Paarl Interschools 2026 kicks off with Sygnia as headline sponsor

Asset manager deepens its commitment to South African schoolboy rugby for a second year.

Paarl, Western Cape, 27 July 2026

Sygnia Asset Management has been announced as the proud headline sponsor of Paarl Interschools 2026, taking place from 27 July to 1 August. The sponsorship marks the second year of Sygnia standing alongside Paarl Gymnasium, Paarl Boys’ High and Paarl Girls’ High and the players, families and communities that make the fixture one of the most anticipated on the school sporting calendar.

At the heart of Sygnia’s involvement this year is its “What it takes” campaign, shining a light on the people behind the event. Not just the players – on the coaches who shape them, the teachers who hold it all together and the supporters who fill the stands. Interschools is not made by one team or one match but by a whole community, and “What it takes” is Sygnia’s way of honouring every person who plays a part.

“Interschools is so much more than a week of rugby. It is the coaches who arrive before sunrise, the teachers who go the extra mile, the parents on the sidelines and the players who leave everything on the field,” said Magda Wierzycka, Chief Executive Officer of Sygnia. “Our ‘What it takes’ campaign is about all of them. Being part of Paarl Interschools for a second year and celebrating the people who make it possible means a great deal to us. We could not be prouder to be working side by side again with these three schools and their communities.”

Sygnia also confirmed the appointment of Nicholas Groom as its Head of Partnerships, effective 1 September. Nicholas joins Sygnia with a career rooted in rugby, having played professionally for twelve years across South Africa, the United Kingdom and Europe before moving into sports partnerships and commercial strategy. He comes to the role from the school rugby world directly, most recently having led program and partnerships at one of the country’s top schoolboy rugby programmes.

“I’ve spent my career on both sides of this game – as a player and in building the partnerships that keep school sport strong,” said Groom. “I know first-hand what it takes, and how many people it takes, to make an event like this happen. The foundation built with the three schools over the past two years is something special, and I’m looking forward to deepening those relationships and finding new ways to back the young people and the community at the heart of it all.”

The sponsorship and “What it takes” campaign form part of Sygnia’s #TogetherWeRise platform, anchoring the company’s growing involvement in school sport across the country.

About Sygnia

Sygnia Asset Management is a JSE-listed South African financial services group headquartered in Cape Town that offers savings, investment and retirement solutions to individuals and institutions. Sygnia is committed to making a lasting difference in the communities it serves, including through its support of school sport across the country.