We travelled about 90 minutes north west of Cape Town today to a small town called Hopefield. It really is small, about 4000 people, but it has a fantastic sense
of community. Everyone knows one another and everyone follows the high school rugby. It is a massive thing because there is no adult team so the XV does get huge local support. The boys choose who they would like to share with and they were allocated host families. The boys went to be entertained and we went to the coach’s house for the local “braii” of a fish called snook. We were made to feel very welcome and a lot of rugby was talked.
Some of the boys were staying locally, whilst others were about 30 minutes away in the coastal town of Langebaan. Most of the boys met up, with their hosts, for
a game of touch on the beach. As you might imagine, the touch part of the game quickly disappeared and it almost became full contact – I am told. The boys certainly knew that the game tomorrow would be VERY physical.
We also knew that it was going to be very cold during the night but we were really not prepared for how cold. Andy Unsworth went to bed fully clothed in his fleece and tracksuit bottoms!
The other thing I “failed” to tell the boys was what time school starts in SA! Assembly is at 0730 in the morning. The boys who are being hosted some distance away will have to get up at 5am!
Hopefield is very different from Cape Town. A very different culture exists. The people have more time for you, perhaps because technology is not as advanced in a smaller, more remote town (apart, of course from the ubiquitous mobile phone). Anna could not believe that the hotel we stayed in did not have a TV, internal phone or shower! It is VERY good for our boys to experience such a close community, where friendship and loyalty is valued above financial gain.
Tomorrow we are going to play a 7-a-side game in addition to the main event. I hope the boys are not hosted too well tonight!
of community. Everyone knows one another and everyone follows the high school rugby. It is a massive thing because there is no adult team so the XV does get huge local support. The boys choose who they would like to share with and they were allocated host families. The boys went to be entertained and we went to the coach’s house for the local “braii” of a fish called snook. We were made to feel very welcome and a lot of rugby was talked.
Some of the boys were staying locally, whilst others were about 30 minutes away in the coastal town of Langebaan. Most of the boys met up, with their hosts, for
a game of touch on the beach. As you might imagine, the touch part of the game quickly disappeared and it almost became full contact – I am told. The boys certainly knew that the game tomorrow would be VERY physical.We also knew that it was going to be very cold during the night but we were really not prepared for how cold. Andy Unsworth went to bed fully clothed in his fleece and tracksuit bottoms!
The other thing I “failed” to tell the boys was what time school starts in SA! Assembly is at 0730 in the morning. The boys who are being hosted some distance away will have to get up at 5am!
Hopefield is very different from Cape Town. A very different culture exists. The people have more time for you, perhaps because technology is not as advanced in a smaller, more remote town (apart, of course from the ubiquitous mobile phone). Anna could not believe that the hotel we stayed in did not have a TV, internal phone or shower! It is VERY good for our boys to experience such a close community, where friendship and loyalty is valued above financial gain.
Tomorrow we are going to play a 7-a-side game in addition to the main event. I hope the boys are not hosted too well tonight!
Photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/anna7davies/Hopefield#
There is no internet connection in the “hotel” so we will have to post this blog when we get back to Cape Town.
By Gregg
There is no internet connection in the “hotel” so we will have to post this blog when we get back to Cape Town.
By Gregg
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