RUGBY

Imvomvo had a partnership with Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA) Organisation which assisted NGOs with recruitment of NZ volunteers.

In 2008 Luntu Rara, a then Winter Rose captain, went to New Zealand for three weeks and was hosted by Petone Club and mentored by the Petone coach co-ordinator David Pollock.

This was the beginning of the New Zealand and Winter Rose relationship.

It took more than a year until Pollock came to visit Winter Rose, thanks to funding received from NZAID, with him arriving in Mdantsane for two weeks in October 2009.

In the meantime the club had established a Junior Rugby and U15 programme driven by Greg Stevenson, an Otago University Exchange volunteer who came through Imvomvo to drive the programme.

The Pollock visit was an opportunity to continue the progress that had been made in the programme and helped to set up a broader wellstructured youth programme in Winter Rose.

“My time playing for Winter Rose was one of the best experiences I have had,” said Stevenson in correspondence from New Zealand.

“I’ve played across the world and the passion of the players and fans at Winter Rose is among the best I’ve seen.

“In Tauranga, where I now live, there is a rugby academy called Inside Running.

“The academy offers scholarships to players that cannot afford the fees and I forwarded the details of the academy to Winter Rose and they arrange to send players to the academy.”

Winter Rose will hope that this connection to New Zealand can keep being used and strengthened over the coming years.