Bryan Habana exclusive: How rugby can change lives in Africa

Rugby is enjoying a boom in popularity in Africa.

While South Africa are a traditional powerhouse in the sport having won back-to-back men’s 15s World Cups and many events on the sevens circuit, other teams on the continent are starting to close the gap.

Kenya shocked the Blitzbokke to win the Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens 2023 and secure a place at the Paris 2024 Olympics, while Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, Madagascar, Morocco and Tunisia are also all top 50-ranked 15s teams for both men and women.

Namibia’s men also enjoy top-50 status, while Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Cameroon make the list for women. Bubbling just outside in both categories are Algeria, Zambia, Nigeria and Botswana.

While this improvement is important for the growth of the game, it is the non-tangible rewards of rugby that may offer the greatest benefits for African players.

“Coming from South Africa, we're probably the most fortunate particularly from a rugby perspective, to understand the power that sport has to not only level the playing field but give young boys and girls that little bit of hope to dream as big as they can possibly dream,” South Africa’s 2007 World Rugby Player of the Year Bryan Habana told Olympics.com.

“Growing up sports played an instrumental role in every facet of my life. I think firstly when I wanted to become a rugby player, and knowing the fundamental skills that I need to put in place. The hard work, sacrifice, dedication, perseverance and resilience needed when letdowns happen can equate to what happens in life.”

Rugby's role in unifying South Africa

The importance of rugby in South Africa goes far beyond the sports field.

It played a vital role in the unification of the Rainbow Nation after the abolishment of apartheid in 1990. This culminated with the famous image of the country’s president, Nelson Mandela, holding the 1995 Rugby World Cup trophy aloft in Johannesburg. An image that continues to be one of the most important in the nation’s history.

Today, the Springboks continue to represent the rich diversity of South Africa and provide hope during tough economic and political times.

In 2018, Siya Kolisi became the Springboks' first black men’s captain, and he went on to lift two 15s World Cups in 2019 and 2023

“In South Africa, sport has played such an integral part in unification and understanding the ability that it has to make kids dream as big as they can possibly dream is really a massive privilege and honour,” Habana continued.

Senegal’s emergence as a rugby nation is particularly exciting for Africa, with sevens on the programme for the Summer Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026.

The West African nation will become the first country on the continent to host an Olympic sports event, which represents a sporting, social, cultural, educational and economic transformation.

While teams and individuals from Africa have succeeded on the world stage across several sports for years, this kind of infrastructure is seen by many to be the catalyst for African sports to challenge at the top table across the sporting spectrum.

“I think it is a massive moment for Africa, firstly being given the green light to host an event as big as that,” Habana continued.

“We all know how much talent exists on the African continent and we've seen various indications of the strength of those teams and individuals, like South Africa winning Rugby World Cups and Kenyans breaking marathon records. There's this whole long list of Africans going out and making the world exceptionally proud.

“To have particularly a youth event as massive as this come to Senegal, and understanding what a springboard it is for the rest of Africa, I think is absolutely brilliant. Hopefully the young athletes that get to participate in the event will understand firstly the opportunity that they are presented with, but also that the African continent will be celebrated because of its diversity.”