{"id":73760,"date":"2025-05-29T11:56:49","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T09:56:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=73760"},"modified":"2025-05-29T11:56:49","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T09:56:49","slug":"sa-rugby-charts-bold-path-for-inclusive-growth-and-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=73760","title":{"rendered":"SA Rugby charts bold path for inclusive growth and development"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-9134\" src=\"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/SARugbySmall-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"SARugbySmall\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/SARugbySmall-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/SARugbySmall-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/SARugbySmall.jpg 469w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>The development of women\u2019s rugby to ensure the growth of the game, the important role of schools\u2019 rugby and the FNB Youth Weeks, and the presentation of a unified tackle age framework were three of the main points on the agenda at SA Rugby\u2019s second Community Rugby Workshop, which was held in Johannesburg earlier this week.<\/p>\n<p>Bringing together representatives from all 15 provincial unions and key stakeholders, the two-day event \u2013 hosted by SA Rugby\u2019s Participation &amp; Development Department \u2013 focused on several strategic priorities, which also included the implementation of Long-Term Player and Coach Development pathways (LTPD and LTCD) and the continued emphasis on player safety.<\/p>\n<p>A major highlight was the presentation of a unified tackle age framework for all participants in the South African rugby ecosystem, with timelines confirmed for its approval and rollout.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis workshop is more than a meeting \u2013 it\u2019s a cornerstone for the future of South African rugby,\u201d said Mr Mark Alexander, President of SA Rugby.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt embodies our commitment to the #GrowTogetherPlayTogether philosophy, ensuring that rugby thrives in every community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mr Alexander emphasized the vital role of community rugby in growing the game, developing players, coaches, match officials, and administrators, noting that while elite rugby often garners the spotlight, the heart of the game beats strongest at grassroots level.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is at this level that the hard work is done, shaping the players, match officials, coaches, and leaders of tomorrow,\u201d he said. \u201cWhile the top tiers of the game often receive the exposure and limelight, it is here, within the heart of the community, where the true essence of rugby thrives.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe deeply respect and admire the dedication, passion, and commitment of those who drive this crucial component of our sport. Without your efforts, rugby would not be the force it is today. You are the bedrock of our game, ensuring its growth, accessibility, and continued excellence across all levels.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>SA Rugby\u2019s presentations and deliberations covered a wide range of strategic initiatives:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Women\u2019s Rugby Development<\/strong>: Plans to host U16 and U18 Elite Player Development camps for girls later this year were unveiled, with a focus on mirroring the structures available to boys. The aim is to create equal opportunities for female players and coaches through clear, sustainable pathways.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Training and Education<\/strong>: Enhanced efforts to equip players, coaches, and match officials with the tools to succeed at all levels.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Schools and Youth Rugby<\/strong>: The FNB Youth Weeks and school rugby remain central to the development pipeline, with renewed emphasis on post-COVID recovery and growth.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Data-Driven Growth<\/strong>: Verified participation data was shared, reinforcing SA Rugby\u2019s strategic goal \u2013 as outlined in the \u201cDestination 2027\u201d plan \u2013 to grow male participation by 10% and female participation by 30% by the end of 2027.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Match-officials:<\/strong> Grow the number of referees, improve operational efficiencies, and improve refereeing through standardised inhouse coaching systems and education.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cData is the new oil in community rugby,\u201d said Ian Schwartz, General Manager of the Participation &amp; Development Department. \u201cIt fuels our strategic direction and supports the creation of a gender-inclusive ecosystem where all players and coaches can thrive.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSouth Africa is among the few countries globally where rugby participation continues to grow, with over 103,986 male and female players currently registered. However, the growth in female participation remains relatively slow, with women making up only 6.5% of the total playing population.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The workshop also highlighted the impact of key development programmes with the aim of expanding access and opportunity.<\/p>\n<p>The Get Into Rugby (GIR) programme now accounts for 50% of primary school participants and 80% of all girls in the system, while the VUKA programme and Iqhawe Week, which are run by the SA Rugby Legends Association (SARLA), continue to expand access to rugby in underrepresented communities, smaller and rural schools.<\/p>\n<p>Plans to continue with the Pick n Pay Gold Cup club tournament were also confirmed, providing a vital platform for club players to transition into high-performance environments. A national women\u2019s club competition remains a strategic priority.<\/p>\n<p>Important updates were shared on BokSmart compliance, safeguarding protocols, the management of participation data and the planned tournaments and operational processes for the year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRugby is more than a sport \u2013 it\u2019s a community and a catalyst for positive change,\u201d concluded Mr Alexander. \u201cTo everyone who contributes to this journey \u2013 from the provincial unions, other stakeholders and the SA Rugby Legends, for their generous and ongoing contribution to the growth of the game while reinforcing rugby\u2019s vital role in social upliftment, thank you. Together, we are building a stronger, more inclusive future for South African rugby.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Issued by SA Rugby Communications<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The development of women\u2019s rugby to ensure the growth of the game, the important role of schools\u2019 rugby and the FNB Youth Weeks, and the presentation of a unified tackle age framework were three of the main points on the agenda at SA Rugby\u2019s second Community Rugby Workshop, which was held in Johannesburg earlier this [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":9134,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-73760","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73760","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=73760"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73760\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9134"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=73760"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=73760"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=73760"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}