SWD RUGBY UNION

PHANGELA SWD EAGLES

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About Us

The South Western Districts Rugby Union and SWD Eagles Rugby Team are based at the foothills of the Outeniqua mountains in the scenic city of George, the administrative and commercial centre of the Garden Route.

This area includes the towns of George, Mossel Bay, Oudtshoorn, Riversdale, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay and Beaufort West. As the biggest stadium in the region, Outeniqua Park in George boasts as one of the most scenic rugby grounds in the world and is also the home ground of the Union and teams.

The SWD Eagles professional team play in the annual Vodacom Cup as well as in the Currie Cup First Division. The Union's other 17 provincial teams compete in national amateur and school tournaments.

SWDRFU was one of the first fully transformed unions in SA and boasts with an impressive development and club structure with more than one hundred clubs making it one of the biggest club structures on the South African rugby landscape. The IRB International Sevens tournament was succesfully hosted by SWD Rugby from 2001 to 2010 before it moved to Port Elizabeth and now Cape Town because of a much needed larger venue.

our History

The South Western Districts Rugby Union was established in 1899 and it has a proud legacy still continuing in today's modern professional era. During the early years provincial home matches were rotated mainly between Mossel Bay, Oudtshoorn and George before the Union moved to its current home at Outeniqua Park in George.

Outeniqua Park Stadium was opened in 1966 by the honourable mayor of George, Mr Andrew Swart and was initially the of George Rugby Club before SWDRFU took occupation thirty years later in 1996. The SWD Eagles won the Bankfin Cup in 2002, the ABSA Currie Cup 1st Division in 2007 and played in the Currie Cup semi-final in 1999 under former Springbok coach, Heyneke Meyer.

SWD produced top players, coaches and referees the likes of;

SPRINGBOKS

Johan Heunis, Johan Muller, Anton Leonard, Zane Kirchner, Bevan Fortuin, Kabamba Floors, Meyer Bosman, Pedrie Wannenberg, Marco Wentzel, Theo van Rensburg, Both Rossouw and Braam Van Straaten.

COACHES

Heyneke Meyer (Springboks & Bulls),
Paul Treu (SA 7s),
Frans Ludecke (Bulls & Lions),
Phil Pretorius (EP, Valke, Maties & Tuks)

NATIONAL REFEREES

Hansie Schoeman, Cobus Wessels, Abe Steenberg, Jason Jaftha and Shaun Muller.

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