Frogfoot 7s new platform for schoolboy rugby development
Open-access fibre network provider Frogfoot, which has a presence throughout South Africa, has announced that the inaugural Frogfoot 7s Rugby Tournament which ran from 20 August to 5 November in 2022 was an unmitigated success.
Designed to showcase the talented U/17 players most in need of support and encouragement, the tournament culminated in the final at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria won by Secunda High School.
The tournament was designed and developed in partnership with Vodacom, Vox, Cool Ideas, Afrihost, and Joule, and will take place until at least 2024.
With all 10 rounds of the tournament being televised, it provided the perfect platform to put the spotlight on the country’s developing rugby talent.
Participating schools included Grey High School, Oos Moot, Brackenfell, Frikkie Meyer, and Upington, amongst many others.
“After two years of virtually no school sporting events taking place and the reality of COVID, we launched the Frogfoot 7s with the intent of bringing joy back into communities.”
“We felt it was important to create that sense of togetherness that schoolboy rugby does so well. “
“Over the past several months, we have witnessed how team members pay tribute to each other, how communities raised funds for players to take part in the tournament, and how towns across the country came together with their families and friends showing their true rugby ‘gees’,” says Miranda Du Preez, Head of Brand Activations at Frogfoot.
The journey began at Grey High School in Port Elizabeth and spanned more than 10 weeks, bringing 250 enthusiastic young rugby players from 16 different schools together.
Each game day saw 36 matches take place at nine different host schools across South Africa with the final being held at Loftus Versfeld, one of the most well-known rugby venues in world rugby.
“The goal of the Frogfoot 7s has always been to shine a spotlight on the talent to be found in our younger teams.”
“As this tournament grows and establishes itself in the annual school rugby calendar, we hope to give teams that need a little more support than others the chance to make their way to the finals and experience all the game has to offer.”
“Not just locally, but internationally as well, with Frogfoot 7s either playing host to international teams or travelling overseas to compete themselves,” adds Du Preez.
Sevens rugby is all about showcasing speed and agility as well as the ability of a player to think on his feet.
Being a game built around fitness, sevens provides an excellent way to build a healthy body and mind in schoolboys more so after the enforced break due to the pandemic.
“Of course, the success of this first season of the Frogfoot 7s would not have been possible without the invaluable support of our partners.”
“Vodacom, Vox, Cool Ideas, Afrihost, and Joule have been an integral part of this journey as we look to take this tournament from strength to strength.”
“Who knows, we might even be seeing some of the future Blitzbokke in action at the Frogfoot 7s,” concludes Du Preez.
Final tournament winners:
- Shield Winners: Hoërskool Piet Retief
- Bowl Winners: Diamantveld High School
- Plate Winners: Pietersburg High School
- Cup Winners: Secunda High School
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