Tag Rugby Trust builds futures in Africa for over two decades
TRT continues to change lives of both adults and children in Zimbabwe through tag rugby, as well as UK pupils who get the opportunity to teach rugby, travel and support the community.
The organisation was founded in 2002 by Martin Hansford and Chris Tapper after the success of their rugby coaching programme in Mount Elgon, Uganda.
In its early years it saw groups of UK volunteer coaches travel to Uganda and Zambia to introduce children to rugby, and has since grown into something quite different. Now, TRT is made up of around 80 community clubs across Zimbabwe and has accommodated over 100 tours in its 23 years.
"I had no idea then that it would lead to what it is today," said Hansford. "Playing any organised sport with kids in Africa is an instant magnet because so little organised sport is happening, and when you do that time and time again you learn their needs."
"From this we decided to pivot from spreading rugby to using rugby as a tool to engage with the community on a number of levels; bettering the skills of individuals and creating programmes to address the community needs."
It was in 2008 that TRT began to make this change, providing free courses to locals on coaching, refereeing, media, tournament organising, and first aid.
Hansford said, "There is a high unemployment rate in Zimbabwe and if you don't have much going on there's a lot of negative things you can get involved with. Those that have joined our programmes have loved them, and some have gone on to get jobs as part time coaches in the area, and one even became the director of rugby at a top school in the country."
For the last 13 years TRT has put a large emphasis on its programmes in Zimbabwe, where, because of the courses, there are now community clubs in all 10 provinces run by five full time staff and a thousand volunteers all year round. Their efforts see 15,000 children from 150 local schools participate in the programme.
TRT would not have been the success it is today without the help and support from the likes of Gilbert who provided rugby balls, Scimitar Sportswear who gave kit and Lontex Cargo who shipped everything to Africa.
A big part of TRT is its school tours which have been running for over 15 years, and more recently stay in TRT's traditional mud hut camp in Victoria Falls. Touring schools include Stonyhurst College, Mill Hill, Esher High and Hockerill.
Hansford said, "The school tours are typically year 12 pupils who come and sample a small element of the work that happens in Zimbabwe. They get to go to schools and do the coaching, get involved with community work, learn about conservation and human wildlife conflict, as well as spend time with a girls group on female empowerment."
Anyone interested in touring to Victoria Falls with TRT in September 2025, contact tour@tagrugbytrust.co.uk
