On Saturday, 15 August 2026, the Worcester Villagers Rugby Club was once again a hive of activity and endless excitement as the hosts teamed up with Rainbow Chicken and the Sanlam Boland Kavalier to host close on 100 young aspiring rugby players at a development clinic.
The Rainbow Tjokkers Rugby Development Clinic, now in its second year and a firm favourite on the local sporting calendar, saw boys and girls between the ages of six and nine years take to the field on a scorching hot winter’s day to show off their talents and develop new rugby skills.
Under the guidance of several experienced coaches, the young players enjoyed a full morning of structured, high-energy activities designed to introduce them to the fundamentals of the game. The clinic kicked off with the coaches doing warm-up exercises and movement games with the learners before they rotated between various skills stations where they were shown rugby techniques in passing, tackling, catching and footwork on the rugby field. The highlight of the morning was, of course, when they got to put their newly learned skills to the test in the Mini Festival Games that included touch rugby, relay races and a rugby treasure hunt.
Rainbow believes that sports development is way more than building a talent pipeline for South African rugby. “As a company that is firmly committed to community development, bringing together this group of children, from diverse backgrounds and social standing, allows us to build social cohesion and have positive community impact,” says Deseree Beukes, Rainbow’s processing manager at Worcester Processing Plant. “Importantly, the children are not just learning ball skills but also discipline and social skills such as teamwork.”
Beukes gave a short talk to the young rugby enthusiasts, highlighting the importance of sport, teamwork and a healthy lifestyle and encouraging the learners to keep dreaming, stay active and always give their best.
Deseree Beukes, Rainbow’s processing manager
Craig Volmoer, Boland Rugby Union executive board member
Besides providing the equipment, kit and balls for the clinic, Rainbow also gifted each child with a fun Rainbow-branded hamper and provided lunch for the young participants.
“These clinics are an integral part of the work that happens behind the scenes to ensure that rugby – at all levels – is a fully inclusive sport in South Africa and we are grateful to our sponsors, like Rainbow Chicken, that we can bring the sport to our biggest fans in local communities, where many of our players nurtured their love for the game,” adds Quintin van Rooyen, CEO of the Boland Rugby (Pty) Ltd.
After the morning’s activities, the young rugby players and their parents were invited to stay for the main game – the Worcester Villagers and the Young Hamiltons – which proved to be a thrilling end to the day of rugby all round!
