The inaugural Cape Flats 7s rugby tournament, an initiative by the South African Broadcasting Cooperation (SABC) and sponsored by the City of Cape Town, is taking place at Athlone Stadium. The event kicked off yesterday, 3 September 2022, with schools and grassroots community teams competing to be the event’s first ever champions.
The tournament features under 15 boys, under 16 girls and under 18 boys’ teams from schools in Mitchells Plain, Manenberg, Khayelitsha, Bellville, Elsies River and Bluedowns. Additionally, youth grassroots teams from Kenilworth, Langa, Mitchells Plain and Green Point are also taking part.
Endorsed by the Western Province Schools Rugby, the tournament is the SABC’s brainchild.
‘This tournament is about creating a space for children who have not previously received opportunities, to provide them with a platform to participate in sports and to be seen, so that we can develop more Springboks coming from the Cape Flats. This is also an opportunity for us to provide a healthy alternative to the social ills that many young people find themselves in. The saying is a child in sports is a child out of court,’ said Deputy Mayor Alderman Eddie Andrews.
The tournament is played in a 7-a-side format with more than 50 games over two days. In addition to the action on the field, the teams will receive new kits and get specialist 7s rugby training post tournament.
A select Cape Flats 7s team of the best players will be chosen from the event to play in other 7s tournaments.
SABC Group Executive of Corporate Affairs and Marketing, Ms Gugu Ntuli, said: ‘These kinds of initiatives are testimony to the SABC’s commitment to community development through sport. As the national public broadcaster, we have a presence in each Province and it is a priority for us to serve and uplift the communities we operate in. Our youth in the WC and Cape Town in particular are faced with many challenges and don’t often have the opportunity to showcase their talent to a national audience. For this reason, the tournament provides a platform to both develop and showcase their skills.’
While this year’s tournament programme is condensed, the intention is make it an annual event with more schools taking part. The tournament continues today between 09:00 and 18:00 at Athlone Stadium.
Entry is R10 and R5 for children under 12. Entry is free for those with a valid SABC TV licence.