Latest news with #RianOberholzer
The Star
24-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Saru's Rian Oberholzer: Springbok rugby's future in good hands after U20 success
The Junior Springboks' victory in the World Rugby Under-20 Championship shows that the game is thriving at every level in the country, according to SA Rugby Union (Saru) chief Rian Oberholzer. As the Springboks have won the last two Rugby World Cup titles, the fact that the junior side is following in their footsteps means the long-term future of the game is in good hands. It was also the first time in 13 years that an SA side has triumphed in the Under-20 showpiece event. Oberholzer said a lot of work went on behind the scenes which has led to the strong position of SA rugby. 'The restructuring helped a lot. We focused solely on the structures at the juniors [u18 and u20s] and women's rugby. Bringing in the right people, like Johan Ackerman and Kevin Foote, made a huge difference,' Oberholzer told 'We looked at what the DNA of South African rugby is, and it starts at U18 level. You can't have one system at U20s and something entirely different at the senior level. Dave Wessels and the high-performance team worked hard to ensure the U20s play like the Springboks.' 'We're working quietly but seriously on launching a six-team professional women's league. We've done the same with coaching structures as we did with the juniors [appointment of Swys de Bruin], and now we're looking to give more women a platform to compete at a high level.' Riley Norton skippered the SA Under-20 rugby team to the title over the weekend. It was not the first taste of international success for the young lock, as he was also part of the SA Under-19 Cricket World Cup last year, which made it to the semi-finals of the tournament. Luckily for Saru, Norton has already chosen to pursue rugby instead of cricket. @Michael_Sherman IOL Sport
IOL News
23-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Saru's Rian Oberholzer: Springbok rugby's future in good hands after U20 success
The Junior Springboks' victory in the World Rugby Under-20 Championship highlights the thriving future of South African rugby according to Saru chief Rian Oberholzer (pictured). Picture supplied The Junior Springboks' victory in the World Rugby Under-20 Championship shows that the game is thriving at every level in the country, according to SA Rugby Union (Saru) chief Rian Oberholzer. As the Springboks have won the last two Rugby World Cup titles, the fact that the junior side is following in their footsteps means the long-term future of the game is in good hands. It was also the first time in 13 years that an SA side has triumphed in the Under-20 showpiece event. Oberholzer said a lot of work went on behind the scenes which has led to the strong position of SA rugby.
IOL News
16-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Freddy Hirsch renews and expands SA Rugby partnership
The spice and ingredients giant renews its SA Rugby partnership and extends support to all national teams. The spice and ingredients giant renews its SA Rugby partnership and extends support to all national teams. SA Rugby has renewed its partnership with the Freddy Hirsch Group (FHG) for another four years, expanding the agreement to now include all of South Africa's national rugby teams. This partnership, which was first formed in 2023, is reinforcing FHG's commitment to building national pride at every level of the game. Part of the motivation for renewing and widening the deal is the overwhelming demand for the ever-popular Oom Freddy's range, which has become a true household staple across South Africa. In addition to continuing its support of the Springboks, Freddy Hirsch will extend its partnership to include the Springbok Women, Blitzboks, Springbok Women's Sevens, and the junior national teams (youth and U20 sides) for men and women. Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby, welcomed the renewal: 'Braai is an integral part of the South African rugby experience, and Freddy Hirsch has already proven to be an outstanding partner for the Springboks. 'Our players and staff constantly tell us how much they love the Oom Freddy's products in their own homes, so we're thrilled that they have chosen to expand their support across all our teams. We look forward to four more years of this innovative and inclusive partnership.' By broadening its involvement, Freddy Hirsch aims to bring the joys of braai to every rugby occasion – from international Test matches to grassroots tournaments. As the country's 'Spice Champions,' Freddy Hirsch will celebrate South Africa's twin passions of rugby and braai. Importantly, FHG is dedicated to making this experience accessible to everyone. 'We are honoured and excited to continue our journey with SA Rugby,' said Clive Moore, Group Head of Marketing at Freddy Hirsch. 'Rugby and braai are at the heart of South African culture, and it is a privilege for us to play a part in bringing them together. We're passionate about giving fans all we have to make every game memorable. 'Over the next four years, we look forward to extending our support to all our national teams – from the Springboks to the women's and junior squads.' With this four-year extension, Freddy Hirsch and SA Rugby are reinforcing a shared commitment: to celebrate South Africa's rugby heritage and braai tradition hand-in-hand, making every moment – on and off the field – something all of us can savour.
The South African
11-07-2025
- Business
- The South African
SA Rugby safeguards another multi-faceted partnership
Earlier this year, SA Rugby announced that the organisation was 'set to buck the global trend and report a profit of more than R100m for 2025'. With the state of the game in rude health at the moment, led by the flagship success of the Springboks, the financial outlook looks to be highly encouraging in the near and long-term, with strong revenues forecast for 2026. Just this week SA Rugby also announced on that its partnership with the Freddy Hirsch Group (FHG) has been renewed for four more years, while the agreement has been expanded to include all of South Africa's national rugby teams. In addition to continuing its support of the Springboks, Freddy Hirsch will extend its partnership to include the Springbok Women, Blitzboks, Springbok Women's Sevens, and the junior national teams (youth and U20 sides) for men and women. Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby, welcomed the renewal of the partnership with FHG, which was first formed in 2023 as the governing body continues to celebrate wins on and off the field. 'Braai is an integral part of the South African rugby experience, and Freddy Hirsch has already proven to be an outstanding partner for the Springboks, and we're thrilled that they have chosen to expand their support across all our teams. 'We look forward to four more years of this innovative and inclusive partnership.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
05-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Rian Oberholzer defends Springbok ticket prices amid public criticism
SA Rugby chief executive Rian Oberholzer has defended the current ticket prices for Springbok matches following recent criticism from the public. Image: Supplied SA Rugby chief executive Rian Oberholzer has defended the current ticket prices for Springbok matches following recent criticism from the public. South Africans have turned to social media in recent months to vent their frustrations, with many hesitant to spend their hard-earned money to watch the double world champion Springboks. The 2025 Test schedule is less glamorous than that of 2024, when Ireland visited for two high-profile Tests. This year, the Springboks hosted the Barbarians in Cape Town last Saturday, and will face Italy in Pretoria and Gqeberha, followed by Georgia in Mbombela in the coming weeks. There were many empty seats, especially behind the poles, during the Barbarians match on a bitterly cold and wet day in Cape Town. Thousands of unsold tickets also remain for tomorrow's fixture against Italy at Loftus Versfeld. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Normally, Springbok Test tickets sell out quickly, but it appears the combination of opposition and pricing is making supporters think twice about attending. During a recent investigation, Independent Media compared ticket prices for some of the Springboks' away matches this year — including the much-anticipated Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks at Auckland's Eden Park — using the 'Big Mac Index'. According to the data, the most expensive ticket for the Boks vs All Blacks match is, after conversion, around R968 — significantly lower than the top-end R3 000 tickets for Springbok home fixtures. Similarly, the most expensive tickets for the Springboks' Tests against Argentina in London and Wales in Cardiff are also cheaper, calculated at R1 469 and R1 017 respectively. However, Oberholzer maintains that domestic ticket pricing is fair and necessary to keep the sport afloat in South Africa. 'We feel that we are fairly priced,' he said during a media briefing, where Hyundai announced they had expanded their collaboration, which will now also include the Springboks and all other national teams, with SA Rugby. 'We have to look after the whole ecosystem of rugby in South Africa — from the Springboks right down to the youngsters starting out at the age of nine. 'We generate our own funding. We don't receive any funding from elsewhere. We rely on sponsorships and broadcast rights … and a new income stream we have tapped into is events — owning our own events — which benefits more than just the unions hosting the Test matches. There's now a bit more money to go around.' The ticketing model for Springbok matches has changed in recent years, with SA Rugby now managing the events directly, rather than selling them off to host unions. Previously, unions would pay SA Rugby a fixed fee and determine their own ticket prices, while also earning revenue from food and beverage sales at the venue. Now, SA Rugby runs the entire matchday operation and retains full control of the Springbok brand. '[It's about] controlling your own product,' Oberholzer explained. 'The Springbok is our biggest income generator. Test matches were previously our smallest income from that brand. 'If you compare it to England and Ireland, where nearly 50% of their income comes from Test matches, ours was around 20%. So, we had to adjust our models to fund our programmes — and more importantly, our unions. 'Previously, most unions received no income from Tests — only those hosting them. Our new model ensures that every union in South Africa benefits from Springbok matches played in the country.' Nevertheless, Oberholzer admitted that ticket pricing would be reviewed at the end of the year, particularly in relation to seats behind the poles, which were once the cheapest but are now almost as costly as prime seats along the touchline. 'We used, as a base, last year's pricing,' he said. 'We looked at the ticketing system used in Cape Town for the All Blacks Test and at other unions, where we felt prices had been set too low. 'There are now four ticket categories. We have a top category and a fourth category, which are our cheaper tickets, to make matches accessible to people from across the board. 'We'll review the system. Perhaps we made a few mistakes in terms of where the ticket categories were placed. Maybe a category two ticket shouldn't be behind the goalposts. These are things we are actively working on.' He concluded: 'We do believe our pricing is fair. If you look specifically at category one tickets, they're the first to sell out. But we're learning from this year, and hopefully by next season, we'll have the pricing structure exactly right.'
