The Hollywood Foundation Iqhawe Week, the brain child of the Cell C SA Rugby Legends Association, a prestigious rugby tournament dedicated to nurturing young talent, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
Set to take place at Queens High School in Johannesburg from 22 to 26 September 2024.
Since its inception with just eight provincial teams, the Hollywood Foundation Iqhawe Week has expanded to feature 16 boys’ teams and six girls’ teams.
The tournament’s impact extends far beyond the rugby field. It offers young athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds a unique opportunity to showcase their talent on a national stage, providing a platform for many to pursue professional rugby careers.
The Hollywood Foundation Iqhawe Week has a remarkable track record of producing elite rugby players. The likes of Vusi Nhlapo who showcased his skills in the 2017 and 2019 editions, Romauld Ntumba, Abduraghman Ismail, and Mikaeel Safodien from the Western Province Rugby Union played in the 2017 and 2018 editions and later represented the Western Province at the 2019 Craven Week.
Ntumba’s journey led him to a professional contract with Pau Rugby Club in France. Another notable player is Mawande Mdanda whose dreams materialised in 2018 when he earned his position in the Hollywood Foundation Iqhawe Week. He currently plays for the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV.
The most recent success story to come from the Hollywood Foundation Iqhawe Week was Michail Damon. He represented Boland in the 2019 edition of Iqhawe Week and went on to represent the SA Under 20 side where he was one of the stand-out players. He is now contracted with the Vodacom Bulls.
Other notable alumni include Thabo Mdimande, who participated in the 2015 Iqhawe Week and now plays for the Griquas, and Indiphile Tyeda, who advanced from Zanempucuko High School to Dale College and on to the SA U18 team in 2019.
Devin Heffer, Brand and Communications Manager from the Hollywood Group said, “The Hollywood Foundation is proud to return as the title sponsor of the 2024 Iqhawe Week, celebrating its 10th year of empowering young rugby players. We believe in the power of sport to transform lives, offering opportunities for education, growth, and a brighter future. Our commitment to grassroots development and education is reflected in our support for over 196 sports teams and 303 schools nationwide. We wish all the young men and women playing this week all the best as they strive to become our future heroes of the game.”
John Smit, Cell C SA Rugby Legends CEO, “The Cell C SA Rugby Legends are delighted to have the Hollywood Foundation as the principal sponsor of the 2024 Hollywood Foundation Iqhawe week. This is the 3rd year in a row that they have come on board, and we are all looking forward to watching the kids play this great game of rugby. We would also like to congratulate one of our alumni from the 2019 edition, Michail Damon on making the SA u20 side and we look forward to seeing some more future stars shining from the 22nd to 26th of September at the Queens High School in Johannesburg. We are extremely grateful to our main sponsor the Hollywood Foundation and associate sponsors City of Johannesburg, Gauteng Government, ETA, SA Rugby and the Lions Rugby Union for all their support. We can’t wait to see the future ‘Legends’ in action.”
Beyond player development, the tournament provides invaluable opportunities for coaches and managers, many of whom are community-based individuals.
Their involvement highlights the importance of balancing academics and sports, inspiring young athletes to focus on education while pursuing their passion for rugby.
Despite the challenges of preparing teams from rural, non-traditional schools with limited facilities, the tournament continues to thrive.
To date, 80 players have benefitted from the tournament as they got scholarships to traditional schools since 2018.
This year’s tournament will be launched at the Iconic Emirates Airline Park on 19 September 2024. Catch all the action on the SuperSport Schools App.
