Rebels skipper Dane Haylett-Petty decided he had to act after seeing the skulls of murdered rhinos
Two decades after his family left South Africa when his dad was held at gunpoint, Wallaby fullback Dane Haylett-Petty has initiated an Australia-wide fundraising charity to stop the poachers slaughtering African wildlife.
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As one of the most laid-back players in the Wallabies, Dane Haylett-Petty is an unlikely social activist.
A natural entertainer on the field, the Melbourne Rebels skipper and incumbent Australian fullback invariably keeps a low-profile off it, or at least he used to do before his latest reincarnation as a rebel with a cause.
Everything changed for him three years ago when he returned to his birth land in South Africa to visit family and saw something that shocked him to the core.
One of his cousins, Cole Du Plessis, took him on a wildlife safari that tourists don’t get to go on and what he witnessed flicked a switch inside of him.
“He’s an animal conservationist with Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) so he showed me the work they do. It was amazing to see the animals in the wildlife, but then he showed me what the poachers do,” Haylett-Petty told Rugby Central.
“There was just row after row of rhino skulls that had been killed by the poachers for their horns.
“We all hear about it but after I saw for myself how many of these magnificent animals are being slaughtered, it just made me what to do something about it because this is a real crisis.”
Haylett-Petty immediately agreed to sign on as an ambassador for EWT, a non-for profit organisation dedicated to protecting all wildlife, but he wanted to do more than just be a posterboy. And now he has.
After more than a year working closely with EWT, Rugby Australia, the Melbourne Rebels and major sponsors, he has just launched a national fundraising project.
In its simplest form, it’s a monster raffle with the top prize being an all-expenses paid trip to South Africa to see the Wallabies play the Springboks, plus a three night expedition safari to Madikwe Game Reserve.
But it’s essentially an initiative to get people to help raise proceeds to try and save the lives of endangered wildlife targeted by poachers because their horns are in high demand in Asia.
“One of the hardest things that charities faces is always having to ask people for money because there’s so many causes around,” Haylett-Petty said.
“So when we were brainstorming ideas about creating some sustainable finding, one of the short term projects was a raffle because it would appeal to people who are interested in conservation plus the rugby side of it, and also offer the chance of a great prize.”
Haylett-Petty has received the seal of approval both from Rugby Australia and the Rebels to promote the charity ahead of Saturday night’s Super Rugby clash with the visiting Bulls.
The Rebels players will all wear animal prints on their warm up gear while five-eighth Quade Cooper has had rhino images printed on his boots after he was so moved by what the conservationists do when Haylett-Petty took the entire squad on safari during their most recent trip to South Africa.
“That was an amazing experience for the boys,” Haylett-Petty said. “I guess that going on a safari is something that is on everyone’s bucket list, but the one they went on was one where they really got their hands dirty and saw exactly what the conservationists do.”
Haylett-Petty is just the latest high-profile sportsmen to use his public profile to speak out about the wildlife crisis in Africa, joining his Wallaby teammate David Pocock and cricketer Kevin Pietersen in the movement, even though he imagined himself doing it.
“I’ve always loved animals, it runs in our family,” Haylett-Petty said.
“My mum’s always donating to animal charities and she goes to the protests and live experts and a lot of our relatives back in South Africa are heavily involved as well.”
Born in Durban, Haylett-Petty moved to Australia with his family almost two decades ago when he was 10.
His father had already applied for visas because he had been planning to move to Australia but his mind was made up when he was held up at gunpoint so he fast tracked the move to raise his children in a safer country.
So they settled in Perth and while Haylett-Petty has gone on to represent Australia, there’s a piece of him that’s always tied to South Africa.
“You can’t underestimate how important the work Dane has done on this project is,” du Plessis told Rugby Central.
“This comes at a time when we are desperate for help and we have our backs against the wall because conservation is hard work and it’s continuous because the threats are constant.
“And having the Rebels come and see what we do was amazing for us, to see all these big strong rugby guys come in and lend a hand has given the people on the ground a bit of a second wind.”