In August, 43 students and six staff set off on Trinity’s biggest multi-sports tour in decades, travelling to Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Johannesburg and Pretoria to play rugby, hockey and water polo. The trip was about more than pre-season practice – it was a chance to explore new places, meet new people and make memories that will last a lifetime.
Playing against South African schools offered a high standard of competition. Mr Beresford-Miller, Assistant Director of Sport, said, “Sport is everything in South Africa, and it was a great opportunity for our students to experience that first-hand. The games were hard-fought, especially in rugby, but our students also enjoyed the incredible facilities and huge crowds.”
Across the three sports, students played three rugby fixtures, three in water polo and five in hockey. Some played in multiple sports, while others cheered on friends in different teams, creating a strong sense of unity.
Fifth Year Luke said, “Almost everyone we played were much bigger and stronger than us, especially in water polo, but it was still really fun and everyone was very nice. I was a bit nervous being one of the youngest, but the older students were so welcoming that I quickly felt I fitted in.”
Away from the pitch, students explored South Africa’s natural beauty, climbing Table Mountain, taking a surfing lesson at Muizenberg Beach and going on a safari. Fifth Year Ollie said, “What I enjoyed most about the trip was the breadth of South Africa we got to experience. Each day brought new eye-opening experiences, from physical tasks like scaling Table Mountain to community work at the Winnie Mabaso Foundation. It was great to see boys from multiple years get on so well – this combined with all the activities definitely brought us together more as a group.”
They also experienced life in townships and spent a day at the Winnie Mabaso Foundation, supporting vulnerable children. Lower Sixth student Ty said, “It was amazing to embrace a different culture and understand life for those less fortunate. We had a lot of fun playing games, dancing and laughing with the children – I would love to do it again.”
Fifth Year Danny reflected, “Visiting the township of Kayamandi gave us perspective on how fortunate we are. The real highlight, though, was watching the coaches attempt a dance-off!”
Mr Beresford-Miller added, “The students threw themselves into everything – sport, cultural experiences and community work. It was one of the best tours I’ve ever been on, and the memories will stay with them for a long time. We look forward to more multisports tours in the future, especially as we welcome girls in the Lower School from 2027.”
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