Stormers and Edinburgh players inspired youngsters at a Somerset West clinic last week.
Around 150 pupils from De Hoop Primary and Somerset West Methodist Primary got the chance to rub shoulders with their heroes ahead of the Vodacom URC clash at Cape Town Stadium.
The Stormers won 33-14, but two days earlier, the teams set aside on-field hostilities during a visit to De Hoop Primary that formed part of the URC’s Communities United campaign.
The campaign encourages clubs to engage in cross-hemisphere community activities when teams are travelling.
Players from both teams interacted with the children, signing autographs, before staging a rugby clinic to work on drills.
Edinburgh back rower Ben Muncaster said: “We’ve been staying in Stellenbosch and it’s been beautiful. There’s so much passion for rugby here. Seeing young people smiling and enjoying it, that’s the most important thing.”
For Edinburgh lock Callum Hunter-Hill, the message to youngsters was clear.
“At this age, it’s important to listen to your coaches and be like a sponge,” he said. “But most importantly, just enjoy it. Enjoy being with your friends and enjoy the game.”
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“It’s always a privilege to coach and help out with the next generation,” said Stormers scrumhalf Stefan Ungerer. “It’s grassroots to greatness. Seeing the excitement on their faces, it means as much to us as it does to them.”
Stormers loose forward Marcel Theunissen echoed that sentiment, highlighting the joy of simple connection.
“It’s a very good initiative,” he said. “To get together with the Edinburgh guys and support the kids is special. Just seeing how happy they are getting signatures and playing rugby, makes me happy. Hopefully we can do this more.”
The cross-hemisphere element is central to the URC’s vision, with players embracing different cultures while sharing a common passion.
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Educators on the ground believe the impact goes deeper than just one session.
“What happened here today is extremely important,” said De Hoop Primary’s Aubrey du Plessis. “For these youngsters to see their role models in real life and learn from them, the value is incredible. It creates passion and encourages them to keep playing.”
Ungerer added that community engagement remains central to the Stormers’ own identity.
“We always say we want to make Cape Town smile,” he said. “Coming back to places like this, especially for me living nearby here, makes it special. It reminds you where it all started.”
The URC said: “These community visits celebrate the leagues’ diversity in terms of different cultures and languages, and one of the ways we do that is by connecting with fans across the globe.”
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Stormers and Edinburgh stars inspired youngsters at a Somerset West clinic last week.
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