Hong Kong rugby referees and officials have donated almost 200kg of tops, books, shorts, socks and even kit bags to the Rwanda Rugby Federation.
The donation by the Hong Kong Rugby Referees Society forms part of a partnership between the city’s officials and their counterparts in Africa, that will include referee exchanges over the coming season.
“Rugby is a global game and we are delighted to play our part in the continuing development of rugby in central Africa. It also gives us an opportunity to reuse our kit rather than add to landfill,” James Byatt, the society’s president, said.
“Over the coming seasons, we will hopefully be welcoming Rwandan referees to Hong Kong while our referees will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the game in a unique setting by refereeing in Rwanda.”
The strips are already being used in Rwanda, a country with a rugby budget that often does not extend to providing kit for players, marking the first step in building a closer relationship between referees in both territories.
“We recently renewed our support for the referees in Hong Kong, extending our sponsorship to a decade,” Mark Side, partner at Tanner de Witt, said. “We’re delighted to support this initiative; not only does it mean that kit gets a second life, it is being used to support rugby in a country that does not have the operational budgets we are so lucky to have in Hong Kong.”
The society’s donation is part of a wider contribution from the Hong Kong Rugby Union which donated an additional 75kg of equipment as part of its wider commitment to using rugby to bring about positive change by tackling social issues.
Rugby for Good, previously known as Hong Kong Rugby Union Community Foundation, is now in its tenth year and aims to support five of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including good health and well-being, and gender equality.
“We are absolutely thrilled to partner with the Hong Kong Rugby Referees Society,” Dave Hughes, honorary director at Rwanda Rugby Federation, said. “Some of our players have to walk for more than an hour to get to training which is often on grassless, sun-baked pitches.
“The kit donation has already made a significant impact on rugby in Rwanda and is making a difference to the way players feel about our beautiful sport.”