A rugby festival in the desert
The Namib Desert may just be the oldest desert in the world, famous for its sand dunes, the only desert to give its name to a country's. It is arid but not without life. And now there is a rugby tournament to add to its life.
Down at the coast is the fishing town of Walvis Bay where the hot air of the desert meets the cold Benguela current as it travels north and produces mist above a sea whose plankton provides food for whales, hence the name of the town.
The Desert Rugby Festival, the first ever, is being organised by the Walvis Bay Private High School which was founded in 1961 when Walvis Bay was still a part of South Africa's Cape Province.
The Festival will run from Tuesday, 1 April to Saturday, 5 April 2014.
Twelve teams are taking part. Five of the teams are from South Africa, including Monument of Krugersdorp.
The Monument presence is not surprising as the festival is the brainchild of Wynand Moolman who was the 1st XV coach at Monument before moving to Walvis Bay Private High School this year.
The five South African schools taking part are Hoërskool Monument, HTS Daniël Pienaar (Uitenhage), Clifton College ( Durban), Hoërskool Klerksdorp and Heidelberg Volkskool. The Namibian schools are Elnatan Private School, Windhoek Afrikaanse Privaatskool, Windhoek Gimnasium, Windhoek Hoërskool, Pro-Ed Academy (a private school in Swakopmund) and Walvis Bay Private High School.
The stated purpose of the Festival is
To promote the game of rugby in Namibia
The development of friendships between Namibian schools and International Schools
To create opportunities for Namibian Schools to compete against International Schools
The promotion of our breath-taking country, Namibia and our amazing town: Walvis Bay, where desert and sea meets; to other communities and visitors
Fixtures:
Walvis Bay Private High School Match Day Programme
Wednesday, 2 April 2014
14.00: Clifton College vs Pro-Ed Akademie
15.00: Under-15A: Klerksdorp vs Walvisbaai Privaat
16.20: Monument vs Windhoek Afrikaanse Privaatskool,
17.40: Daniël Pienaar vs Elnatan
19.00: Heidelberg Volkskool vs Walvisbaai Privaat High School
Friday, 4 April 2014
14.00: Heidelberg Volkskool vs Windhoek Afrikaanse Privaatskool,
15.00: Clifton College vs Elnatan
16.20: Klerksdorp vs Pro Ed Akademie
17.40: Daniël Pienaar vs Walvisbaai Privaat High School
19.00: Monument vs Windhoek High School
Friday, 5 April 2014
08.00: Klerksdorp vs Windhoek Afrikaanse Privaatskool,
09.00: Volkskool Heidelberg vs Elnatan
10.20: Daniël Pienaar vs Windhoek High School
11.40: Clifton College vs Walvisbaai Privaat High School
13.00: Monument vs Windhoek Gimnasium
