MAKING HISTORY
11 – 24 APRIL 2023
2023 USA 1ST XV RUGBY TOUR : 11-24 April 2023 | Boston : 12/13 April | Westport : 15 April | New York : 19 April | Washington : 22/23 April
The St Andrews College 1st XV will be embarking on a historical Rugby tour to the USA this April. The school is hoping that this brave, exciting adventure will work as motivation for future players, open new doors for our current players, take our brand into a new territory and above all – respectfully thank the North American Old Andreans for their continued support.
During the tour the boys will be involved in 5/6 games against opposition from local schools, clubs and some schools from other countries. The trip also includes training sessions with the MLR teams, New York Yankee game, tour of Brown University, sightseeing in Boston, New York and Washington. The touring group, along with the new Headmaster, Tom Hamilton, will also attend the annual North American Old Andrean dinner as special guests in Greenwich, CT.
Rugby has been an integral part of St Andrew’s College history for almost 150 years. A regular rugby XV emerged at College in 1876 and since then, the enthusiasm for the game has never waned. College is credited as the first South African school to have played rugby by the official Rugby Football Union rules, and continues to be at the forefront of South African schools rugby.
The College Rugby Club embarks on an overseas tour every four years. The purpose for these international tours is to develop and strengthen the players as a collective and as individuals, all the while maintaining, if not improving, the standard of College rugby, through international collaboration and friendly matches against opposition from culturally dynamic backgrounds. This all contributes to College’s mandate of preparing young Andrean men for a richly diverse and ever-changing world.
2023 TOUR – MAKING HISTORY
The last rugby tour was a successful trip to Europe; Scotland, Portugal and Ireland. For their next tour, the St Andrew’s College Rugby Club has decided to push the boundaries by touring to the United States of America in April 2023. College will be the first South African school to send a rugby squad on tour to the USA.
Rugby Union is in its infancy in the USA, but it is developing fast; the training and playing facilities are regarded as world-class and so this tour will be a fantastic experience for our players. The tour will include friendly matches against a number of highly esteemed universities, such as Brown University, thereby exposing players to opportunities which may not have otherwise been available to them. In addition, the collegial relationships between College and the USA schools and rugby institutes will be immensely beneficial and will undoubtedly contribute to fortifying the foothold of Rugby Union in the USA.
THE ANDREAN COMMUNITY
Emerging from two years of restrictions imposed by government due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and recent hardships, the Andrean community will benefit greatly from this exciting move. That being said, this tour comes with a great financial outlay and a significant fundraising target, which we believe we can reach.
It is with thanks to the generosity and commitment of the extended Andrean community that this tour has become a reality.
- A golf day at Belmont, Grahamstown / Makhanda (26th March 2023)
- A golf day at Bryanston Country Club, Johannesburg (5th April 2023)
For more information, see the advert below:
- An online auction (1st-15th March 2023)
Some wonderful items available. *Don’t miss out!*
Follow and keep an eye out on College’s social media platforms for further information on these exciting events.