Frogfoot expands rugby 7s tournament to more schools

RUGBY NEWS - Following the success of its inaugural 7s School Rugby Tournament which was designed to showcase the talented U/17 players from 150 schools around the country, Frogfoot Networks, a licensed open-access fibre infrastructure provider, has announced a revised and expanded competition that will bring the opportunity to play in the competition to more youngsters.

The 2022 Frogfoot 7s series witnessed an incredible turnout, with more than 2 500 school boys from across the nation taking part. The pinnacle of the event, Champions Day, took place at Fortress Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria and it was won by Secunda High School.

Miranda du Preez, head of Brand Activations at Frogfoot, says the tournament truly succeeded in creating a strong sense of community and embracing diverse cultures at each event.

"The impact of this inaugural tournament was particularly evident, leaving a lasting impression on all involved, and showed that it held even greater potential for the year ahead.

“This year, we're taking a fresh approach and have decided to host two tournaments on the same day, but in different regions, to expand our reach and impact. In a thrilling collaboration, we've partnered with Supersport Schools to broadcast all the tournaments live, allowing everyone to enjoy the action from the comfort of their homes.

"Adding an extra layer of excitement, we are delighted to welcome sports therapists to some schools, offering their expertise in sports massages, ensuring the players' well-being and enhancing their experience. To recognise outstanding performances, every single man of the match will receive a prize and the ‘Man of the Tournament’ prize is worth over R1000,” says Du Preez.

Overwhelmingly positive response

Last year's journey began at Grey High School in Port Elizabeth. It spanned more than 10 weeks, with each game day seeing 36 matches take place at nine different host schools across South Africa, providing the perfect platform to put the spotlight on the country’s developing rugby talent.

Other participating high schools included Brackenfell, Diamantveld, Frikkie Meyer, Oos Moot, Piet Retief, Pietersburg and Upington amongst many others.

Du Preez says the hosting schools welcomed the tournament with open arms and much enthusiasm, and Frogfoot has since been flooded with requests from countless other schools, all eager to host rugby tournaments, and that the revised format was introduced to bring the tournament to more schools in 2023.

“The overwhelming appreciation and compliments we received after each tournament were truly heartening. Messages poured in, expressing admiration for the high standard of the events. As the series advanced, we witnessed a steady increase in the number of sponsors and spectators, all drawn in by the excitement and passion that surrounded each tournament,” says Du Preez.

More than 2 500 school boys from across the nation took part.