Although I’m a big fan of school rugby Easter festivals, I’ve sometimes felt a little guilty that my entertainment is being provided at a higher than acceptable injury risk to the players participating. Squads are made up of 22 players, there is rotation and games at certain festivals are reduced from 70 to 60 minutes. Nevertheless the best team players are often required to play all three games over just five days. It’s the kind of big ask we would not dream of making of our modern top senior professionals.…

This topic has come up in conversation with the staff from two schools that had each lost a star player this season. It revolved around the repayment of bursary money. There were different views offered by the staff on what should happen.…

South Africans wanting to get an idea of how the standard of water polo played by schoolboys here compared to those of the world’s leading countries were in for an unpleasant surprise. This score-line might not tell the full truth but provides some perspective:  Croatia 25 South Africa 1.…

A late charge by PaulRoosPa was not enough to stop Paarl Gim supporter PaarlBok from claiming the title. Paarlbok finished with a 78.95% accuracy rate and in 1152nd place overall (Top 3%). Well done Paarlbok! Enjoy the juice.…

Earlier this week the website www.saschoolsports.co.za published their final school cricket rankings for 2012. Wynberg tops the list. Their coach Eric Lefson was recently named as one of the five best school coaches in South Africa by SA Sports Illustrated magazine.…

South Africa’s under-18 water polo team got off to a losing start in their Group B opener in Perth, Australia. They went down 4-11 to Columbia after leading 3-2 at the half time break. …

Once again it looks like the winner of this contest will be decided by the tight 5. Barring a miracle our winner should emerge from one of the current top five on the leaderboard.  Paarlbok, QC86, KlofiePa, Greenblooded and PaulRoosPa …

The International Rugby Board has announced the shortlist of nominees for the prestigious IRB Player of the Year 2012 Award. The less said about the list the better. Four players cracked the nod. They are three times winner Richie McCaw, 2005 winner Daniel Carter, Freddy Michalak and 21-year-old Owen Farrell.…

A bit long-winded but here is an excerpt from one of the resolutions for discussion at the 3 December SARU meeting. …

Well anyone who has followed the end of year Northern Hemisphere tour test matches has by now had a chance to see most of the new IRB stuff coming into play at some stage. During the Currie Cup in South Africa we had a taste of the extra TMO involvement and concussion bin. The big one on tour was always going to be the new scrum engage requirement. Let’s face it scrums this November have generally not been that pretty a sight…

Sergeal Petersen, the 18-year-old Grey High and SA Schools wing has been named in the Southern Kings Superugby extended squad.…

In the December issue of SA Sports Illustrated magazine coaches Sakkie van der Walt of Affies, Grant Griffy Griffiths of Dale and Barend Steyn of Kearsney are named along with a soccer and a cricket coach as the Five Best School Coaches in South Africa…