SA Rugby decided in 2025 to cancel its support of the U18 LSEN Week despite securing a First National Bank sponsorship for the Youth Weeks in 2025.
LSEN stands for Learners with Special Educational Needs, a South African education acronym referring to students with learning difficulties, disabilities, or special requirements who need tailored support beyond mainstream teaching, often placed in specialised classes or schools with adapted curricula.
During the initial two years of the Stadio sponsorship, the LSEN community received substantial assistance from SARU, which was withdrawn two months before the 2025 U18 LSEN Week. Fortunately, the LSEN community was informed that SA Rugby will not support them for the foreseeable future, giving them “more” time to secure finance despite the constraints placed on them by SA Rugby.
The 2026 LSEN week will take place at the Baysville Special School in East London from 28 June to 02 July 2026. The current budget to host a team in East London is R 120 000,00 per team, and to send the LSEN national team to the U!8 Academy Week, which is not accredited as a SA Rugby Youth Week, is estimated to be R 300 000.
Despite not supporting the LSEN U18 Week, SA Rugby insists that the event remains under the auspices of SA Rugby and remains part of the SA Rugby Youth Weeks programme. Also, SA Rugby demands that any commercial entity willing to finance the LSEN week must be approved by SA Rugby before it can be confirmed, and that such a partner cannot be in the excluded categories of hydration (water, isotonic or carbonated), retail, financial services, vehicles and education.
Unfortunately, it is known that the majority of these LSEN learners are from the less fortunate part of our community, who do not have bank accounts, are not in the market for a car, and the only water they drink is often not so clear and “healthy” water from the tap. Going to a college or university will never be a goal while shopping is done at the local Spaza shop or feeding schemes. NOT EXACTLY THE TARGET MARKET OF BIG BUSINESS.
Investing in this community makes no financial sense; however, knowing that you or your company has contributed to help a young boy experience being “normal” for a week, playing a sport he loves and taking a jersey home as proof that he represented his province or country certainly makes sense. It is our responsibility.