A simple moment on the side of a rugby field in KwaNobuhle has inspired a new Eastern Cape initiative aimed at giving preloved rugby boots a second life — and talented young players a better chance to fulfil their potential.
Boots for the Boys & Girls, an initiative of the EcoVenturist, asks pupils finishing their school rugby careers to clean their boots and place them into specially designed collection boxes.
The boots will then be redistributed to young players from disadvantaged communities who need them.
The idea came to EcoVenturist founder Paul Gardiner while watching a match in the newly established Mzwandile Mali Schools Rugby Champions League, which is creating competitive rugby opportunities for 138 schools from disadvantaged communities across the Eastern Cape.
The EcoVenturist is an Eastern Cape-based conservation, adventure and impact storytelling platform focused on using stories, partnerships and its network to create positive change for wildlife and communities.
“I was watching these youngsters playing in KwaNobuhle and what struck me was the talent,” Gardiner said.
“But then I started looking at their feet. Some of these boys were playing rugby in their school shoes or everyday shoes.
“There were no mouthguards, very little protective equipment, and they were playing on a field that was basically a dirt track — uneven, full of stones and with huge areas without grass.
“These kids weren’t short of talent. They were short of equipment. That really touched me, and Boots for the Boys & Girls was born.”
Gardiner recently returned to the Eastern Cape after 23 years abroad.
As a former St Andrew’s College pupil in Makhanda, he felt there was only one place to begin.
On September 18, the first Boots for the Boys & Girls collection box was officially launched at St Andrew’s, beginning what Gardiner hopes will become a tradition at schools across the Eastern Cape and, eventually, SA.
“St Andrew’s gave me an extraordinary start in life, so it feels right that my old school should help us start this,” he said.
“The idea couldn’t be simpler — when you’ve played your final season, clean your boots, retire them with pride and pass them forward to somebody whose journey may only just be beginning.”
The campaign is supported by Isuzu SA, Nyosi Wildlife Reserve and Kloppers Sport, alongside the Mzwandile Mali Schools Rugby Champions League.
“Talent in the Eastern Cape has never been the problem — access has,” Lincoln Mali, founder of the Mzwandile Mali Schools Rugby Champions League, said.
“Boots for the Boys & Girls speaks directly to what we see every week on our fields — young players with the ability to go all the way, held back by the basics.
“This partnership is exactly the kind of support our schools need, and we’re proud to stand behind it.”
Its next challenge is to encourage more schools to join.
The Eastern Cape has already given South African rugby extraordinary players, including Siya Kolisi.
Schools across the province are now invited to become collection partners and help establish a new rugby tradition.
Schools wishing to participate can contact Gardiner on paul@theecoventurist.com
Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world.
The Herald