The South African Deaf Rugby squad was officially capped with their national colours on Monday 26 October during a special capping ceremony at Loftus Versfeld. The squad is preparing to represent South Africa at the 2026 World Deaf Sevens Rugby Championship in Tokyo, Japan.
The event took place in the presidential suite at the iconic Pretoria stadium. Players, management, sponsors, partners and members of the media gathered to celebrate this important milestone.
National caps symbolise pride and dedication
Receiving national caps represents years of hard work, sacrifice, dedication and perseverance. It is also a special honour to carry the green and gold on the international stage.
South African Deaf Rugby thanked the Blue Bulls for their hospitality and for making Loftus Versfeld available for the occasion. Dawn Dunn served as master of ceremonies.
The organisation also expressed its appreciation to its partners and sponsors, including Yesplay, Altron Document Solutions, Leuko Sports, Recklessbear, WestCoast Xform, Trinity Clothing and dkcrosscc.
The 12 players for Tokyo
The final South African squad consists of the following 12 players:
- Riemerd Spreeth
- Johan Liebenberg
- Enrico Abrahams
- Admar Claassen
- Marnus Dercksen
- Lucien Famer
- Rodwin Beyers
- Leon Willemans
- Marchello Petro
- Patrick Motothwa
- Boitshepo Motlhala
- Gregory Adelaar
Challenging Pool A awaits South Africa
South Africa has been placed in a challenging Pool A alongside Samoa, New Zealand, Wallis, Fiji and the Barbarians.
The pool promises stern international competition. Samoa, New Zealand, Wallis and Fiji bring strong rugby traditions to the tournament, while the Barbarians provide further competition in the pool.
The South Africans will therefore need to deliver their best rugby from the outset to kick off their campaign successfully and position themselves well for the later rounds.
Final preparations for Japan
The squad's final training camp in Gauteng was scheduled for 25 and 26 October, after which they were to depart for Tokyo on 27 October according to the official squad announcement.
The 2026 World Deaf Sevens Rugby Championship takes place from 31 October to 3 November in Tokyo. The championship offers players an important opportunity to showcase their talent, teamwork and determination against international opponents.
With their national caps received and preparations behind them, focus now turns to the challenge in Japan. The players will aim to represent South Africa with pride on the world stage.
The message from South African Deaf Rugby is clear: the squad is proud and ready to take on the world.
More information about the championship and the tournament schedule is available on the official World Deaf Rugby Sevens website.
SOURCES:
1. South African Deaf Rugby – official Facebook post about the capping ceremony, 26 October 2026.
2. South African Deaf Rugby – official squad announcement for Tokyo 2026.
3. South African Deaf Rugby – official squad poster with the 12 players.
4. 2026 World Deaf Rugby Sevens – Official tournament information.
5. Photo: Louise Esterhuizen (Lulu's Sport Pics).
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
