SA women’s rugby goes bigger and better than ever before

In a significant boost for women's rugby development, SA Rugby has confirmed a brand-new club competition for women, with Betway as the title sponsor, while the U20 Women’s Tournament will see more participating teams than ever before converge on Johannesburg next month.

Both tournaments will take place in the week of 5-10 October in Gauteng – the Betway Women’s Club Championship at Alberton Rugby Club and the U20 Women’s Tournament at Queens High School.

The inaugural Betway Women’s Club Championship – the first of its kind in South Africa – will see 16 club teams (drawn from all 15 provincial unions plus one wild card) play each other over three match days, with the event aimed at elevating the domestic women’s rugby further and developing the game nationally at grassroots level.

“The Betway Women’s Club Championship marks an important milestone in the development of women's rugby, providing a vital platform for players to showcase their talent in the level below provincial rugby,” said Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby.

“We’re not just building competitions – we’re creating pathways for women to play, dream, and rise, and we are very grateful to Betway for coming on board as title sponsor and showing strong support for the women’s game in South Africa.”

Betway’s Head of Marketing, Mark Rowles believes this is an important opportunity for the future of women’s rugby in South Africa.

“As a principal partner of the Springboks, Springbok Women’s team and the Blitzboks, we are delighted to extend our commitment to rugby in South Africa by supporting the Betway Women’s Club Championship,” said Rowles.

“We at Betway believe that this tournament provides a vital platform for the next generation of women to showcase their unbelievable talent and hopefully one day represent the senior national team on a global stage like the Rugby World Cup. I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate the Springbok Women’s team on their performance at the 2025 World Cup.”

The competition will feature 16 teams from across South Africa. Similarly to the Pick n Pay Gold Cup, teams from the FNB Varsity Cup are not eligible although women’s teams from three other tertiary institutions that did not participate in the Varsity Cup have been included among the 16 competitors.

They are Durban University of Technology (Sharks), Sol Plaatje University Rugby Club (Griquas) and University of Limpopo (Limpopo Blue Bulls).

They will be joined by Walker Bay (Boland), Mqanduli Sharks (Border), Harlequins (Bulls), Kwaru RFC (EP), Collegians Valkyries (Free State), Pirates (Lions), Van der Stel Evergreens (WP), Welkom Rugby Club (Griffons), Potchefstroom Dorp (Leopards), Embalenhle RC (Pumas), Titans (SWD), Kempton Park (Valke), and the wild card team, Raiders (Lions).

The teams will be split into two divisions of eight, based on their provincial participation in the Women’s Premier and First Divisions. Teams will play three matches each during the week in Alberton.

Meanwhile, this year's U20 tournament marks a new milestone, with a record 14 teams confirmed to participate, up from 12 that played last year, with the Pumas and a Northern Invitational XV joining the action next month.

Oberholzer said: “This tournament is of strategic importance as it serves as a critical platform for the development of women’s rugby and a vital step in the pathway to the Springbok Women’s team.

“It also serves as a vital recruitment platform, enabling unions to scout and strengthen their First and Premier Division squads with emerging talent from across the country.

“These two tournaments really underline our Participation & Development Department’s mantra of #GrowTogetherPlayTogether.”

The 14 participating sides will also be split into two groups, according to the Women’s Premier and First Divisions. Tier 1 at the 2025 U20 Women’s Tournament in Johannesburg will consist of the Bulls, Boland, Border, Eastern Province, Cheetahs, Lions, Sharks and Western Province. Tier 2 will feature Griquas, Limpopo Blue Bulls, Pumas, SWD, Valke and the Northern Invitational XV.

Matches in both tournaments will take place on 6, 8 and 10 October.

BETWAY WOMEN’S CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES (day one – Monday 6 October at Alberton Rugby Club):

FIRST DIVISION:

8:30am: Sol Plaatje (Griquas) v Raiders (wild card, Lions)

9:40am: Titans (SWD) v Welkom (Griffons)

10:50am: Embalenhle (Pumas) v University of Limpopo (Limpopo)

12pm: Potch Dorp (Leopards) v Kempton Park (Valke)

PREMIER DIVISION:

1:10pm: Mqanduli Sharks (Border) v Kwaru (EP)

2:20pm: Harlequins (Bulls) v DUT (Sharks)

3:30pm: Walker Bay (Boland) v Collegians Valkyries (Cheetahs)

4:40pm: Van der Stel Evergreens (WP) v Pirates (Lions)

U20 Women’s Tournament fixtures (day one – Monday 6 October at Queens High School):

8:30am: Valke v Northern Invitational XV

9:40am: Pumas v Limpopo

10:50am: SWD v Griquas

12pm: WP v Sharks

1:10pm: Lions v Cheetahs

2:20pm: Border v Boland

3:30pm: Bulls v EP