‘You don’t build a house from the rooftop down.’
That motto is how the Blue Bulls Rugby Union (BBRU) have ensured their success in terms of reviving club rugby and creating a conducive culture for amateur teams.

Willem Strauss, president of the BBRU, has been a trendsetter when it comes to fostering and strengthening relationships between the professional and amateur sphere in their region.
Strauss, who took up the seat of full-time president after a stint as interim in 2018, has encouraged innovative means of reigniting club rugby and has been a keen advocate for encouraging alignment between his professional and club outfits within the union.
On January 30, the BBRU leaped over the rest of the country yet again as they launched a new competition, the Castle Super League, one which Strauss firmly believes could elevate club rugby to a new level.
SPORTS NEWS
Show more newsFive provincial unions will be represented in the inaugural tournament.
Vereeniging, Springs, Brakpan and NWU Vaal from the Valke, the Naka Bulle, Harlequins and Tuine Grizzlies from the Bulls, the Northam Rhinos and Louis Trichardt from Limpopo, the Northam Wolves and Louis Trichardt from the Leopards, and Sasol Secunda from the Pumas will all form part of the tournament that kicks off on 15 February.
Teams will play for R500,000 in prize money, an incentive Strauss described as “the biggest ever at stake in a club competition in South Africa”.
In an exclusive interview with TelecomAsia Sport, Strauss highlighted the positives and opportunities a competition of this nature could create for non-tertiary players and the support staff behind them.
The Super League is very important, not everyone has access to tertiary institutions. We are creating a platform for the late developer or the guy who is still working part-time. I think this tournament will be a platform to expose their talents, also for the coaches.
Despite not having the luxury of being on the receiving end of the bulk of the country’s talent, the Bulls have achieved synchronisation between their boardroom and coaching staff and have masterminded a structure that is not only conducive to grassroots rugby, but also aligns with the vision of the Bulls brand as a whole.
I think at the Bulls we are extremely lucky. The leadership – myself, Edgar Rathbone (CEO), and Jake White (director of rugby) are aligned. We share the same values and the same vision in terms of rugby and where we want to take the Bulls as a brand and the whole ecosystem, so that has just created an incredible situation for us at professional and amateur levels. I think in terms of amateur rugby we are totally the leaders of South African rugby at this stage.
When asked how other provincial clubs could go about replicating their success, Strauss shared:
It’s difficult for me to talk about other unions, but club rugby is such an important part of the eco-system in South Africa. Club rugby and schools rugby are the most important parts of our game, professional rugby is an extension of that; you don’t build a house from the rooftop down. So, it is important to keep our foundation strong and alive.
By creating semi-professional competitions like the Super League, getting more commercial partners involved, and creating a product they (broadcasters and sponsors) want to buy in [that's how you do it]...It’s all about creating the right product.


