South African schools are spending millions of rands in a bid to strengthen their rugby teams.
The results are already shaking up the traditional pecking order.
Stellenberg have shocked Paarl Gim, Grey College and Paul Roos this season, Michaelhouse upset Affies, while Garsfontein beat Stellenberg and Paarl Boys’ High, but lost to Jeppe.
Behind this growing competitiveness lies a dramatic shift in funding, with top programmes now investing millions to remain competitive – and to close the gap between traditional powerhouses and emerging challengers.
According to figures gathered by Rapport, leading schools are spending an average of R6-million annually on their 1st XVs alone.
In some cases, budgets stretch even further, with as much as R10-million allocated to bursaries to attract top young talent.
Those funds cover everything from coaching salaries and travel costs to recruitment drives.
Coaching has become a major investment area. At some of the country’s wealthiest schools, 1st XV coaches earn between R600,000 and R800,000 a year, with total packages in some cases exceeding R1-million.
Recruitment at junior level is also big business, with schools spending between R1.4-million and R1.8-million to assemble competitive U14 squads.
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Affies 1st XV coach Ruan Jacobs believes the professionalisation of school rugby has been a key driver behind the increasingly competitive landscape.
“More and more schools are looking at a model where a professional coach like MJ Mentz comes to a schools team,” Jacobs told Rapport. “That type of coach has already built up the necessary network to acquire players for his schools team.
“That’s why schools rugby has grown so much and is so strong.”
Jacobs also pointed to the role of broadcast exposure.
“The arrival of SuperSport Schools has also improved the commercial product. You can now do marketing and get exposure for your sponsors through SuperSport Schools. It means a lot financially for a school.”
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