Time To Change The Score: Rugby Meets Drowning Prevention

As the roar of the crowd fills Wellington’s Sky Stadium this weekend, millions around the world will watch the All Blacks and Springboks battle for pride and glory. But behind the rivalry, a very different contest is quietly unfolding. Far from the stadium lights, the silent tragedy of drowning plays out every day across the world, striking without discrimination.

In a world where rugby unites people around social causes, South Africa’s National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) – in partnership with Water Safety New Zealand and Drowning Prevention Auckland – is delivering an urgent message to rally everyone around drowning prevention.

The NSRI’s “Change the Score” campaign will be broadcast on pitch-side LED boards throughout the All Blacks vs Springboks test match in Wellington on Saturday, 13 September, and aims to confront this silent killer that affects families on all sides of the rugby divide.

Drowning Has Touched Us All

Although fierce rivals on the field, South Africans and New Zealanders share the pain of lives lost to drowning. Among them is Springbok prop and World Cup winner Jannie du Plessis and his wife Ronel, whose 10-month-old son, Jan-Nathaniël, tragically drowned at home in 2021. This story, and countless others, remind us that drowning does not discriminate. He is not alone in his loss - families in New Zealand have also endured similar heartbreak.

Time to Change the Score – Together

According to Water Safety New Zealand, 72 people lost their lives to drowning in NewZealand in 2024. Males made up roughly 83% of those fatalities, a sobering overrepresentation. Per capita, NewZealand’s drowning rate is also high compared to other Western countries, underscoring that drowning is a critical issue here at home.

Mike Vonk, CEO of the NSRI, notes the grim reality even over the span of a game: “During the rugby match, up to 11 people will drown in Africa. That’s half a rugby squad, gone without a sound... While we cheer for tries, somewhere another family is experiencing a silent tragedy. We have to change that score.”

Using Rugby’s Power for Good

Rugby holds a special place in both NewZealand and South Africa, uniting communities and inspiring change beyond the sidelines. “Rugby is more than a game in South Africa,” says Vonk. “It unites South Africans behind important issues and is a voice for change.” This campaign transforms a global sporting stage into a platform for drowning prevention – it turns passion into action.

Drowning Is Preventable

In 2024 alone, the NSRI:

Delivered 877,485 water safety lessons

Taught 25,000 survival swimming lessons in under-resourced communities

“Anyone can drown. But with the right knowledge, skills, and access to rescue services, no one should,” says Vonk. The NSRI’s close relationship with Drowning Prevention Auckland and Water Safety NewZealand reinforces this mission.

The Pink Rescue Buoys, pioneered by the NSRI, have been adopted by Kiwi counterparts in Auckland, proving that across oceans and rivalries, collaboration saves lives.

How You Can Help

Kiwis and South Africans alike can help change the score:

• Share the message of water safety with your whānau and community.
• Learn survival swimming, CPR, and lifesaving skills.
• Support organisations working to end drowning tragedies.

South Africans at home and abroad are urged to help change the score:

• SMS your name to 32287 to pledge your support. You could win a big-screen TV or a Fieldbar hamper. (SA only).
• Living abroad? Support the NSRI via: nsri.org.za/rugby or the GivenGain campaign: You've gone Global but your Heart's still Local!

Every effort counts. Let’s turn every try into a triumph over drowning.

Let’s turn every try into a triumph over drowning.

About the NSRI

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is a registered non-profit organisation dedicated to drowning prevention. Through rescue services, public rescue equipment, survival swimming, and water safety education, the NSRI saves lives, changes lives, and creates futures across South Africa. Our rescue crews are on duty 24/7, powered by volunteers, supported by public donations.

www.nsri.org.za

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