Fourth round of Frogfoot schools rugby 7’s tournament hits George at Outeniqua Hoërskool

Open-access fibre network provider Frogfoot, which has a presence throughout South Africa, is proud to launch a schools rugby 7s tournament that will culminate in a final at one of the fortresses of South African rugby. Along with its partners Vodacom, Vox, Cool Ideas, Afrihost and Joule, Frogfoot is delighted to bring joy to communities in the form of the televised Frogfoot 7s tournament, which will take place for at least the next 3 years.

The tournament, which will take place at various schools around the country in August, September and October, will work towards a grand climax in Pretoria on 5 November. Miranda Du Preez, Head of Brand Activations at Frogfoot, says that the idea for the tournament was born from the wish to give something back to communities, especially in light of current challenges and the drought of festival-type events brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, while also providing another platform for South Africa’s immensely talented school players to shine.

Du Preez says: “We have designed the Frogfoot 7s to be a combination of good rugby and family leisure time, with entertainment for young to old, from the games themselves, to fun activities and entertainment sections. A great tradition in rugby sevens globally is dressing up, and so we can’t wait to give the best-dressed supporters great prizes, alongside other competition prizes made possible through our partnership with Vodacom, Vox, Cool Ideas, Afrihost and Joule.”

Vodacom’s Executive Head of FTTH: Sales and Marketing, Strini Micheal, says that as one of the internet service providers (ISP) on the Frogfoot network, Vodacom Fibre wanted to further solidify their partnership and support a sport that brings people and families together.

“As the late great Nelson Mandela said: ‘Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand’. This is a statement which resonates with Vodacom being a purpose-led organisation, especially during these trying times. This is a great opportunity to bring the communities together,” says Michael. 

Vox’s Head of Strategic Marketing, Blanka Sulentic, says that Vox has been partnering with Frogfoot in the delivery of fibre connectivity to local communities it serves, and so partnering for the rugby 7s competition brings further synergy to their relationship and allows partners to engage, connect and uplift communities through sport.

“The school rugby players have the opportunity to attract the attention of sports scouts looking for new talent. Being a televised event, it’s a perfect opportunity for the young talent to shine. And of course, our aim is to raise awareness about the benefits of fibre connectivity, which is changing the way we live, study, work and play,” says Blanka.

Michael Van Onselen, Commercial Sales Manager of ISP Cool Ideas, says the business is always looking for opportunities to support communities, schools and sport in South Africa. “The Frogfoot 7s is a cool event – which is echoed in our name – and it brings these elements together: schools, communities and sport.

“Sport has an amazing ability to positively impact society. Whether it’s helping children, communities or even nations, sports make a difference on a daily basis. We are looking forward to the Frogfoot 7s. The same energy the rugby players bring on the field you will find off the field – super-fast, fun and energetic, with a few cool prizes up for grabs on the day!”

Afrihost’s Brand Creative Manager said being involved in the festival was a natural evolution of the ISP’s relationship with Frogfoot. “We believe the internet plays a crucial role in education by bringing a world of knowledge to the innovators of tomorrow. Afrihost and Frogfoot already have an established partnership and for the past few years have been offering schools across South Africa free fibre. The sevens competition is a natural extension of our partnership – after all, a healthy mind and healthy body go hand in hand.”

Commenting on the Rugby 7s, Du Preez says: “This is an exciting opportunity for Under-17 school players to test their skills against schools nationally, with the opportunity to play on one of the best fields in South Africa if they make it to the final.

Rugby 7s is a fast, high-scoring version of traditional rugby, played between two teams of seven players who have 14 minutes to advance. Frogfoot brought on board nine leading schools in our regions to host 10 game days. Each host school will invite 16 opponent schools for a day of high-level, competitive, U17’s rugby sevens. The tournament will start in August and end on 5 November. 

Du Preez says: “Hopefully we create excitement around the sport and the players can express their potential against other players from schools around the country, while their families and the border community have an opportunity to join in on the festivities, including games, live music and much more. It is an event to celebrate both the sport and the positive impact it has on everyone.”

For more information, members of the public are invited to follow Frogfoot’s social media pages.

About Frogfoot

Powered by Vivica, Frogfoot Networks (Pty) Ltd (Frogfoot) is a licensed open-access fibre network provider. With 15 years’ experience in the telecoms industry and widely acknowledged for their technical excellence, Frogfoot intends to play a pivotal role in the growth of fibre to the business and home in South Africa. Funded by Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), Investec and Metier Capital, group revenue exceeding R1 billion per annum, and one of the only true open access wholesale fibre network offerings in the market, Frogfoot is well positioned to build and maintain fibre networks that will enable service providers to acquire their own fibre backbones on a shared network. For more information go to www.frogfootfibre.com.