SportPesa has become the new Tier 1 Partner of the Forward Faster 7s and the Forward Foundation, strengthening its commitment to South African rugby.
The partnership builds on SportPesa’s growing investment in rugby at every level of the game. Its support spans the DHL Stormers, university rugby through the Varsity Cup and Varsity Shield, and the community game through its sponsorship of the SportPesa Masi Pumas rugby union team. Across each level, the focus is on creating opportunities for the sport to thrive.
This season, all three Masi Pumas teams won their respective leagues and secured promotion to Super League D in 2027. Building on that success, SportPesa’s partnership with the Forward Foundation will support further pathways for players seeking to progress in the game.
As Tier 1 Partner, SportPesa will support the Forward Faster 7s, taking place at the Markötter Sports Complex in Stellenbosch on 24 and 25 October 2026, as well as the Forward Foundation’s Senior Performance Programme.
The partnership will also bring SportPesa Effect coaching clinics to the Western Cape, led by Stormers and Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach. Open to players aged 18 and over, the clinics will give aspiring players the opportunity to learn directly from one of the game’s leading professionals.
The SportPesa Forward Faster 7s team has already made its first appearance under the new partnership, competing at the Safari Sevens in Nairobi in a pool with Kenya’s Shujaa, Uganda and Scotland.
“The SportPesa Effect is about backing rugby at every level, not only on the big stage,” said Gareth Rosslee, Sponsorships and Partnerships at SportPesa. “Forward Foundation works where it matters most, giving players a real pathway in the game.”
Le Roux Conradie of Forward Foundation added: “Having SportPesa as Tier 1 Partner gives the Forward Faster 7s and our Senior Performance Programme the support to grow.”
Spanning community clubs, university competitions, professional rugby and player development, the partnership puts the SportPesa Effect into practice by creating opportunities and clearer pathways across the game.
