JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – In a landmark moment for inclusive sport, YesPlay has been unveiled as the Official Tier 1 Partner and front-of-jersey sponsor for the South African Deaf Rugby National Team. The partnership secures vital backing for the national side as they prepare to compete at the 2026 World Deaf Rugby Sevens Championships in Tokyo, Japan, while simultaneously launching YesPlay’s ambitious Sports Corporate Social Investment (CSI) legacy programme.
Following an impressive fourth-place finish at their international debut in Argentina in 2023, where they narrowly missed out on the bronze medal, the national team, awarded their national colours, is poised to make an even greater impact on the global stage. The 16-strong touring party, comprising 12 players and four management staff including Head Coach Roelof Kotze, Strength & Conditioning Coach Pieter Terblance, Team Physiotherapist Khuliso Netshivhangani, and Team Manager Lauren Terras, will depart for Tokyo on the 28th of October 2026 for the tournament running from 31 October to 3 November.
For YesPlay, a brand already deeply entrenched in South African rugby through its sponsorship of the Toyota Cheetahs and its title sponsorship of the historic YesPlay Cup fixture between the Springboks and the Barbarians earlier this year, this partnership represents a profound commitment to grassroots development and sporting inclusion.
“At YesPlay, we believe that the true power of sport lies in its ability to create opportunity, inspire hope and bring people together,” said Tebogo Makamo, Chief Executive Officer of YesPlay. “Our partnership with the South African Deaf Rugby Association reflects those values. This is about far more than helping a team get to the World Deaf Rugby Sevens Championships. It’s about investing in people, championing inclusion, and helping to build a future where talent, commitment and character, not circumstance, determine what’s possible. We are honoured to stand alongside SADRA on this journey and look forward to seeing Team South Africa inspire the nation on the world stage.”
The partnership extends far beyond the touchlines of Tokyo. It serves as the foundation for a sustainable, nationwide rugby development pathway aimed at identifying and nurturing Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing talent from community and regional levels through to provincial and national representation. The initiative will also champion hearing awareness, promote South African Sign Language (SASL), and support hearing screening programmes, ensuring that inclusion becomes the standard across the sport.
“It has been one massive drive to get to this point” said Lauren Terras, Vice President of SADRA. “There were moments when we were genuinely concerned that we simply wouldn’t secure the funding needed to take our team to our second World Deaf Rugby Sevens Championship. YesPlay did not hesitate to join our journey, and having a partner believe in our team, our players and what we are trying to achieve means an enormous amount to us. Now we want to make magic — both on and off the field. We want to make South Africans proud, continue putting SA Deaf Rugby firmly on the map and, this time, come home with that much-awaited medal.”
While YesPlay’s crucial front-of-jersey sponsorship provides the primary engine for the Tokyo campaign, South African Deaf Rugby, a charity that is largely self-funded, continues its search for a back-of-jersey sponsor to clear the final financial hurdle for the World Championships. Interested parties are encouraged to visit www.sadeafrugby.co.za or contact vp@sadeafrugby.co.za to help the team’s journey to Japan.
The final travelling squad will be announced later this month, marking another significant milestone as South African Deaf Rugby prepares to take on the world in Japan.
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