Senatla launches tournament to unearth stars

STORMERS rugby star Seabelo Senatla will get to fulfill a dream that has been ‘brewing in his mind and heart for a long time’ when the Senatla 7s Tournament for Cape Town's young rugby talent kicks off at Connect NTK Rugby Club in Parow on Friday and Saturday.

- ROWAN CALLAGHAN

It's a full-circle moment for the celebrated multi-code rugby star, World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year in 2016 and record-setting Blitzboks try scorer. The 32-year-old wants to give the opportunity for the untapped talent in some of Cape Town's marginalised communities to be seen and recognised, in the same way he was years ago in Welkom, where he is from, and to share some of the gifts he has been given.

The tournament, a partnership between Senatla and the Connect Academy, will feature U11, U13, U15 and U17 boys, and U18 girls from community teams across the city and the broader region, including hosts Connect NTK.

“It something that’s been brewing in my mind and heart for a very long time and I’m quite grateful that we get to experience this now, or at least the start of it. But I’ve always had an inkling and posture to give back to the game because I understand that your gifts are not for yourself only but your gifts are there to be multiplied, seeded into other people’ lives, he told Independent Media.