25/09/2024
Boland Grand Challenge 2024🏉:
Boland Rugby Union-BRU League 🏆
For Immediate Release...
Sanlam Boland Top 12 Club Rugby Competition Returns as Defending Champions Safcol Aim To Retain Their Title.
The 2024 Sanlam Boland Top 12 Club Rugby Competition is set to kick off on 12 October 2024, bringing the best of Boland’s club rugby talent to the forefront. The competition, regarded as the pinnacle of the Boland club rugby season, promises to build on the excitement from last season with intense action, fierce rivalries, and Boland’s best club rugby talent taking centre stage.
Defending champions, Safcol will return to the field to defend their title after another strong qualification campaign in the Grootuitdaag division. This year will see seven new clubs enter the competition alongside Darling, Vanrhynsdorp Eagles, Safcol, Saldanha, and 2023 finalist Robertson Town, who all maintained their Sanlam Boland Top 12 status for the 2024 edition.
Twelve teams from six regions, including Weskus, Witsentraal, Overberg, Breelangeberg, Swartland, and Noordweste, compete in Boland Rugby’s Grootuitdaag division during the regular season. The clubs that finish in positions one and two in these six regions qualify for the Sanlam Boland Top 12.
Reigning champions Safcol and Caledon qualified from the Overberg region, with Vredenburg and Saldanha qualifying from the Weskus region. Last year’s runners-up, Robertson Town and Worcester Villagers qualified from Breëlangeberg; newcomers Ceres and Newtons will represent Witsentraal, while Abbotsdale and Darling will fly the flag for the Swartland region. Vanrhynsdorp Eagles and Young Spurs are the two clubs that topped the Noordweste region to round of the twelve clubs.
Pool A features: Newtons, Vredenburg, Abbotsdale, Worcester Villagers, Caledon & Vanrhynsdorp Eagles.
Pool B features: Robertson Town, Safcol, Young Spurs, Darling/Porterville, Ceres & Saldanha.
The opening round of fixtures: Newtons vs Worcester Villagers (17:00), Vredenburg vs Caledon (17:00), Abbotsdale vs Vanrhynsdorp Eagles (15:00), Robertson Town vs Darling/Porterville (15:00), Safcol vs Ceres (15:00) & Young Spurs vs Saldanha (17:00)
The competition will also again see Sanlam as the main sponsor, along with Vumatel, Tekkie Town, Umbro, and Santam all continuing their sponsorship of the tournament. There are also two new brands onboard, with Rainbow Chicken and Heineken also entering the Sanlam Top 12 sponsorship stable. “We are excited to present the 2024 Sanlam Boland Top 12 competition alongside our partners and key stakeholders. Their commitment to fostering talent and sportsmanship aligns perfectly with the values of Boland Rugby,” said Mr Bennie van Rooi, President of the Boland Rugby Union.
"Since Sanlam and Santam’s partnership with the Boland Rugby Union kicked off a year ago, it has been heart-warming and exciting to see the positive impact our partnership has had on the players and the broader Boland rugby community. The confidence displayed on the field directly reflected positively on the scoreboard during the past season,” said Heinrich Punt: General Manager of intermediaries at Sanlam.
"Our sponsorship continues to empower the players to be the best that they can be, and in turn, inspire the younger players and their community at large to live with confidence.”
"Rainbow is proud to be a part of the Boland Rugby community, supporting both professional and club-level teams,” Marthinus Stander, CEO van Rainbow.
“Our involvement reflects our commitment to nourishing not just the nation with our quality products, but also the spirit of unity and sportsmanship that rugby brings. By fostering talent and encouraging healthy lifestyles, we aim to strengthen community bonds and continue our journey as a leader in the poultry industry. Alles van die beste en sterkte vir die komende toernooi, go Boland!”
This competition is known to be one of the best showcases and platforms for raw and unearthed talent to be recognised, with Connor Mahoney the most recent example of a player graduating from the Top 12 into a professional set-up.
All 33 matches will once again be streamed live through local streaming partners. These partners have a strong following in the Boland Club Rugby space, and this sponsorship enables Boland Rugby to unlock and empower these streamers to deliver an excellent product.
Fans can also expect a unique and entertaining matchday experience with loads of prizes and sponsor activations set to entertain our club’s passionate fans.
📸 - Sanlam Boland Top 12 Captains with Boland Executive. Photo taken by Oom Syd Photography
