As South Africa gears up for the return of one of world sport’s fiercest rivalries—the Springboks vs All Blacks—two Black women-led businesses are proving that the biggest wins don’t only happen on the pitch.
Unorthodox Group, a 100% Black-, female- and youth-owned Pan-African sports growth advisory firm, has joined forces with Coral Communications, the award-winning communications agency founded by Tendai Rukwava, to curate a series of premium corporate experiences headlined by All Blacks legend Dan Carter, who will visit South Africa from 20–25 August 2026.
But this isn’t just another celebrity appearance. The partnership signals a bold shift in how major sporting moments can be leveraged—not only to entertain fans, but to unlock business opportunities, leadership conversations, commercial partnerships and lasting social impact across the continent.
Launching during Women’s Month, the initiative also celebrates the growing influence of women in South Africa’s sports economy, highlighting what can happen when women-led businesses collaborate to create opportunities that extend beyond their own organisations.
For more than a century, the Springboks and All Blacks rivalry has captivated the sporting world. It’s a fixture built on excellence, legacy and mutual respect, one that fills stadiums, attracts global audiences and draws corporate leaders, investors and decision-makers into the same room. Yet, according to Unorthodox Group and Coral Communications, the true value of these iconic moments lies in everything that happens beyond the 80 minutes. Their vision is to transform world-class sporting events into platforms for executive networking, business growth and meaningful collaboration.
Built around Unorthodox Group’s belief that sport is a strategic business asset rather than simply a sponsorship opportunity, the programme has been designed to help organisations strengthen client relationships, engage stakeholders and create memorable experiences around one of rugby’s biggest occasions.
During his visit, Dan Carter will headline an exclusive programme featuring:
- Executive leadership conversations
- Keynote addresses
- Private meet-and-greets
- Premium corporate hospitality
- Match-day experiences
- Corporate golf engagements
- Youth rugby development clinics
The experiences are designed to help businesses reward key clients, inspire teams, foster strategic partnerships and align their brands with excellence, leadership and high performance.
Launching during Women’s Month is no coincidence. In a sporting landscape traditionally dominated by men, the collaboration between Unorthodox Group and Coral Communications reflects the changing face of the sports business industry. Rather than competing for opportunities, the two firms have joined forces to demonstrate how Black women-owned businesses can conceptualise, negotiate and deliver globally relevant sporting experiences that create value for international sporting icons, corporate South Africa and local communities alike.
“Our ambition is to ensure that The Greatest Rivalry becomes more than a rugby spectacle—it becomes a catalyst for business excellence,” said Sibabalwe Sesmani, Founder and Group CEO of Unorthodox Group.
“Africa shouldn’t simply host the world’s biggest sporting moments; we should maximise the opportunities they create. This collaboration is the first step towards building a platform that connects global sporting excellence with African business, leadership and innovation.”
Sesmani added that every major sporting event generates economic activity, but few organisations fully unlock the commercial and leadership opportunities surrounding those moments.
“Our role is to create measurable outcomes for businesses while contributing to the growth of Africa’s sports economy.”
For Tendai Rukwava, Founder of Coral Communications, the partnership is also a celebration of the power of collaboration.
“Women’s Month reminds us that representation matters, but collaboration creates lasting impact. This initiative shows what can happen when women-led businesses combine their strengths to deliver work that competes on a global stage. We hope it inspires more partnerships that place African businesses at the centre of international opportunities.”
While Dan Carter’s visit marks the inaugural edition of the programme, both organisations have confirmed that this is only the beginning.
The long-term vision is to build a platform that consistently brings globally respected sporting figures to Africa while creating meaningful opportunities for businesses, governments, investors and communities to connect through sport. For corporate South Africa, it’s an invitation to think beyond hospitality. For the sports industry, it’s proof that the biggest opportunities aren’t always found on the scoreboard—they’re built through collaboration, leadership and bold ideas that continue long after the final whistle.
info@coralcommunications.agency
