For the past couple of weeks the 2023 Rugby World Cup has been the talk of the town, however, for Parow resident Billy Augustyn it is more than just a game.
Mr Augustyn has converted parts of his Oostersee home into Billy’s Rugby Museum, a space showcasing rugby memorabilia he has collected over the past 63 years.
Previously, the exhibition was solely for the enjoyment of his friends and family but he has recently opened it to the public.
Mr Augustyn was a teacher until 1996, which was when he took a percentage of his retirement package to build the section of his home which now features the museum.
The museum spans across three sections of the house and features hundreds of autographed rugby caps, jerseys, flags, photographs, scarves, balls, glasses and many other items.
The rugby fanatic says he started building his collection when he was 14 and has no plans to stop.
“Back then every time we went to fill up petrol at the Caltex garage they gave out stickers and I started collecting them. That’s when I realised this is my passion,” he said.
Mr Augustyn, the eldest of three sons, says his love for rugby started in Standard 6. He had asked his father to buy him a rugby jersey but unfortunately they didn’t have the financial means at the time.
“Eventually our neighbour bought me a rugby jersey, which I still have today. That’s where my love for rugby started and I continued playing until matric,” he said.
He then went on to play college rugby for three years and later joined the Bellville Rugby Club, where he played until the age of 33.
Mr Augustyn says the museum has always been his dream.
“I’ve always wanted something like this, previously everything was in boxes in the garage.”
His most precious items in the collection is the 1992 Wallabies South African tour autographed jersey and a photo of the 1955 British Lions versus the Springboks game which was taken at Newlands.
To visit the museum call Mr Augustyn on 082 576 6862.
Liewe Heksie flies into the Baxter