Tag Rugby skills under the guidance of teachers and coaches alongside HSBC SVNS South Africa Ambassador Bryan Habana.
McConnell said, “HSBC’s support of the Tag Rugby programme in South Africa is invaluable, there is so much more to rugby than crunching tackles, silky skills and elusive footwork. More than dirty boots, smelly kit, bumps and bruises. It’s a game for everyone, regardless of size, shape, age or gender. An inclusive sport that welcomes players of all abilities and backgrounds, rugby encourages leadership and develops teamwork. It’s a sport that values respect for your opponent and support for your teammates.”
Priya Surendra, Head of Corporate Sustainability at HSBC, said, “At HSBC, we are passionate about making a positive impact on society, with a particular focus on the younger generation. Through our ongoing partnership with The Tag Rugby® Association, we can provide some of South Africa’s most underprivileged children with life-changing opportunities – opportunities that may only have existed in their dreams. We aspire to see these children, given a chance, one day pay forward the positivity in their communities.”
