The 2024 international season got underway for Great Britain Tag Rugby on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th July as the GB sides played host to South Africa at Reading RFC. The test series was the first time that South Africa had played GB in the UK and was only the second series between the two nations.

All eight core Great Britain sides were in action on Saturday with four of them – Men’s Open, Mixed Open, Men’s Seniors, Men’s Masters – playing a full test series against South African opposition. Great Britain won all four of those categories, despite South Africa picking up their first full international win on British soil in the second Mixed Open game. As a result Great Britain retained the GB v SA Test Series trophy.

While Great Britain’s women’s teams didn’t have direct South African opposition they played matches against other GB sides as well as South Africa Mixed Open in the case of GB Women’s Open and Seniors. Each women’s side achieved wins against the women’s age category above them as well as giving strong accounts of themselves against the mixed sides that they played. GB Women’s Masters were in action again on Sunday, recording victories against a Thames Valley women’s side.

All three of GB’s men’s teams played a two day test series against South Africa. GB Men’s Open secured a 5-0 series win against South Africa Men’s Open as well as beating SA Men’s Seniors. GB Men’s Seniors also recorded a series win (3-0) as well as picking up hugely encouraging wins against SA Men’s Open and Men’s Masters. GB Men’s Masters achieved a 4-0 series win and ran SA Men’s Seniors close in their exhibition match.

Having excelled in their first test against South Africa, GB Mixed Open then found themselves in two incredible contests on Sunday. South Africa won the second test by a single point in a low scoring encounter before the final test saw SA time and again claw back each lead GB took until the very end of the match. GB ultimately won by two points and claimed the series 2-1. GB Mixed Seniors also played SA Mixed Open on Saturday and secured an excellent victory despite the talent of their opposition. This was achieved alongside their wins against the GB women’s sides.

Ultimately Great Britain won 4-0 in the four eligible categories, picking up 18 total wins to South Africa’s four in matches between the two nations and retain the biennial trophy minted in 2022. The GB Future Teams Men’s 50s were also in action and picked up wins in both their games including against SA Men’s Masters.

Will Shepherd, Great Britain Programme Director said: “It was great to welcome four South African teams on their first tour to the UK and we hope they enjoyed the trip despite the Great British weather! I know that our teams are already looking forward to the next time we play South Africa and we hope that these matches will encourage even more women in SA to get involved with Tag Rugby. Our players will now turn their focus to the British & Irish Cup in August and our ultimate 2024 goal of winning the historic trophy in Ireland for the first time!”

Sunday’s Pitch 1 matches were live streamed on Try Tag Rugby’s YouTube and can be watched now on replay. Saturday’s Pitch 1 matches as well as matches on Pitch 2 on both days were recorded via Veo and will shortly be available to view.

Photos from the event can be found on Great Britain Tag Rugby’s Facebook:
Day one photos
Day two photos

Great Britain Tag Rugby thanks South Africa Tag Rugby for the tournament; all of our volunteer coaches and managers for their work; the referees and Try Tag Rugby for their assistance in running the event; our streaming partners 247.tv; the host venue Reading RFC; and the University of Reading for accommodating South Africa and a number of Great Britain staff.

Category Results and Players of the Tournament

Women’s Open
7 – 0 v Great Britain Women’s Masters
8 – 0 v Great Britain Women’s Seniors
4 – 11 v Great Britain Mixed Open
6 – 13 v South Africa Mixed Open

Men’s Open
1st test: Great Britain 11 – 0 South Africa
2nd test: Great Britain 14 – 2 South Africa
3rd test: Great Britain 11 – 1 South Africa
4th test: Great Britain 11 – 3 South Africa
5th test: Great Britain 17 – 1 South Africa
19 – 1 v South Africa Men’s Seniors

Series Result: Great Britain 5 – 0 South Africa

Player of the Tournament: Nick Wilkes (Great Britain)

Mixed Open
1st test: Great Britain 20 – 5 South Africa
2nd test: Great Britain 3 – 4 South Africa
3rd test: Great Britain 8 – 6 South Africa
18 – 2 v Great Britain Mixed Seniors
11 – 4 v Great Britain Women’s Open

Series Result: Great Britain 2 – 1 South Africa

Female Player of the Tournament: Ashleigh Newbold (Great Britain)

Male Player of the Tournament: Imraan Hodson (South Africa)

Women’s Seniors
4 – 9 v Great Britain Mixed Seniors
0 – 8 v Great Britain Women’s Open
6 – 22 v South Africa Mixed Open
3 – 0 v Great Britain Women’s Masters

Men’s Seniors
1st test: Great Britain 11 – 6 South Africa
2nd test: Great Britain 12 – 2 South Africa
3rd test: Great Britain 15 – 2 South Africa
20 – 0 v South Africa Men’s Masters
9 – 4 v South Africa Men’s Open

Series Result: Great Britain 3 – 0 South Africa

Player of the Tournament: Darren Dickinson (Great Britain)

Mixed Seniors
9 – 4 v Great Britain Women’s Seniors
24 – 2 v Great Britain Women’s Masters
2 – 18 v Great Britain Mixed Open
19 – 7 v South Africa Mixed Open

Women’s Masters
0 – 7 v Great Britain Women’s Open
2 – 24 v Great Britain Mixed Seniors
1 – 14 v GB Future Teams Men’s 50s
0 – 3 v Great Britain Women’s Seniors
11 – 2 v Thames Valley Women
11 – 0 v Thames Valley Women

Men’s Masters
1st test: Great Britain 12 – 2 South Africa
2nd test: Great Britain 19 – 3 South Africa
3rd test: Great Britain 14 – 2 South Africa
4th test: Great Britain 10 – 0 South Africa
5 – 8 v South Africa Men’s Seniors

Series Result: Great Britain 4 – 0 South Africa

Player of the Tournament: Arron Lombardo (Great Britain)

Great Britain won the 2024 Test Series v South Africa 4-0 on categories

Great Britain now leads the biennial competition 2-0 all-time

Referee of the Tournament
Jonno Huntongton