Opening Doors Through Rugby: Team SA’s Deaf rugby Journey

Photo Credit: Deaf Rugby South Africa

SADRA is creating opportunities for Deaf and Hard of Hearing athletes while preparing to represent South Africa at the World Deaf Rugby Sevens.

South Africa (17 August 2026) – For the players of the South African Deaf Rugby Association (SADRA), rugby is about far more than what happens between the try lines.

Established in 2015 and affiliated with both the South African Rugby Union (SARU) and World Deaf Rugby (WDR), SADRA has been building a pathway for Deaf and Hard of Hearing athletes to participate, develop their skills, compete and ultimately represent their country.

And that pathway stretches from the school field all the way to the international stage.

Through school development programmes, provincial competitions and national team opportunities, SADRA is working to remove the barriers that can prevent talented athletes from pursuing their sporting ambitions. It’s giving boys, girls, men and women the chance to chase those dreams on an equal footing.

Now, that journey is taking Team South Africa all the way to Tokyo.

CHOOSE YOUR IMPACT.

We have earned our place at the 2026 World Deaf Rugby Sevens in Tokyo. Now we’re looking for corporates, foundations & brands to help get us there.

Partner with purpose. Invest in inclusion. Back a team that represents SA with pride.

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— SA Deaf Rugby (@SADeafRugby) July 30, 2026

The World Deaf Rugby Sevens Championships will take place in Japan from 30 October to 4 November 2026, bringing together elite Deaf rugby players from around the world for a tournament that celebrates high-level sport, inclusion and disability awareness.

For the South African squad, making it to Tokyo represents years of early mornings, training sessions, sacrifice and persistence.

Most importantly, it represents the opportunity to pull on the Springbok jersey and show the next generation of Deaf and Hard of Hearing athletes what is possible.

SADRA has earned its place at the 2026 World Deaf Rugby Sevens and is now calling on corporates, foundations and brands to help make the trip possible.

It is a chance to invest in inclusion, create opportunity and back South Africans representing the country on the world stage.