Steinhoff has officially notified SA Rugby of its intention to withdraw from all sponsorship activities of the national sevens teams with immediate effect.

The termination of the partnership between the beleaguered retail company and SA Rugby was reported on earlier this month, but on Monday the split was confirmed by SA Rugby.

‘We have been kept informed by Steinhoff of their thinking and they have confirmed their intention to withdraw from their sponsorship of sevens rugby with immediate effect,’ SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux said.

‘It has been completed amicably and by agreement. We’d like to thank Steinhoff for their commitment and support over the past two seasons.’

Roux added that SA Rugby is already in the process of finding a new sponsor.

‘We believe all our national teams have characteristics, values and a unique South African DNA that makes them highly attractive to commercial partners.

‘The Springbok Sevens team has added to that with consistently high standards of performance as the current holders of the World Rugby Sevens Series title and we believe they will be an attractive proposition for potential partners.’

The national sevens teams will have #LoveRugby on their jerseys until a new sponsor is found.

The Blitzboks are next in action at the Sydney Sevens, which starts on 26 January.