South African Rugby

South Africans are rugby mad. On any given match day, men, women and children can be seen wearing rugby jerseys and reveling in the green and gold, the colours worn by the Springboks, South Africa’s national team and current holders of the World Cup.

Both the South African Rugby Union (SARU) and the actual game of rugby have been at the forefront of change on the South African sports scene over the past ten years, and management structures and strategies in SARU have continuously evolved to keep up with changes and challenges on the South African playing field.

SARU is committed to the new South Africa, constantly emphasizing the role of the sport and the country’s national teams in encouraging patriotism and instilling national pride in people from all walks of life. Rugby is also one sport in which South African teams compete with – and regularly beat – the top teams from around the globe.

SARU is the umbrella brand for:

• The Springboks
• Vodacom Super 14
• Absa Currie Cup
• Vodacom Cup
• SA Under 19
• SA Under 21
• Springbok Sevens
• Springbok Women

The organisation believes that continual growth is vital to the future of the sport in South Africa. For rugby to be a national sport it must appeal to – and be played or watched by – a significant percentage of the South African population. SARU has formulated a growth strategy that covers both participants and supporters, and a number of activities are already underway to meet these objectives.

The strategy includes the development and implementation of programmes to establish sustainable rugby clubs. In addition, education and training programmes are in place to develop and hone the skills of coaches, referees and administrators. An innovative junior and youth rugby policy has also been adopted to ensure the on-going growth of the game at school level.

After soccer, rugby is the most popular sport in South Africa with a following of close to ten million in a population of 44 million. With such a significant market share, SARU aims to grow the brand in a manner that will encourage more sponsorship, translating into increased turnover. With more money to put back into the sport, SARU can increase its appeal among prospective young players and create more winning teams.