There’s an old saying, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Well, the Hot Summer of Touch crew are a much stronger bunch today!
What greeted touch rugby organisers at Camps Bay on Sunday morning (10 December) at 05:00 was nothing short of hell-like conditions with 90 km wind gusts sending sand flying against bare legs and faces.
The event was not far from being cancelled, but the organising team persevered and eventually finished the set-up literally as the sun came bursting through and the wind dropped to nothing, to present visitors with perfect conditions for pretty much the whole tournament.
After a fast start in Kleinmond, things continued on SA’s most iconic beach. In all, 42 teams registered to play in five different sections, and played their hearts out.
This event saw the first women’s section in a few years, and it was fantastic for the crowds to get a feel for the talents of these amazing girls, many of whom will be playing at the Touch World Cup in Nottingham in 2024. The final was contested by the Seagulls who beat the Amavitti Ladies 2-1.
The Pro-final was once again contested by the finalists from Kleinmond, but this time it was the Liberty Webb Touchies who took the win after a very tight final, beating the Kleinmond Winners, Most Wanted by 1-0.
It looks like these two teams will be right up there throughout the series, but you can be sure former series winners, the Score Forward Legends and Halli Trust Warriors, will have other ideas with four tournaments pending and the “home beach, Strand” coming up next.
The Challenger series winner was once again Kia Targo who had a cracking final against the Struisbaai Warriors. The score was 3-2 in favour of the Macassar-based team.
The Last Kingz had a big win in the Open Series taking the final from Underdogs Touchies and the Score Forward Reds Juniors were overall winners on the day in the Junior Section. . The action moves to the Strand beach on Saturday 16 December.
