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Pretoria – With an illustrious history of towing, including hauling road trains and space shuttles, the Land Rover Discovery has become the benchmark towing vehicle in its class – winning numerous accolades in the process.
Combined with Land Rover’s long involvement in rugby, from a grassroots level to the Rugby World Cup, and the choice was obvious when a special donation from Land Rover had to be delivered, in February this year.
The donation in question was a Rugby Club Starter Kit – a repurposed shipping container outfitted with the all the essentials a young rugby team needs to nurture talent. Weighing in at 4 500kg on its trailer, this mobile locker room proved to be the ideal challenge for the new Land Rover Discovery and its guest driver, Springbok and Stormers Rugby player Siya Kolisi.
The African Bombers
Kolisi jumped at the opportunity to tow the Rugby Club Starter Kit to its new home in Zwide Township, near Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape. Not only is this where Kolisi started his rugby journey, on the dusty fields of the rural schools, but it is also the home of The African Bombers – his former rugby club.
Image: Motorpress
Lisa Mallett, Marketing Director, Jaguar Land Rover South Africa and sub-Sahara Africa, said:“As a global supporter of grassroots rugby, we’re absolutely thrilled to donate this Rugby Club Starter Kit to The African Bombers with Siya’s help – it is a truly heart-warming story of a return to his roots and Land Rover’s continued support of grassroots rugby.
"The kit will bring the joy of this sport to the young players at his old rugby club and inspire them to become future Springboks. The Discovery was the perfect vehicle for this task, thanks to its 3 500kg tow rating and class-leading off-road capability.”
Image: Motorpress
The Discovery’s 3.0-litre diesel engine produces 600Nm of torque, which allowed Siya to effortlessly tow the specially prepared trailer holding the Rugby Club Starter Kit. Equipped with Land Rover’s suite of proven and capable technologies, safety was never compromised: the Terrain Response 2 system ensured optimum traction on loose gravel surfaces, while Trailer Stability Assist helped the trailer and its special payload remain secure. On broken and potholed roads, the Discovery’s self-levelling air suspension kept each wheel in contact with the road surface
Siya Kolisi, Springbok and Stormers Rugby loose-forward player, said: “The Discovery’s capabilities are simply incredible. I genuinely thought that only a truck would be able to tow this huge container, but in the Discovery it felt no different to towing a caravan or boat.
"This container is the beginning of something huge, something new. It will give them the facilities here, that’s how you make the community better. That’s how you transform a nation. It’s hope.”
With the Rugby Club Starter Kit set up, members of The African Bombers now have access to brand-new equipment that will help them prepare for seasons ahead. This includes rugby balls, tackle bags, kicking cones, towels, and water bottles. Additionally, solar panels on the container help provide electricity, while built-in desks give students a safe, comfortable environment for completing their studies and homework.
