While the focus of African Rugby was on the outcome of this weekend’s Confederation Africaine de Rugby Division 1A tournament in Madagascar and the identity of the African representative to Rugby World Cup 2015 in England, record numbers of children are taking up the Game in the continent thanks to the IRB’s Get Into Rugby mass participation programme.
Funded by the IRB, Get Into Rugby is proving to be a resounding success with more than 500,000 boys and girls having participated in the programme since its debut in 2013 and Africa is leading the charge.
In the last six months some 65,000 children have picked up a Rugby ball for the first time in Africa with 28 CAR Unions having joined the programme and delivering specific Rugby sessions designed to enable children of all ages and abilities to Try, Play and Stay in Rugby.
With the Webb Ellis Cup a star attraction in Rugby-mad Madagascar for the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour driven by Land Rover and DHL, the IRB, CAR and Madagascar Union, delivered a festival for nearly 1000 children at the national Rugby stadium on Saturday.
With great skills and an abundance of smiles on show, the festival also provided the opportunity for Madagascan coaches to be presented with their coaching certificates following the completion of the courses that ensure the promotion of the correct techniques and the highest standards of player welfare.
It is also an important component of a self-sustaining model and so far in Africa 545 coaches and 2400 trainers have earned their qualifications through a programme coordinated by the IRB Regional Development Officer for Africa Jean Luc Barthes.
Barthes said: “It is a cost-effective and sustainable model that allows children of all ages and abilities to Try, Play and significantly Stay in Rugby. Get Into Rugby is not about producing the next Dan Carter or Bryan Habana, but for children to get active, learn important life skills through Rugby’s values and most importantly, to have fun. We are delighted with the response to a programme that is really taking off and this event in Antananarivo has really highlighted the success and enthusiasm for Get Into Rugby.”
