SARU: Graduate Internship Programme 2025/2026

ByRainbow Time

The South African Rugby Union (SARU) is excited to announce a Graduate Internship opportunity for five (5) unemployed graduates, aged 35 and under. This is a fantastic chance to gain practical work experience and insight into professional workplace practices over a 12-month fixed contract, situated at SARU’s offices in Plattekloof, Cape Town.

Position: Graduate Internship Programme 2025/2026

Stipend: R7 500.00 per month

Duration: 12 months contract

Location: Cape Town, Western Cape

Closing Date: 05 September 2025

Successful candidates will benefit from dedicated mentorship, effective leadership, and meaningful engagement within the relevant departments to which they will be allocated. A monthly stipend of R7,500.00 will be provided for the duration of the programme.

1. Graduate Intern – Communication and Commercial

Department: Communication and Commercial
Reporting Line: Allocated mentors
Travel: Occasionally required
Contract: Fixed-term, 12 months
Number of Interns: 2

Purpose:
To provide graduates practical work experience, mentorship, coaching, and exposure to workplace practices within Marketing and Commercial departments.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Marketing

  • Support Brand Manager with promotion of SA Rugby aligned to organisational goals
  • Assist in planning and delivering brand and property campaigns
  • Help with event and sports presentation delivery
  • Identify and act on PR opportunities with limited or no budget
  • Learn relationship management with internal/external stakeholders
  • General administrative and office support

Commercial

  • Coordinate sponsor activations and matchday experiences with marketing/events teams
  • Ensure contractual obligations (signage, digital exposure, VIP access) are met
  • Maintain sponsor partner portal under mentor supervision
  • Prepare reports on account performance, ROI, and client feedback
  • Support commercial rights delivery team
  • Attend commercial events to observe activities

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Sports Marketing or equivalent
  • No prior work experience required

Key Competencies:

  • Initiative and willingness to learn
  • Attention to detail
  • Passion for sport
  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Computer literacy (MS Word, Excel, Outlook)
  • Interpersonal and relationship management skills
  • Planning, organising, coordination
  • Problem-solving and communication skills

2. Graduate Intern – Medical

Department: Medical
Reporting Line: Allocated mentors
Travel: None
Contract: Fixed-term, 12 months
Number of Interns: 1

Purpose:
To provide graduates practical work experience, mentorship, and exposure within the Medical department.

Duties and Responsibilities:
General Administration

  • Draft, format, and review documents (reports, memos, emails)
  • Coordinate medical staff appointments pre/post events
  • Handle BokSmart enquiries
  • Maintain digital/hard copy filing system for medical statistics
  • Process payments for doctors, suppliers, physiotherapists
  • Manage travel bookings and logistics

Safeguarding

  • Data entry and management of confidential safeguarding databases
  • Liaise with unions to ensure access to safeguarding information
  • Maintain accurate records for referrals, concerns, meetings

BokSmart

  • Assist with social media activities and certification enquiries

Medical Operations

  • Process medical purchase orders
  • Manage medical stock (picking, sorting, packing)
  • Conduct stocktakes and team bag allocation
  • Maintain office and storeroom upkeep

Qualifications:

  • 3-year National Diploma in Business or Office Administration or equivalent
  • No prior experience needed (including BokSmart or Safeguarding)

Key Competencies:

  • Initiative and willingness to learn
  • Attention to detail and confidentiality
  • Project planning
  • Computer literacy (MS Word, Excel, Outlook)
  • Planning, organising, coordination
  • Communication skills

3. Graduate Intern – Operations and Finance

Department: Operations and Finance
Reporting Line: Allocated mentors
Travel: None
Contract: Fixed-term, 12 months
Number of Interns: 1

Purpose:
To provide graduates practical work experience, mentorship, and exposure within the Finance department.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Accounts Payable

  • Convert Requisition Purchase Orders (RPOs)
  • Process invoices
  • Perform general Finance administration

General Ledger

  • Process journals
  • Reconcile credit card statements and accounts

Accounts Receivable

  • Perform customer on-boarding
  • Raise invoices

Qualifications:

  • 3-year National Diploma in Finance or equivalent
  • No prior work experience required

Key Competencies:

  • Initiative and willingness to learn
  • Attention to detail
  • Computer literacy (MS Word, Excel, Outlook)
  • Planning and organising
  • Problem solving and communication skills

4. Graduate Intern – Participation and Development

Department: Participation and Development
Reporting Line: Allocated mentors
Travel: Occasionally required
Contract: Fixed-term, 12 months
Number of Interns: 1

Purpose:
To provide graduates practical work experience, mentorship, and exposure within Participation and Development department.

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Support data integrity and management across development programmes
  • Maintain and update SA Rugby’s central database on community rugby, youth weeks, camps, training, education, and transformation
  • Assist with data capture, analysis, and interpretation for strategic reporting
  • Aid development of data-driven insights to support policy and planning
  • Prepare visual summaries, dashboards, and briefing notes to reflect programme impact

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree or 3-year Diploma in Data Management, Data Science, Research, or equivalent
  • Basic understanding of rugby advantageous
  • No prior experience or system knowledge required

Key Competencies:

  • Initiative and willingness to learn
  • Attention to detail
  • Computer literacy (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
  • Intermediate data systems skills
  • Planning, organising, coordination
  • Problem solving and communication skills

Candidates are encouraged to apply for the department aligned to their field of study and interest. This is a valuable opportunity to gain experience in a professional and dynamic sporting environment.

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates in line with SARU’s Employment Equity Plan for the Graduate Internship programme.

How To Apply

Applications must include a completed Job Application form, a CV, and copies of relevant qualifications and should be submitted to the Human Resources Department at [email protected] by the closing date of 05 September 2025.

Download Application Form

By applying, applicants consent to SARU processing their personal information as defined in the Protection of Personal Information Act (“POPIA”). Personal information will be subjected to verification, vetting, and screening.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not hear from SARU within one month after the closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful.

No relocation costs will be covered for candidates residing outside Cape Town.