Cold seas and warm hearts.

A group of high-spirited rugby players took part in a team building exercise on Melkbosstrand beach yesterday. The boys are members of the under-19 rugby squad of High School Monument Park in Kraaifontein; and they come from the greater Kraaifontein, Wallacedene informal settlement, and as far afield as the Republic of the Congo.

Exhibiting high spirits the boys took to the water like the proverbial ducks. According to the team’s coach Heinrich Veldsman the team has “worked incredibly hard to raise funds for their rugby tours.” Yesterday they had a respite from the hard work.

They played hard on Melkbosstrand beach instead for a few hours. The moment the two school minibuses stopped near the Purple House the boys ran onto the beach. One somersaulted impressively, about which his companion quipped: “You have not lost the skill!” Then they took off their civvies, placed them in a row of military-style neat bundles, and proceeded to plunge into the cold sea.

They’ve worked incredibly hard to raise funds.

On 18 March they will participate in the Boland Landbou Sports Day; on 25 March they will participate in the Lutzville Sports Day; and from 31 March to 5 April they will travel to Riversdale to participate in the Oakdale Rugby Week.

Veldsman says that the team building served “to bring boys from different ages together and allow them to spend time together under different circumstances.”