Second Iqhawe Starts
On Monday the second Iqhawe tournament, started by the South African Legends in conjunction with SARU starts in Cape Town.
The Iqhawe Tournament (iqhawe means champion) is a national Under-15 tournament for teams from the 14 provinces chosen from "nontraditional rugby schools", schools in underprivileged communities. It is part of the Legends' Vuka programme, where vuka means wake up. The Legends' main task is to give back to the game that gave them so much.
The tournament starts at City Park in Cape Town at 09.00 on Monday, 6 October 2014. There are three playing days – Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. The matches start each day at 09.00 with the last match kicking off at 15.00.
In 2013 eight teams took part; this year there are all 14.
The tournament is managed and driven by the South African Rugby Legends Association (SARLA) as part of their Vuka programme. SARLA has been at the forefront of creating opportunities for young talent via their Vuka Rugby programme, which is now in its seventh year. The Iqhawe Tournament aims to provide the players with an opportunity similar to those enjoyed at the Craven Weeks and the Grant Khomo Week.
The tournament coordinator is the former Springbok centre Pieter Müller, who says: “Vuka has been running successfully in the Western Cape for the past seven years and is also now running in KwaZulu-Natal.
“One of the key objectives of SARLA is to give back to the game of rugby and to help in transforming the lives of young people, which is why we established Vuka. We saw this as a major need in communities who don't necessarily offer rugby as an activity, and to also help unlock the vast potential and talent that exists in these areas."
Vuka is now a highlight on the calendar of schools in the Cape Flats region, and is seen as an opportunity to further develop players to be drafted into the more formal structures of rugby at various levels.
Müller said: “Following last year’s tournament, won by the Western Province team, we are pleased that the full complement of Unions are participating in this year’s tournament. Now, more than ever, it is vital that we offer programmes like this to assist SARU achieve their transformation objectives.”
Entrance to City Park is free for the tournament.
Issued by SARU Corporate Affairs
