• Rugby

Dolphin Barbarians steals the show in Cape Town

• 21 Hours Ago

The Dolphin Barbarians made history by clinching the Bowl Championship at the OK Mamre Community 7s Rugby Tournament in Cape Town.

The tournament uses rugby as a tool for positive social change in local communities, and this year’s event brought together talented rugby players from 24 teams, passionate fans, and dedicated volunteers for a day of thrilling competition and community spirit.

Namibian Flavour

The Barbarians were one of two teams from Namibia (the other being the Dolphin team) in action at the tournament.

They competed in Group A with Kuilsriver and Hillcrest. The Barbarians played four matches and suffered only one defeat. They defeated Pniel Villagers RC (26–7) in the Bowl final, overcame Picketberg RC (25–0) in the semi-final, and advanced to the quarter-finals with a hard-fought 22–17 victory over Darling RC, with the winning points scored in extra time. The Barbarians opened the tournament with a win against Kuilsriver RC before losing 21–5 against Hillcrest RC.

The Dolphin Sports Club team was placed in Group G with St George’s (the Western Province Sevens Champions) and Goedverwacht. They recorded two wins and suffered two defeats. Dolphin Sports Club lost to St George RC (42–12) but defeated Goedverwacht RC (12–7). They triumphed over Macassar RC (24–19) in the round of 16 before losing to Roses United FC (26–0) in the quarter-final round of the Cup competition.

Mamre defeated Hamlets (10–7) in a closely contested Cup final. The scores were level (7–7) at half-time, with a drop goal proving to be the decisive factor in the game.

Building Experience

The OK Mamre Community 7s Rugby Tournament was the first of its kind to be hosted in the town.

It will become an annual event, according to the organisers, OK Minimark Mamre, in partnership with Mamre Rugby Club and Hamlets Rugby Club.

“The players played to make their country proud and were excited about their performance and playing in South Africa. Their characters were tested, and they put on a very competitive show. Aston Mukwiilongo (Kudus Rugby Club) and Thehard Lintveld (United Rugby Club) really showed their potential,” said Rowhan Besser, the tour organiser.

According to Besser, Dolphin Sports Club has already received an invitation to compete at the tournament next year. “The doors are wide open to give players and brands exposure across the border. We will once again send a Dolphin Sevens team and a Dolphin Barbarians team. We have also received invitations to attend other tournaments in South Africa and will have to assess what is possible in terms of funding. We definitely want to compete with our neighbours in sevens and the standard (fifteen-a-side) format of the game.”

Planning Ahead

Besser stated that the Johannesburg-based Riders team had extended an invitation to Dolphin Sports Club to attend a tournament in South Africa.

“The 2025 edition of the Day of Dolphins will accommodate teams from South Africa. Riders, Mamre Rugby Club, St George’s Rugby Club, and Kelvinesdale in the Eastern Cape could potentially join us in Namibia.”

The Global Sevens Tournament will kick off in 2025, and the aim is to compete on that stage, Besser emphasised. “Information will be provided once it becomes available. Some of the players selected for the national practice group accompanied us on the tour to South Africa. The idea is to rotate coaches and accommodate more players to enhance rugby development in Namibia. We are thankful for our sponsors Arysteq, Simonis Storm, Erongo Industrial Supply Services, Indongo Toyota, and other partners.”