Five local school rugby players have been selected for the Eastern Province U18 Country Craven Week side to take part in the Coca-Cola Craven Week at the Border Rugby Stadium in East London from 13 to 18 July.
Five local school rugby players have been selected for the Eastern Province U18 Country Craven Week side to take part in the Coca-Cola Craven Week at the Border Rugby Stadium in East London from 13 to 18 July.
Another four pupils have been selected as part of the EP Country Academy side to take part in the U18 National Academy Week from 28 June to 3 July in Pretoria.
The five EP Craven Week players are James Price, Grant Prior, Robin Murray, Brian Skusana (all St Andrew’s College) and Jade Bowles (Graeme College). The local academy members from Grahamstown are Ryan Dugmore, Ian Herold (St Andrew’s), Matthew Booth (Graeme), Jason Collett (Kingswood College).
The country side will meet up at Hoër Landbouskool Marlow in Cradock shortly before the Craven Week, where they will be presented with their EP colours and kit and also take part in a final training session.
The country side will play two warm up matches, on 13 June against Griquas at Douglas and on 15 June at Marlow, against South Western District.
Duncan Bush, Eastern Province U18 Country Academy manager and Albany selector said the EP country side is strong this year, with the bulk of the team made up of Marlow and St Andrew’s players, which he says are the two strongest school teams in the Albany/Karoo/Midlands and Ukahlaba regions (which make up the EP country sides). Bush said Marlow and St Andrew’s continue to deliver quality players each year and this will help the EP side be very competitive in the Craven Week “for years to come”.
Stefan Lourens, director of rugby at St Andrew’s, is the assistant coach for the EP U18 Country Craven Week side.
Robin Murray said he was surprised to make the EP Craven Week side, and he hopes to be able to “do my best and make a name for myself”. Jade Bowles felt privileged to represent EP and he plans to “make the most of it and enjoy the tournament”. James Price said it was an honour to make the side, something he had always wanted to do, while he looks forward to “having fun and showing off my talent”.
Grant Prior was excited about the Craven Week and “hope to make the most of the opportunity and gain as much experience as I can, and also be able to mature as a rugby player”.
Brian Skusana said his hard work had paid off and he looks forward to the tournament.
The EP country trials started with 90 players taking part at Middleburg High School. With the second trials 60 players took part at St Andrew’s. From here, 30 players were selected to take part in the Meyer Sauerman Tournament, before the EP Country Craven Week team was selected.
Meanwhile, Ntsikelelo Mlamleli (St Andrew’s) and Lihleli Xoli (Kingswood) have been selected to represent the EP at the Coca-Cola U16 Grant Khoma week from 28 June to 3 July at Oakdale Agricultural High School.
