Klubhuis: An inspiring look at club rugby in South Africa

They cut his eyes open. A piece of cotton wool that held against the cut with crooked fingers. But he smiles because club rugby is not just a pastime. It’s not just blood, sweat, cuts, bruised flesh and egos. It’s about living, or at least giving life to an entire community.

Klubhuis, a new documentary series about club rugby starts on 13 December on kykNET (DStv channel 144), shows that provincial and national rugby are not the only branches of the sport that make fans scream hoarse. Klubhuis takes viewers on a journey to the heart of the South African rugby landscape; where cameras rarely, if ever, come, where grass fields are a luxury, and the values of rugby – teamwork, discipline, and respect – unite communities on and
especially off the field, and give hope for another day.

The producers of Klubhuis traveled the country in search of club rugby stories – from Saldanha to Hawston, from Thabazimbi to Vanwyksvlei. The series of six episodes was filmed over more than a year. It found that derby Saturdays and dusk practice sessions are part of where the tears are dried and the victories celebrated – the clubhouse.

For many of the players, club rugby is a homecoming, an outcome, a dream to be noticed and one day also play on the big fields of the country and the world. In Hawston near Hermanus, former Springbok Gio Aplon is the golden boy who still inspires many young players. In Prince Albert, Jason Jaftha, a former professional referee, preaches rugby from his rulebook, and in the shadow of Johannesburg are the Raiders, a club that believes in harnessing opportunities
and second chances.

The six clubs and the dates on which they will be broadcast are as follows:

13 December 2024 – Saldanha
20 December 2024 – Northam Rhinos
27 December 2024 – Prince Albert
3 January 2025 – Vanwyksvlei
10 January 2025 – Hawston
17 January 2025 – Raiders

Klubhuis starts on December 13 at 20:00 on kykNET, DStv channel 144, and will also be
available on DStv Stream and Catch Up.

Watch the trailer HERE