From the maize fields of Welkom to the world’s biggest rugby stadiums, Seabelo Senatla’s career has been defined by pace, acceleration and discipline. A visit to Stellenbosch, however, introduced him to wine and the stories behind each blend, sparking a new venture shaped by overcoming and becoming.
Former Blitzboks and current Stormers rugby player Seabelo Senatla launched his wine brand, Glory Wines, as a tangible memoir of his Sevens Rugby career. Drawing inspiration from his favourite Bible verse – “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” – the brand embodies Seabelo’s celebration of life and achievement beyond the rugby field.
“When I was entering the second phase of my career, I wanted to tip my hat to the run I had with Sevens Rugby,” says Seabelo. “It was accomplished and deserving of a memoir. I wanted something tangible that people could either enjoy by themselves or with others, a celebratory symbol. Wine was the perfect agent.”
While not a winemaker, Seabelo is involved in the entire winemaking process with the cellar team, from harvest to bottling. Here, he does the opposite of what he does on the field: he steps back and embraces the wine’s own pace.
“Every piece of the puzzle matters and forms part of the story when the finished product is presented. We work with a certain approach, but wine also likes to do its own thing,” says Seabelo. “I guess one of the applications that translates from the rugby field to the winery is not imposing myself, but letting things happen naturally.”
With Sevens Rugby at the heart of his story, Seabelo created a seven-cultivar blend, with each component reflecting a chapter of his Blitzboks career.
The 2016 vintage marks the year he was named World Sevens Player of the Year. With this blend, Seabelo aims to tell a story of overcoming and becoming, while celebrating both.
“We all have relatable stories of triumph, some smaller, others substantial. The magnitude doesn’t matter. The aim is for the wine to act as a ‘reflector’, to have people reflect on the struggles they’ve overcome. It’s an ode, a celebration.”
While some might refer to it as a balancing act, Seabelo doesn’t perceive Glory Wines as a departure from his sporting career, but rather a continuation of it. For him, the interchangeability between the two is demanding, but deeply rewarding.
“I’m a complex person with different sides to me. Rugby targets one part of me, while the other venture targets another,” says Seabelo. “There are parts that cross-pollinate, but mostly it feels like I rest the one while I’m busy with the other. This keeps me fresh. Truly speaking, there is no balance. I’m just gunning at both with everything I have, which is my only setting.”
Looking ahead, both culturally and personally, Seabelo hopes Glory Wines will help break old barriers and create new connections.
“I’d love Glory Wines to break the psychological barrier that wine is only for the elite – it’s for all of us,” says Seabelo. “More than that, I want it to make people slow down and celebrate themselves.”
Once the curtain closes on his rugby career, Glory Wines will provide Seabelo with a seamless transition into a new industry. “It was certainly the start of me carving another path for myself,” he says.