More schools rugby on TV
Tiaan Strauss, the former Springbok captain is the general manager of Megapro Marketing and they have just announced their broadcast coverage of South Africa’s top rugby schools matches in a series referred to as Premier Interschools.
The matches will be broadcast live, starting in Paarl this Saturday. They have made this known in a press release on Friday.
Interschool rugby derbies have grown over several decades to become a major attraction in South Africa. Today, major Interschools games attract crowds of up to 20,000-plus spectators, with thousands of other supporters (including scholars, parents, Old Boys, and passionate rugby fans) following these matches on television and online.
Strauss, the Premier Interschools Director, said: “The objective of Premier Interschools is to bring the best of these traditional rugby rivalries right to your living room. The launch of Premier Interschools will provide significant exposure for the various schools nationally and internationally through television and new media.
“We are very excited about SuperSport’s commitment to schoolboy rugby which will provide a platform for top future rugby talent to be showcased, while viewers can experience the excitement, emotion and passion generated by the these great Interschool games.”
Strauss added: “The attractive and popular schoolboy rugby platform generates a sense of excitement and spirit on a par with rugby at any level. The televised Premier Interschools matches will enable the traditional running rugby from these top rugby schools to be shared with a much larger audience.”
The first Premier Interschools match to be broadcast will be the annual derby between top ranked schools Paarl Gimnasium and Paul Roos Gymnasium on Saturday, 12 May, 2012 at 11.50 – live on SuperSport Five.
The following Premier Interschool matches will be broadcast on SuperSport in 2012:
12 May: Paarl Gym vs Paul Roos
26 May: Paarl Boys’ High vs Grey College
16 June: Paul Roos vs Paarl Boys’ High
21 July: Maritzburg College vs Affies
10 August: Glenwood vs Grey College
18 August: Monument vs Waterkloof
25 August: Bishops vs Rondebosch
From next year onwards, other traditional and high-profile Interschools matches will also be considered for Premier Interschools.
The launch of Premier Interschools will continue to grow the profile of schoolboy rugby in the country with traditional rugby schools being a key foundation contributing to the future talent pool of South African Rugby.
