Southwestern Districts were crowned champions of the 2026 Hollywood Foundation Iqhawe Week after defeating Border 10-7 in the final at HTS Drostdy in Worcester on Thursday, bringing the curtain down on a week of U15 competition that featured 16 teams drawn from all of SA Rugby's provincial unions.
The Griffons matched SWD in going unbeaten across all three of their matches, with Western Province and Border also among the tournament's standout teams. Hosts Boland participated with two sides over the week, which ran from Monday, 28 September.
The Limpopo Blue Bulls and the Golden Lions were singled out by organisers for the progress they showed throughout the week.
SA Rugby President Mark Alexander highlighted the role of the SA Rugby Legends Association and its Vuka Programme in driving the pipeline of young talent. "The fact that many of these players are now progressing through the pathway is a direct result of the investment made by the SA Rugby Legends Association through the Vuka Programme and the U15 Iqhawe Week," Alexander said. "These initiatives continue to open doors for young players from underserved communities, ensuring that where a player comes from never determines how far they can go."
Ian Schwartz, SA Rugby's General Manager for Participation and Development, described the standard of talent on show as arguably the strongest in recent years, pointing specifically to the volume of players emerging from smaller and rural schools. "It is further proof that talent exists in every corner of South Africa," Schwartz said.
Jessie Claassen, Director of Vuka Rugby at SARLA, thanked the Hollywood Foundation, HTS Drostdy, and all coaches, officials and volunteers involved in staging the event.