Two Wits students to represent South Africa at 2018 Youth Touch Rugby World Cup.
Two Wits students, Raquel Scott and Ameerah Emeran, have been selected to represent South Africa at the 2018 Youth Touch Rugby World Cup taking place in Malaysia in August 2018.
SA will send down six teams across two age groups, U20 and U18, which comprise of players from across the country. A ladies, men’s and a mixed team will be sent down in each age group. The Youth Touch Rugby World Cup is being held for the first time in 9 years, it was previously stopped due to lack of participation from enough coutires.
Scott, a first-year BCom Economics and Finance student, has been selected for the U20 ladies team. She spoke to Wits Vuvuzela about her goals and aspirations at the Youth World Cup. “I will make sure to make the most out of every single moment spent playing, practising and even watching other games in Malaysia,” she said.
Emeran, a first-year BA student, has been selected for the U20 mixed team. “I’ve always watched and admired the Australian and New Zealand teams and now it feels so surreal that I’ll have the opportunity to play against them in the World Cup,” Emeran said.
Both the ladies have played the sport provincially. Daniel Ackerman, the Gauteng Touch Association (GTA) Chairperson spoke to Wits Vuvuzela about the selection. He said, “We are extremely proud of all our players who are going through to Malaysia to represent South Africa.” GTA will assist the girls with skills, fitness, as well as practice games to further prepare them for the Youth World Cup over and above their team camps.
Scott remarked on some of the challenges that the girls’ have faced while training. “Playing with girls from other provinces has proven to be challenging as different playing styles have divided the team. After two training camps and participating in the Senior IPT’s this past weekend, it is evident that the team was able to adapt to the various playing styles really quickly and effectively,” she said.
Emeran commented on the combination of girls from different provinces, “It has definitely increased my knowledge of the game and improved the game of touch rugby that I play.”
The youth teams were selected based on their performance at the Junior Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) in 2016 and further selections were made at the 2017 Junior IPT. There are six provinces that the players can be selected from: Gauteng, Northern Gauteng, East Gauteng, Western Cape, Western Province as well as Kwa-Zulu Natal.
FEATURED PHOTO: U20 SA Ladies Youth World Cup team. PHOTO: Provided.
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