Continuing Your Rugby Journey After School

You have probably seen this pic a few times in the past. Its the three growth phases in dogs

I saw it on IG while the World Rugby U20 Championship was on and immediately drew a connection to rugby in SA.

0-4 months is the cute, cuddly puppy phase, much like schoolboy rugby with all its interest and everything falling into place as expected.
24 months plus is senior pro rugby, with massive interest and most things meeting expectations.
And somewhere in-between is this crazy T-Rex phase called junior rugby, which is all about the unknown. Unlike schoolboy rugby and pro rugby, there is low interest, ongoing questions about structures, game time, and coaching. It is a time when the men often get separated from the boys in terms of their own self-motivation and the hard work they put in to succeed.

With financial constraints playing a major role in SA post-school development now, not all deserving players or those who have what it takes to make it big one day get mainstreamed. So they are in greater danger than ever before of falling too far behind or getting lost to SA rugby. As part of this dark world of post-school rugby, the options out there that can keep a promising young player on track are not well documented.

A while back, I received this nice contribution below, defining a path that is not well documented but offers rugby boys the opportunity to prove their worth and develop into rugby men.

Continuing Your Rugby Journey After School
You are a talented and ambitious rugby player but missed out on a professional contract or a bursary to play in the Varsity Cup. What are your options now?

Cape Town / Western Province

In this talent-rich area, it is challenging to get paid to play rugby after school. However, it boasts the best record of unknown players making it to the professional level via a strong club system. 2023 World Cup participants Damian de Allende, WP Nel, and Kurt-Lee Arendse all started their senior careers in club rugby in Western Province.

WP boasts a competitive club competition, with 45 clubs fielding teams in three different under-20 leagues. The top league (Super League A) features Cape-based universities (Maties, Ikeys, UWC, and CPUT) and some of the top open clubs in the country, such as former national club champions Durbell, False Bay, Hamilton, and Villager.

The WP league runs from April to August. Due to the league’s strength, players often get selected from the club system to represent WP junior teams. Many performing players in the club system receive bursaries or professional contracts. Clubs have active social media accounts, through which prospective players can get more information on how to join.

Another feature of club rugby in Cape Town is the existence of established rugby academies that feed players into the club competition. The best-known of these are the WP International Rugby Institute and the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport.

Johannesburg and Pretoria

In addition to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria offer excellent opportunities for young rugby players. Johannesburg hosts competitive under-21 and under-19 leagues, providing a robust platform for school leavers to showcase their talent and advance their rugby careers. Pretoria boasts a very strong under-20 league, known for its high level of competition and the development of promising players.

These leagues in Johannesburg and Pretoria are fertile grounds for talent scouts from professional teams, making them excellent pathways to a professional rugby career. Young players in these regions benefit from exposure to high-level rugby, structured training programs, and the possibility of securing professional contracts based on their performance.

Additional Options Across the Country

Apart from these major regions, the UXI Rugby Academies in Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Pretoria, and Nelspruit provide additional opportunities for aspiring rugby players. These academies offer structured training environments, focusing on developing skills and providing pathways to professional rugby.

In conclusion, while missing out on initial professional opportunities may be disappointing, the vibrant club systems, competitive leagues, and academies across South Africa provide excellent alternatives for school leavers to continue their rugby journey and achieve their dreams of playing professionally. Keep training hard, stay dedicated, and take advantage of these platforms to reach your full potential