Rugby |07 June 2023

Players of the École Française des Seychelles team in their new uniform and balls in the presence of Mr Fonseka (right) and Mr de Wit (Photo: Contributed)

SRU supports local schools’ rugby programme

As part of its mandate to promote and propagate the sport of rugby locally, especially at grassroots level, thus ensuring a healthy future for the sport, the Seychelles Rugby Union has started to partner with local educational institutions, helping them set up, or improve existing school rugby programmes.

The first school to benefit from the Seychelles Rugby Union’s (SRU) supports is École Française des Seychelles which recently received a donation of four rugby balls.

It was head of community coaching, Leon de Wit, along with chairman of the SRU, Luke Fonseka, who handed over the balls to the students.

The donation is part of a batch of 150 balls the SRU received from the British high commission, with the intention of equipping local schools with rugby balls and equipment so that the sport can be played throughout the country by all.

Mr de Wit said they are really excited about supporting the growth of youth rugby in Seychelles, as they appreciated the importance of investing in the youth as they are the future.

He added that if we want Seychelles to have a competitive rugby team for years to come, it has to start early with the youth.

As for Mr Fonseka, he noted that it was in 2020 that the SRU began its rugby relaunch programme where local schools were invited and encouraged to send their students to training provided by SRU coaches on Wednesday afternoons at the Mont Fleuri playing field.

He added that today they are very proud to have a number of those students involved in Seychelles’ first ever domestic league, the Cable & Wireless Island Nations Cup.

The French School (École Française des Seychelles) is the first school to receive their batch of rugby balls and equipment, with Beau Vallon and International schools receiving their supplies next week.

Mr Fonseka is inviting any other school looking to get kitted out to send an email to seychellesrugby@gmail.com to receive their equipment and coaching.

Compiled by Roland Duval