The French Barbarians rugby team to meet youth in Soweto

The French Barbarians rugby team to meet youth in Soweto

June is rugby month in South Africa. While the Springboks and the XV de France will meet for three test matches (Pretoria 10 June, Durban 17 June andJohannesburg 24 June), the French “A” Rugby Team (also known as the Barbarians) will also play two matches against its South African “A” team counterpart.

The tour to South Africa represents a unique opportunity for France and South Africa to strengthen and deepen sports co-operation and for the French network to reach out to the South African public.

The South Africa “A” team and the Barbarians, in particular, will extend their support to young South Africans with a passion for rugby. The team is scheduled to visit Jabulani Technical School in Soweto (Koma St, Jabulani, Johannesburg) on Wednesday 21 June 2017at 2pm for a signing and a coaching session. On this occasion, they will meet and share their elite sport experiences, knowledge, skills and ideas with 600 youth from Soweto who have been selected to participate in this opportunity.

The Event in Soweto is organised in partnership with SARU (via the Golden Lions) the Gauteng Provincial Government and Move-It, Moving Matters™ who are members of the Sport for Social Change Network.  It is through this quality physical education programme, which is currently being implemented in 30 schools across Soweto, that has enabled the selection of 300 physically literate Grade 6 boys and girls to access this opportunity to be inspired by International super stars.

Total South Africa generously funds the Move-It, Moving Matters™ programme in Soweto as a demonstration of their long-term commitment to empowering youngsters with improved opportunities in life through their investment in Education. “Youth development is very important to us, especially in a country where half of the population are under the age of 25, we believe that by encouraging and supporting youth to reach out and live their sporting dreams doesn’t only build them as individuals, but also puts them in a space where they can represent the country, taking into consideration the heavy sports culture South Africa lives up to”, said Nyameka Makonya, CSI Manager at Total South Africa.

The presence of other French-based and South African entities, equally committed to transformation, provides a shining example of bi-lateral relations between France and South Africa, and how this has paved the way for stronger and ongoing Public, Private, Partnerships collaborations with agencies, organisations and entities who understand the positive and powerful influence of sport for development, health and peace in communities.

The Barbarians will play against South Africa “A” on 23 June at Orlando stadium at 8pm. The Clinic at the Jabulani Technical High School on 21^stJune 2017 will hopefully inspire support and interest in Rugby within this community.

The Barbarians, led by Frédéric Michalak, are committed to offer mentoring, coaching and motivational support in order to promote peace, transformation and development.

Members of the media are invited to cover this event.