Craven Week 2016 will be held at Kearsney in KZN (40km from Durban). The u18 Academy Week 2016 is also set to take place at the same venue at the same time. This is the first time in history that the two youth weeks take place side by side. With 44 teams participating, other Durban high schools will assist Kearsney by providing accommodation for some of the players and officials.
| Mon 11Jul | Griquas CD | Zimbabwe | ||
| Mon 11Jul | Griquas | Namibia | ||
| Mon 11Jul | Griffons | Pumas | ||
| Mon 11Jul | Western Province | Boland | ||
| Mon 11Jul | Eastern Province | KwaZulu-Natal | ||
| Tue 12Jul | Limpopo BB | Border CD | ||
| Tue 12Jul | Eastern Province CD | Leopards | ||
| Tue 12Jul | Free State | Valke | ||
| Tue 12Jul | South Western Districts | Golden Lions | ||
| Tue 12Jul | Blue Bulls | Border |
Day 3, 4 and 5 fixtures are arranged during Craven Week.
@star: If memory serves, Glenwood, Westville and College were all quite close, but Glenwood definitely looked stronger after their GK imports joined. So, I’ll stick with my original opinion that Glenwood will take top KZN honours next year. DHS were very strong at u14 and u15 but not quite as strong at u16, so maybe I should’ve classified them below Westville and College.
Re House and Hilton: those rabbits are not as consistent as you may think. I remember House and Hilton being on the receiving end of some almighty poundings a few years ago – especially v KES. I’m sure that you’re correct that they will improve v their age group performances, but I suspect that they will prop up the Tier 1 table…unless DHS fall off a cliff.
@Vleis: I think you are wrong about age group form as Westville’s U16s were the highest ranked team in KZN in 2014. The only difference is the 3 or 4 imports( after GK) which distort matters a bit between schools and gets up some peoples noses.. I think the challenge for Westville will be in the front row whereas in 2015 it was a strength. House in particular always seem to be able to pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat and so we will have to wait and see what transpires there. I am hoping that DHS have a successful 150th year but not so much that they break their duck against Westville since the turn of the century( might be wrong about the century thing but it has been a long time
)
@ Buffel- who are you looking to impress from Kearsney. I will be keeping my eye on the sons of 2 WOBs. I also heard that the GK8 was being tried at hooker. If so an interesting move.
@Vleis: Am not close to the action as in the past but with the staff at MHS and Hilton getting Brad MH , I am sure they too will be competitive. Am sure that I will get to see KC in action against Westville and it is going to be interesting to see how Westville adapt to a new coach after many years under Grant Bell.
They have returning KZN players and I think they should be dominant in their respective positions.
Don’t know much about Glenwood but they will always be the one’s to beat, like College of old.
Sorry, haven’t mentioned Northwood but they too will win their share of games.
Clifton have Grant Bell to take them to the next level – let us see how they fare.
@Buffel: Congrats from me too.
If 1st team form follows age group form (which is often not the case I hasten to add) then Glenwood will be comfortably the best. Westville, DHS and College will be very good. Kearsney will be competitive but erratic, while House and Hilton will be very poor.
@star: Welcome back . Yip, a case it is. Thanks, really well done by them. A great team effort . The best move he made after school. The coaching and guidance he received was first class and all the staff at the academy can be commended on the their man management.
It augers well for the future and hopefully the Kings can hold onto them going forward. It is amazing how success draws interest . Who would say that the Kings would be one of the fancied Unions to join at U19 level but the requests have been coming thick and fast. Well done guys.
Onto school rugby, it is going to be interesting how the 2016 season unfolds with not too many stand-out teams jumping to the fore.
Westville should be up there as too Glenwood,MHS and College. Kearsney will be honest and will always give 200% as too Hilton. I think DHS might be the side to beat in their 150th year but being able to maintain the momentum in subsequent years could be a challenge .
Roll on 2016.
@Buffel: Firstly congrats to your boy and the EP Kings U19 on their results. However if memory serves me correctly I think you owe me a case of SAB’s finest. I will have to catch you at K for CW or maybe before when Westville and K kick off their seasons. Bloody addictive it is.
@Buffel: For me that downgrading of Free State, a traditional Craven Week powerhouse was very interesting as well. It is so seldom that a team playing in game one of the first 3 games of Day 1 or 2, gets advanced to the “semifinal”. The best hope that FS now has is that the Valke who are overdue for a big campaign turn out to be really good, adding considerable weight to a victory over them.
I also feel that the Craven Week Day 1 & 2 fixtures format is a little outdated now.
What needs to happen is an assessment made of the strength of the various teams during the second term in the lead up to Craven Week and then seed these teams based on perceived strength, so that you have a scenario where the match ups for each of Day 1 & 2’s main games are:
Day 1
Seed 1 vs 8
Seed 4 vs 5
Day 2
Seed 2 vs 7
Seed 3 vs 6
Perhaps what might be even better than an assessment is to organise pre-Craven Week deciders. There are a handful of under-18 warm-up games played during June such as NV Bondedag and the Cape quadrangular weekend. Structure some of these matches (not all) to help decide who gets a highly valued place in one of the last 2 matches of Day 1/2.
For example the Pumas, Griffons, KZN, Lions, Bulls, Griquas, Limpopo, Leopards, Valke and Free State can easily compete in one off matches.
So KZN, Lions, Bulls, Free State to not play each other but play Pumas, Griffons, Valke or possibly Griquas. Winners get Craven Week seedings. For example:
KZN vs Pumas
Lions vs Valke
Bulls vs Limpopo
Free State vs Griffons
other game
Leopards vs Griquas
Down South its not feasible to have EP vs SWD coz it would mean WP plays Boland twice so
EP vs Boland
WP vs SWD
or
EP vs WP
Bol vs SWD
to count.
Then send the one Cape winner match + the other match loser to one group and one winner and the other team to the second group at Craven Week.
So most teams will arrive at Craven Week with the understanding that their seed has been influenced by a pre Craven Week match.
Great for Kearsney and KZN as it will showcase all the talent in one spot. The selectors will have an abundance of players to watch and it will also make the job of talent scouts that much easier as they will be able to walk from field to field .
All the accommodation in Hillcrest and surrounds will be filled to capacity and that too add a boost to the local economy for the week.
Interesting to see Free State not in the final 2 games on either day. Traditional powerhouses of schoolboy rugby, they seem to be on the downward curve but am sure they will be on the up in the near future.
Well done KC. Will be up to watch with great interest.