UXi Sport takes hands with EduTel

UXi Sport is proud to announce its new partnership with Edutel, a reputable and credible Higher Education private provider, registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training.

This will enable the UXi Rugby Institute player-students to embark on studies towards a career in Teaching whilst also focusing on their Rugby Skills Development.

Edutel was founded in the early ‘90’s by Andries Pelser who brought with him over thirty years of experience in the field of education and training. Edutel is a one-stop to life-long learning, specialising in skills development, higher education, teacher training, Continuous Professional Development (CPD), and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). It is also a BBBEE level 1 concern.

All its higher education programs are recognized by the Department of Education as well as formally registered on SAQA.

The UXi Rugby Institute students will be able to apply for registration for the following programs through Edutel;

  1. Diploma in GR Teaching- NQF level 6
  2. Bachelor of Education in Foundation phase Teaching- NQF level 7
  3. Bachelor of Education in Intermediate phase Teaching- NQF level 7

Once a student has successfully graduated with  his/her Bachelor’s qualification, they can continue to advance their teaching skills with Advanced Certificates in Teaching as well pursue a Diploma or Honours in School Leadership and Management.

UXi Sport, in line with its vision to “Inspire Greatness Through Sport to Life”, believes that this initiative will address the shortage of especially male teachers with rugby code specialist coaching skills in South Africa, and most importantly create employment for life after the sport.

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Win a Full Rugby Bursary with UXi Sport and Heart FM!

We’re thrilled to share some fantastic news from the world of sport education! On Saturday, August 19th, our dedicated and passionate UXi Sport COO, Thea Miller, took to the airwaves on Heart FM’s Super Saturday sports show with the dynamic host, Jeremy Harris. During this electrifying segment, Thea Miller made a remarkable announcement that is set to change the life of one talented student-athlete forever.

Introducing the 100% Bursary Competition – an eXtraordinary opportunity for aspiring student-athletes to receive a full bursary worth an impressive R130 000. The lucky winner of this competition will have the chance to embark on a transformative journey through the esteemed UXi Rugby Institutes, renowned for their eXceptional commitment to fostering rugby talent and education.

Sharing the studio spotlight with Thea Miller and Jeremy Harris was none other than the remarkable Ricardo ‘Tricky Ricky’ Duarttee, a true eXemplar of the success that awaits those who pass through the doors of the UXi Rugby Institutes. Duarttee was a student at the UXi Western Province Rugby Academy in 2021, just one year prior to his Springbok Sevens selection!

Jeremy Harris, brimming with enthusiasm, eXpressed his eXcitement at the news of this bursary competition. He noted that with the coveted full bursary, which covers enrollment in any of the six prestigious UXi Rugby Institutes, the winner will undoubtedly find themselves in esteemed company. Notable rugby luminaries such as the Springbok World Cup-bound duo Kurt-Lee Arendse and Grant Williams, alongside the sensational 2023 Rookie of the Year, Ricardo ‘Tricky Ricky’ Duarttee, all proudly hail as graduates of the UXi Rugby Institutes.

Here’s how you can seize this incredible opportunity:

  1. Create a 60-90 second video showcasing your rugby prowess, whether it’s a display of your nimble side-stepping, impeccable tackling skills, or your awe-inspiring kicking abilities.
  2. Conclude your video by saying, “Don’t forget to tune into Super Saturday on Heart 104.9 FM with Jeremy Harris. UXi Sport – Rugby Education at its best.”
  3. Share your video on social media and make sure to tag UXi Sport, Heart FM, and Jeremy Harris on both Instagram and Facebook.

This unparalleled opportunity is eXclusively open to players who will reach 18 years of age by December 31, 2023. Terms and conditions apply. The eagerly awaited announcement of the lucky winner will take place on September 9, 2023.

We wish all aspiring rugby stars the very best of luck. This could be your chance to shine on the rugby field and embark on an eXtraordinary journey of growth and success with UXi Sport and Heart FM!

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Cross-Border U20 Club Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

12 April 2023 – The Blue Bulls Rugby Union and UXi Sports International Rugby Institutes are excited to announce their partnership in creating the Cross-Border U20 Club Competition. The competition features 21 teams in three sections including North, South, and Central regions from the Blue Bulls, Cheetahs, Pumas, Griquas, Valke, Leopards, and Western Province Rugby Unions.

The competition officially gets underway on 14 April with only the North Section teams in action, the following day it will be the South Section sides while the Central region will have its first match on 15 April. The final will be contested on 30 Sept following the quarter- and semi-finals being played on 16 and 23 Sept, respectively.

“At the BBRU (Blue Bulls Rugby Union) one of our strategic goals is to make club rugby relevant again,” said Willem Strauss, President of the Blue Bulls Rugby Union. “Research has shown that up to 93 percent (%) of rugby players stop playing when they have left school. “We hope that this competition will encourage more school leavers to join their local clubs and academies and that it will also be a pathway to provincial and even professional rugby for both players and coaches. The Cross-Border U20 Club Competition is an important addition to the rugby calendar. This competition will give our young club players the opportunity and platform to showcase their skills and talent.”

The sponsorship agreement allows for a hosting fee of R 50 000 for each participating club and R500 000 in prize money for the top-performing teams.

Strauss continues: “Without sponsors no competition is possible. We are delighted that the partnership with UXi Sport is making this tournament possible. I would like to thank UXi Sport for their involvement in the competition. The hope is that through the involvement of UXi Sport we can grow U20 club rugby in South Africa. The investment by UXI Sport in the young rugby talent of South Africa is massive and will contribute to growing the game at the U20 level. This tournament is aimed at growing the game at community level by creating opportunities for late bloomers and non-contracted junior players in South Africa.”

“We are thrilled to be part of this exciting new tournament,” Thea Miller, COO of UXi Sport, said. “Our aim is to create opportunities for young rugby players to develop their skills and fulfill their potential. The Cross-Border U20 Club Competition is a fantastic initiative that will enable us to do just that. Through this initiative, we support our local communities, who have been the backbone of club rugby talent, spectator support, and instrumental in the sports economy of South Africa.

“We dedicate this competition to every rugby player, especially those in the academy systems across the country, who has dreams and ambitions but are limited by not being afforded opportunities after school. My dream is that all Provincial Unions become part of this initiative.”

Some of these matches will be live-streamed on the SuperSport Schools, more details on this will follow soon.

// ENDS

For more info on the Cross-Border U20 Club Competition:
Richard Janse van Rensburg
Tournament Director
082 673 3247
[email protected]

Cross-Border U20 Club Competition
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Club Team Debuts

Let’s give a roaring round of applause to our remarkable UXi HIRI first-year student-athletes, Elton Lombard and Stefan du Plessis, as they made their highly anticipated debut for the prestigious Harlequins Rugby Club first team in February. In an exhilarating international match against the formidable Red Arrows, the national team of Zambia, Elton and Stefan proved themselves as formidable forces on the field, delivering outstanding performances.

Despite being at the Institute for only a few weeks, Elton and Stefan showcased their immense talent and skill, a testament to the transformative impact of our daily high-performance training programme. Achieving the opportunity to represent a first team is an immense accomplishment. We sincerely hope that both Elton and Stefan relished every single moment of their experience!

We are also thrilled to congratulate to several of our UXi HIRI student-athletes, who have represented the Harlequins Rugby Club at U/20-level and other senior teams. Stepping onto the field for the first time in the esteemed Harlequins jersey is a tremendous accomplishment and we are proud of all our student-athletes who have already had the privilege of wearing the Harlequins Rugby Club jersey. Their performances during their matches showcased their immense skill, resilience, and passion for the game.

This is just the beginning of an exciting journey for our student-athletes, and we have no doubt that many more HIRI student-athletes will soon follow in their footsteps, proudly donning the prestigious Harlequins team club jersey.

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PRESS RELEASE

UXI Harlequins International Rugby Institute

Today, after many months of research and negotiations as well as various closed-door meetings, the Harlequins Rugby Club, its Executives and ‘Brooks and Bands’ are proud to announce that they are taking hands with UXi Sport to establish a much-needed Harlequins International Rugby Institute (HIRI), that will make a significant impact on the Under 20 and Under 21 rugby landscape of South-Africa and specifically in the Pretoria Region.

The Executives of the Harlequins Rugby Club and ‘Brooks and Bands’ recognize the increasing need for raw talent identification and the development of rugby as a sport in rural and underdeveloped communities. The development of talent that haven’t been contracted or had opportunities at Provincial or national level and those with and without university exemption, will be a priority focus. The Harlequins Rugby Club objectives are to develop rugby players through this Institute, as well as address the shortage of coaches, referees and unique skills development (video and game analysts, project managers, club administrator/managers) in the rugby world locally and nationally. Through this initiative, we are assisting in creating job opportunities and HOPE for the Province’s Under 20 and Under 21 aspirant rugby players, and this will become a major talent investment into its rugby club system, strengthening club rugby and the club rugby competitions as a whole in the Pretoria Region as well as the communities in which they operate.

The Rugby Institute will focus on High Performance rugby development on a world-class level, combined with Accredited Tertiary Academic qualifications that will ensure employability of its student rugby athletes for a career during and after rugby, all part of a structured disciplined programme that will be based at the Harlequins Rugby Club in Pretoria. UXi Sport is excited to announce the appointment of Gert Mulder as Head of Institute and Program Manager, veterans Jannie Brooks as Strength and Conditioning Coach, and Richard Bands as Specialist forwards’ coach. This dynamic duo will also drive the ‘Brooks and Bands Forwards factory’ nationally across all UXI Rugby Institutes.
UXi Sport is a division of UXi Pty (Ltd) and is the current operations partner of the Cheetahs Institute of Excellence, Western Province Rugby Academies, Puma Rugby Institute, Griquas Rugby Institute and the North-West Rugby Academy.

The Program offering for 2023 will include three different Rugby Program Options: “Pro-Player” High Performance Rugby; “Semi-Pro” Total Rugby Development Program; and a variety of Rugby Careers including Rugby Coach, Strength & Conditioning Coach and Video & Game Analyst/Performance Coach. The academic offerings will be extended to Artisan Trades (ASV), Agriculture (ASV), Marketing and Business (IMM), and various Sports and Fitness qualifications (HFPA) from 2023.

UXi Sport’s vision is “Inspiring Greatness, through Sports to life”. UXi Sport C.O.O., Thea Miller, says “we are passionate about the development and employability of the youth in South Africa. Through this initiative with the Harlequins Rugby Club and ‘Brooks and Bands’, UXi Sport will contribute to the upliftment of communities, creating better South African citizens that will be the future leaders and business owners in the economy.”
As Nelson Mandela said, “Sport is a language that the youth understands”, through the underpinning values that a sport like rugby cultivates in young men and women, the youth is developed not only in their sport, but through sport and Skills-based Qualifications, they will display a work-readiness that will differentiate them from everyone else.

NOW it’s time to create the same opportunities for many other young talented rugby players in Blue Bulls territory! It’s time to build.

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