ENGLAND'S passion for rugby has won this nation the World Cup, and a love of the game has also brought two South African schoolboys to Appleby in a Christmas cultural exchange.

Evan Wildey and Jeremy September, both 18 and from Durban, are currently studying at Appleby Grammar School and will be celebrating Christmas in Cumbria here thanks to a programme organised by Appleby Grammar School, the Eden Cultural Exchange and supporters in Natal, South Africa.

Appleby Grammar School sports teacher John Cooper explained: "Over the past three years Appleby Grammar School, in partnership with several Eden schools and Cumbria Schools RFU, has been developing an exchange programme with Wentworth Township, Durban.

"To date, this has taken the form of two sports exchanges, individual exchanges where four Cumbrians went out to Durban and three Township youngsters came to Cumbria."

Evan and Jeremy are to spend three months in Appleby as part of the latest exchange programme, which has brought a total of five Wentworth Township young people to Cumbria and four to the Appleby and Penrith area.

Mr Cooper added: "In July 2004, some 25 - primarily Eden - students will return to Durban and Natal. This means that up to now some 75 young people from Durban, Natal and Cumbria have had the opportunity to experience each others' way of life and culture. Those from Cumbria have had the opportunity to see for themselves life in a Durban city township, a far cry from that of rural Cumbria. Those from Wentworth have had the opportunity to experience a culture free from the after effects of apartheid. Both have the chance to exchange ideas and thoughts and take them back to their home communities."

Appleby Grammar School, Kirkby Stephen Grammar School Sports College, Queen Elizabeth Grammar School and their respective feeder primary schools, are seeking funding to enable a large party of 25 Township youngsters to visit and live within the Eden Community during June and July next year.

Mr Cooper said: "A party of this size would make a massive impact on this community, in terms of music, dance and sport, as well as the individual benefits to all families who host them. The knowledge gained of multi-cultural issues and apartheid in this area of exceptionally low ethnic population would be immense, and would add to every community group they encounter. In return it is envisaged that a large party of Eden students would visit Durban and Natal during the summer of 2005."