There is a remarkable energy at False Bay RFC in the build-up to the 2020 season, and the announcement that the Gold Cup will take place in a new format, has added impetus to the efforts at the club.
Firstly, the club is bristling with pride as their patron, Louis de Waal, completed his 42nd Cape Town Cycle Tour at the weekend, one of a select few who has completed every one of the events held. Truly remarkable considering the club rugby icon is 82 years old.
Player numbers are healthy. The under-20 section under Ashley Wells and Richard Lawson is growing and promises to be an exciting stop for matchday visitors.
An arrow has been added to the quiver of False Bay RFC. Zoe Naudé has been brought in to help build the women’s game in False Bay RFC.
Naudé is the ideal person to carry the mantle, having played the touch rugby game since 2013 and the contact format since 2017, representing Western Province since then.
Zoe coaches and referees both formats, It’s clear that Zoe isn’t someone who just loves the game, she lives it. She went to the Netherlands in 2018, where she coached, played and refereed the contact game and her resumé includes three SA High Performance camps.
Her first SA under-20 cap was earned against the Springbok Women’s team.
“I recently started an organisation to provide rugby workshops for girls in high school. Our aim is to promote female-rugby and empower girls and women through this wonderful sport”, says Zoe.
“My goal for the False Bay Women’s team is to provide an environment for girls and women to safely learn and play the game of rugby”.
She plans to start off with Sevens fixtures as the numbers grow, then Tens, moving on to friendly fifteens-format matches as the demand grows. To this end, Sevens matches against Camps Bay High School for the juniors, and UCT for the seniors are being finalised. Practice takes place on Tuesdays at 6pm. Call Zoe on 071 879 1999 or naudezoe@gmail.com.
The Gold Cup expansion is a boon for clubs around the country. Eight clubs in the peninsula qualify for the first round of the tournament, to take place (and double-up as SLA matches) on Saturday April 25.
False Bay, Union-Milnerton, Brackenfell, Tygerberg, SK Walmer, Hamilton, Paarl and Villager are the qualifying clubs, while losing GC2019 finalists, Dur-Bell has automatic entry to round three of the knockout tournament.
The Bay has been busy with all formats of rugby since the beginning of the season from Sevens to Tens to pre-season mini tours to Kleinmond RFC and matches against Peninsula RFC.
False Bay’s official pre-season friendly programme kicks-off on Saturday when they travel to Brackenfell and then travel just around the corner the following for a big pre-season clash against Dur-Bell.
The programme at Brackenfell kicks off at 1.30pm. It promises to be a day worth the trip.
Jon Harris is a member of False Bay RFC
