TWO rugby clubs teamed up over the festive period to make South African children's Christmas more special after a player's appeal for help.

Golborne Parkside Pirates and Leigh Centurions have donated kits and other rugby equipment to the Morukuru Family Goodwill Foundation.

The foundation raises support and awareness for the Molatedi village, which is near to its safari lodge and its community school.

It focuses on mentoring, educating and empowering children through their staff and guests.

After visiting the area, a young Golborne Pirates player asked his team mates to bring in their unwanted kit from previous seasons.

The club's coach Tom Simms then asked fellow coaches to provide more kitwear which could be donated to the village.

After hearing about the kind-hearted player's intentions, Leigh Centurions donated all the club's unsold junior kits from the 2018 season.

This was supported by a business in the area which supplied football foots, shin guards, ball and gloves which will be given to the school to be used by the children.

The school was closed during the trip so the Morukuru River House host, Ilse, and River House ranger, Evan, could take the four large kit bags to the Molatedi school on their day off on the player's behalf.

They captured the occasion on camera and sent over pictures of the children receiving the donated items.

The Pirates player said: "Every year we are given new kit to wear.

"I have a lot of kit which I wanted to give to the school because they don’t have any.

"That gave me the idea, which my mum helped me with, to get all the spare kits from my team mates to give as many people the chance to have one as I could.

"I wanted to be able to play a rugby game with them but the school was closed.

"Hopefully, if I get to go again it will be open and I can meet them and teach them some skills.

"I would like to thank all my team mates and their parents for washing and bringing in the kits and also to my coach, Tom, for surprising me with a massive kit bag full of kits and some balls and bibs.

"I also want to thank Leigh Centurions for giving all the brand-new kits too.

"I hope that the school bring them some luck this year. I also want to thank Ilse and Evan for taking all the kit to the school on their day off.

"I hope all the children from the Molatedi school and village are happy with their new rugby kits and hope that they enjoy playing rugby league as much as I do.”