Rugby: Southern's party breaks all the barriers
Dave Hadfield meets a young group from the townships with a new brand of rugby
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Your support makes all the difference.AS THREE black South African cricketers unpack their suitcases and the debate rages over their Rugby Union's multi-racial credentials, or the lack of them, another sporting team from that country has been going about its business in Britain.
The South African Meerkats Mini League side crosses the barriers in more ways than one. Set up by the expatriate Widnesian, Dave Southern, the make-up of a 21-strong squad that ends its three-week visit today reflects his work in townships, with the boys and girls who represent one of the great untapped reservoirs of talent in world sport.
Southern was going into places like Soweto and Alexandra long before rugby union showed any interest, but his modified game now has a foot in both camps.
Although what the kids are playing is clearly a variant of rugby league - with the rather jarring addition of the forward pass - this visit has taken them to rugby union clubs as far afield as Barnstaple and Dublin as well as to league hotbeds like Hull, Widnes and, by way of a grand finale yesterday, Wigan.
The youngsters who have run around a playing field with Jason Robinson have done the same with Lawrence Dallaglio.
Following an acrimonious split from the South African Rugby League, Southern gets no support from that source - although he had what he describes as an encouraging meeting yesterday with the League here.
Nor does he have any formal links with rugby union, either in South Africa or beyond. "We spoke to them some time ago about what we were doing, but they seemed to want to grab the goods without putting anything in," he says. "We're happier being independent."
Southern relies instead for his finance on non-governmental agencies and wealthy companies. This trip has been paid for by the communication giants, Ericsson, but it has seen them earn acceptance in both codes of rugby.
"I've been really pleased with the way people have fallen into line with us," he said. "Even real league people in Hull, who though at first that it was a bit of a circus, finished up by being really impressed with it. It's not about pushing the kids in any one direction; it's about giving them a chance."
The children, aged 10 to 13, are drawn from the 40,000 who play the hybrid game in five of South Africa's provinces. For the lucky ones selected for the trip, it has been an eye-opening experience. "I have enjoyed it very much," said 10-year-old Sambeswe Majole from Cape Town. "I liked Oxford the best. The kids were very friendly."
The party, with the possible exception of a little girl who ran into a crush barrier, also enjoyed their time at Central Park where they received a warm welcome, and were put through their paces by John Monie and his assistant, Andy Goodway, as well as players like Robinson, Mark Bell and Danny Moore.
"It's great that a company as big as Ericsson has given this support," said Robinson. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel and make friends. They're obviously very talented and look as though they've enjoyed themselves - which is the main thing."
As they stood together in the stand for a rendition of the new national anthem, "N'kosi Sikelele Afrika," that did indeed seem far more important than the precise pedigree of the rules they play under.
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