SARU to Create New Rugby Academy

December 14 - The South African Rugby Union (SARU) in collaboration with the National Lottery and Department of Sport and Recreation is planning to launch a new rugby academy to increase opportunities for young black players.

Minister for Sports and Recreation Fikile Mbalula announced a pilot project that includes the establishment of four rugby academies in the Border, the Eastern Province, Boland Rugby Unions, and South Western Districts funded by the National Lottery.

The South African Lotto is expected to provide a grant of R35 million for this project, which was proposed in September 2010. SARU hopes to receive a written confirmation soon, and is still seeking funding for the project after the first year.

How The New SARU Program Works

Still waiting to be given the green light, the SARU project intends to induct 120 rugby players into the proposed academies and provide them with expert coaching and dietary, supplementation, and sports science support. They will also represent their respective unions in rugby matches and are expected to graduate when they are 21.

SARU President Oregan Hoskins said that the program will address the issue of the dropping number of young black players in professional rugby and will equip young black players with the required skills for a rugby career. The program aims to level the field and provide opportunities for talented black rugby players to compete with peers as equals.

Each academy will have a staff of six working full time and a doctor working part time. Participants can pursue other education programs besides spending 40 weeks per year at the academies.

Mr. Hoskins has warned against feeling excessive enthusiasm for these unions. Stating that the proposed academies do not intend to compete against metropolitan unions, he said that those unions will continue choosing the best rugby talents from a wide range of communities.

On the other hand, the proposed academies will address the issues of young black rugby players who are exceptionally talented, but fail to climb up the ladder owing to nutritional and conditional reasons, not because they lack talent, skills, and ability, he said. “These academies will go some way to address that issue by providing a safety net,” he added.

SARU is also mulling over the idea of establishing 5 more rugby academies all over the country. Its first attempt to launch two rugby academies at Valke and Griffons was not successful.

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