Bitou Rugby grows from strength to strength
Although most Bitou Rugby players have almost nothing at home, they give everything on the field.
And this dedication paid off as the team – who went into the 2014 rugby season as underdogs – not only won the third division of the South Western Districts Coastal Division, but also managed to move up a league for the 2015 season. This only three years after the club was established with only seven players.
“Bitou Rugby represents five communities, including Kranshoek, Kwanokuthula, New Horizons, Bossiegif and Qolweni. About 60% of the players are unemployed and last year we won the cup with a 96.4% practice attendance and moved into a higher league. This just shows you the level of commitment they have for the sport and the greater community,” said head coach Chris Ferreira.
Ferreira added that the talent was there from the start, but that it took a lot of honing to ensure a match-ready team. “Most of the guys have either school rugby backgrounds and, in some cases, no prior experience.” One player was approached after Ferreira saw him playing touch rugby in the street and recognised his skills.
Team manager Johannes Pika said Bitou Rugby was a community initiative established three years ago not only to develop sport in the area, but also to contribute to the social development of players and their communities. “We started out with only seven to 11 players at any given point, but we created an atmosphere where each member felt they were part of something special, part of a family. Before we knew it, we had a full team and we managed to reach the quarterfinals in our first year,” Pika said.