Play it Forward – There’s no arguing that rugby is both one of the most challenging and enjoyable sports in the world. It has changed attitudes and embraced diversity in significant ways. Synercore has recently celebrated the power of rugby within communities, by handing over a total of 22 Synercore rugby jerseys to members of the Phizantekraal Rugby Club.
Elnico Verneel, Production Operator at Synercore’s Klapmuts site, inspired this sponsorship when he approached his management for support of the Phizantekraal Rugby Team. Being avid rugby fans themselves, the Synercore management team didn’t need much convincing.
Due to a lack of funding, the Phizantekraal Rugby Team has been practicing on a poorly maintained school field two evenings per week. The team has had to make due with virtually no facilities; a single floodlight and makeshift changing rooms made from unused bridge pipes. With rugby season being in the winter, training in near complete darkness is a weekly occurrence.
Arend van Rooyen, Team Manager, also mentioned that the team struggles to afford rugby kits or reliable transportation to matches since not all players are currently employed. Any extra costs pose a major barrier to participating and competing in the sport.
Even with this team’s challenges and infrastructure obstacles, they have still managed to maintain one of the top positions in their league. According to Japie Cupido, Vice Chairman of the club, rugby has proven essential in keeping these young men fit, healthy and goal-focused where they would otherwise have little to do in the town at night.
Synercore has since covered the cost of new jerseys for the club’s senior team, which were presented to them on Tue 18th May. To sweeten the deal, Synercore also provided the team with a box of BokPulse recovery drink, used by our very own Springbok rugby team.
Synercore is also happy to announce that since the handover, the team has earned the number one position on the Simonsberg Region log.
We wish the team well for the remainder of the season.