South Africa Sports Tour 2023

Taking our largest squad ever, of some 123 pupils and 16 staff, playing four sports, Rugby, Football, Netball and Hockey, the tour travelled to Johannesburg and then on to Cape Town, Pretoria and Pilanesberg for a fortnight full of keenly contested matches and spectacular sight-seeing.

During the tour the Rugby, Football, Netball and boys’ and girls’ Hockey teams participated in five full days of good spirited and competitive training and matches against school and club teams. Our South African hosts were so hospitable, and the training and matches were great experiences for all, with valuable lessons learnt both on and off the field.

Away from the sports field, the tour offered participants the chance to broaden their horizons with sightseeing and educational experiences that included the history of South Africa with tours of Soweto and the Apartheid Museum and a visit to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated. Pupils also took part in an eye-opening tour of Cape Town’s oldest back township and get up close and personal with the wildlife in game drives at Pilanesberg Game Reserve. The tour party all enjoyed the spectacular scenery of Table Mountain in Cape Town and the charming costal town of Hout Bay.

Lee Cassell, Director of Sport, and leader of the tour, said, “South Africa is a truly stunning country, passionate and fiercely competitive in their sport. We have had an excellent trip and played some inspiring matches and I know that our Princethorpe pupils will have returned home with a truly wonderful set of memories.”

Our thanks go to all of the staff involved in putting together and running such an impressive trip. We look forward to the experiences translating into positive results on the pitches over the coming season.