JOHANNESBURG – Bryan Habana, a member of the World Cup-winning Springbok team in 2007, the year he was named International Player of the Year, joins ASM Scholarship as a rugby ambassador for South Africa.
Commenting on his new role, Habana said: “I’m extremely excited to join the ASM team. What they’re doing - in all sports, not just rugby - is offering pathways into the US college system and that is absolutely brilliant.
“As a South African rugby ambassador, I’m looking forward to helping young athletes achieve their American dream.
“The game is booming there at the moment, featuring some of our top international players, and the US college rugby system is clearly expanding very rapidly. So the potential is just huge. Watch this space!”
Habana’s good friend and four-time Major champion golfer Ernie Els, who entered into a partnership with ASM in 2017 to help place international student-athletes into American universities through sports scholarships, said: “I’ve know Bryan for a number of years and he really is an inspirational character both on and off the pitch, so it’s amazing to have him on our team. He’ll be a great role model for all our young athletes.”
In 2019, ASM placed 173 students from 48 different countries at some of the top colleges in the US.
The sports in which they received scholarships included soccer, golf, rugby, tennis, basketball, track and field, swimming, diving, rowing, football, baseball, volleyball and ice hockey. ASM also signed agreements with Curro Schools in South Africa, as well as Sir Nick Faldo’s academy, the Faldo Series.
“This initiative with ASM is producing wonderful results,” says Ernie. “Everyone on the team, at the Els Group and obviously at ASM, is proud to be able to help these kids fulfil their dreams by competing against the best in the world and more importantly receiving an education.”