Back in the Summer of 2024, the England Deaf Rugby team went on a barnstorming tour to the land of the Springboks. The Roses would return from South Africa with the honor of being double champions of the men’s sevens and 10s competitions, and the women’s side also showcased an impressive campaign. It was a real statement from the England Deaf squad, who had their head coach Phil Powell at the helm of the successful sevens side.
England Deaf went undefeated in the International Men’s 7s and 10s series, with two dramatic final day triumphs over Australia Deaf in both competitions. The women’s teams paved new ground as a collective of deaf rugby players, with historic fixtures now under their belt on South African soil. Whilst it was a real landmark for the England Deaf squad to achieve two gold medals from their respective tournaments, the stand-out moments for head coach Powell came outside of the regular scheduled program.
The England Deaf squad went off the beaten track, to get a real experience of what grass roots rugby is like in the heart of South Africa. Powell pieced together a 23-player squad to take on a local Pretoria side, as the Grizzlies welcomed the tourists to their den. Whilst the head coach expressed his apprehension to travel through the rougher surroundings of a deprived South African superb, the Grizzlies pulled out all the stops for England Deaf, in what was an unforgettable experience from an incredible tour. Speaking to Ruck in an exclusive interview, Powell said;
“I loved it. Honestly, it felt like there was such a welcoming club. They were fantastic. It was one of those ones where you probably felt a little bit worried when you were driving in, I’m not going to kind of sugar coat it, where we were staying in Johannesburg, it felt a little bit more unsafe. However, as soon as we got to the rugby club, seeing all of these pitches, personally, I loved the fact it wasn’t this whole flash facility state of the art top parade. It felt gritty, but actually it was perfect.
“The lights weren’t the brightest lights you’ve ever played on, but they were perfect for the game. You went out there, you saw those two pitches of players that were training out there, and there’s a massive crowd. I wouldn’t have changed that, because I’m glad we went. I’m glad we went to Pretoria. I’m glad we played the Grizzlies, they were fantastic hosts, every single one of their players.
“Off the field, they were absolutely fantastic hosts, to the point where they actually made their own kit and a lot of the lads brought them (England Deaf) jackets and things like that. I exchanged one of my tops and that’s what happens on these tours. We tend to exchange our kit and stuff like that. I managed to exchange my kit with one of their players. I swapped one of our England tops with him, it’s little things like that.”
“I would still say it’s better than some clubs I’ve been to here (England) that are probably of a higher level than that. So, for my eyes, it was everything I love about a club, it was gritty. They invest properly, they do everything properly, it made it all feel like a very real thing. They (England Deaf players) loved the experience. It was tiring because some of them had played 10s in the morning. It definitely was a perfect experience, it’s what we needed.”
The extra-curricular activities continued for the England Deaf squad, as they ventured back outside of their army barrack compound for another taste of the true South Africa. Powell and his fellow coaches were initially invited to visit a local deaf institution, yet Powell seized the opportunity and brought along his entire squad for a skills session with Sizwile School for Deaf Children, in Soweto, Johannesburg.
Powell was taken aback by the amazing hospitality the school showed for his side, as they played some rugby mini-games, and the England Deaf players also tried their skills against the school’s resident netball team.
“So ultimately, the South African Deaf Federation did set up something that, before we went, we found out it was only for the coaches. That’s something which we’ve always been quite passionate about, if we’re going to do something, it’s all in. As soon as Gloria (Mills – England Deaf Rugby Chair) and myself found out that it was just the coaches and the management, we were like, ‘now, we don’t want to do that.’ We wanted to go somewhere where we can take the whole squad, because we felt it was massively important for the whole squad.
Gloria’s nurtured that relationship, and it’s something we’re going to support from our end and make sure they stay engaged. Ultimately, the school we were going to go (initially) was quite a privileged deaf school that the South Africa embassy set up. And this, the Sizwile School, knew nothing about the fact that South Africa actually had a deaf team.
“So we made sure that we put them in touch, and we opened those doors, because the staff there were unbelievable. They were pretty good at netball as well, I think they worked us at netball! We’re going to see how we can support from our end to create a charity foundation that will keep supporting the school, because of the things they told us, like the kids were being sent for their protection.
“I don’t think any member of that touring party left there the same person. I know I didn’t, because I was missing my kids. And as soon as I kind of got to the school, I actually got a message from my kids. It was the perfect day for me, but I was upset because I was missing my girls. I then got a message from them, and it was like a full circle. It was a good life changing moment.”
The England Deaf players certainly left an impression upon the residents of Sizwile School for Deaf Children, as a bus load of students descended in support for England’s decisive 10s tournament final. In a heartwarming moment that Powell recalls with great fondness, the children supported his players out onto the pitch, before performing the South African national anthem in sign language prior to kick off.
“Just going to Soweto on its own was kind of a mind blowing experience, I’ll be honest, it was a life changing experience. We donated a lot of clothes, and us and the tour company actually paid for their fuel to come over to the ground in which we were playing at. It was probably one of the most beautiful moments, because it was the 10s final, and they signed the South African national anthem in the final. It was a real touching moment.
“They signed the South African national anthem, and it was unbelievable. They made a tunnel for us to run out. It was like a busload of students, but for them to leave Soweto and come to the school that we were playing at, was just a complete polar opposite to where where they were.”
The England Deaf team is one of the fastest growing sides under the Red Rose banner. The squad is always interested in getting in contact and registering new players, so if you are a hard of hearing rugby player with the dream of representing England, check out the team’s official social media channels for more information.
