The top schoolboy rugby players in the country will look to make their mark at the Markötter Sports Complex at Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch from Monday 13 July, in the grand spectacle of school rugby, the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week.
The top schoolboy rugby players in the country will look to make their mark at the Markötter Sports Complex at Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch from Monday 13 July, in the grand spectacle of school rugby, the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week.
The tournament, which features the most the talented Under-18 players, marks the final competition in the Coca-Youth Weeks series, and includes 20 teams in total.
A number of players from Grahamstown are part of the Eastern Province side. Zaci Sandi of St Andrew's is the only player selected for the EP Craven Week team, while Athi Halom (Kingswood), Siba Mzanywa (Kingswood), Anthony Dakin (St Andrew's, Captain), Luyolo Tshangwina (Graeme), Mike van Breda (Kingswood), Ewan Pieters (Kingswood), Thembi Mangwana (Kingswood), Jason Liesmore (Kingswood), Xolile Mdlokovana (St Andrew's), Grant Dixie (St Andrew's) have been selected for the EP Country District side. Team manager is George Lamani (Nathaniel Nyaluza).
The tournament begins on Monday, with 10 teams taking to the field, while the remaining teams will play their first round of matches on Tuesday. The tournament will conclude on Saturday.
The rugby festival will also mark the 150th anniversary of Paul Roos Gymnasium.
With DHL Western Province having the luxury of home ground advantage, and given their success at the Under-13 Coca-Cola Craven Week in White River and at the Coca-Cola Academy Week in Vanderbijlpark, there will be high expectations on the Cape side, in particular.
The main clash of the day will see hosts DHL Western Province going up against the Blue Bulls at 3.30pm what should be a thrilling north-south derby.
In the main matches on Tuesday, KwaZulu-Natal will go up against the Bidvest Golden Lions, and Eastern Province take on the SWD Eagles.
Interestingly, the match on Tuesday between EP and SWD will mark a repeat of last year’s final match, which the Port Elizabeth team won 25-7. The victory marked the first time in 37 years that they emerged as the top team in the U18 showpiece.
U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week day-one fixtures, 13 July:
8.30am – Namibia vs Border CD
10am – Boland vs Limpopo Blue Bulls
11.30am – Pumas vs Border
1pm – Free State vs Griffons
3.30pm – DHL Western Province vs Blue Bulls
Day-two fixtures, 14 July:
9am – Griquas CD vs Zimbabwe
10.30am – Valke vs Eastern Province CD
12pm – Leopards vs Griquas
1.30pm – KwaZulu-Natal vs Golden Lions
3pm – Eastern Province vs SWD Eagles
-SARU Corporate Affairs
