Craven Week, the youth week tournament for mainstream provincial under-18 players kicks off on Monday 17 July 2017 at St Stithians College in Randburg Gauteng. For the majority of player participating, it will mark the highest achievement of their school rugby careers. For a selected few who play at Craven Week, there will be the added higher honour of being picked to represent SA Schools. SARU’s talent identification process has improved significantly in recent year. SARU now has a working network that allows them to pick a top rated national under-18 team without hosting the still prestigious premier youth week. That said, Craven Week does still allow out of the limelight players to play themselves into SA Schools contention and those on the inside track to fall out of favour due to either poor form or simply being outperformed by another in the same position. In spite of criticism leveled against it for some of its development objectives, Craven Week remains a big deal especially to schoolboy rugby players.
Tell us who you’ve been rating this year:
Stop name dropping! Last years or two years ago is done! What about now! Who shapes now?
@Rainier: Darem nie heeltemal waar nie.
@robbie: Ek kan jou in 4 woorde antwoord:
Kaap beste.
Res clueless.
@CharlesZA: Jy is reg ek het van Strauss vergeet.
@robbie: Jy verstaan nie wat ek seg nie. Daar is skole van ander provinsies wat tot nege spelers in ‘n span het maar wat teen van die top skole in die Kaap se seccies sal verloor. Nou seg hulle al die beste talent is by die CW/AW, of dit is hoe dit bemark word, dit is nonsens. Niks met Boishaai te maak nie, net hulle as voorbeeld gebruik om die punt te maak. Die WP moet meer spanne he as meetse van die kleiner unies. So relax, ek het al lank gelede op die blog ook gekla dat PRG minder GK spelers as Boishaai gekry het maar dalk het jy dit net gemis.
@Stier: 2 stutte, Alberts, Fourie en Abrahams?
@robbie: Horie jy kies altyd ‘n vormspan, natuurlik binne parameters, en die HJS spelers was gister opmerklik beter as die res. 3-4 spelers is heeltemal uit hul diepte en wie ookal die voorry en senter combo’s gekies het is duidelik ook uit hul diepte. Basiese & posisionele vaardighede was swakste wat ek van ‘n WP groep in jare gesien het
@Quagga: the scrums seemed to struggle on the tighthead side. Your son played well in the loose. One of the few that cleaned, or were there to clean. Players for Wednesday play a much looser game (skou ponies), except for your namesake lock.
If a you have a backline that runs the right lines against Lions, they will be in major trouble. Border attack was poor, as they were too individual and mostly drifting.
Spilhaus prefers players that hang loose, let’s see if it works for him. Can see players out of position struggling big time.
I think the Lions team very overrated
@Quagga: I shall stick with what I said from the day the team was announced. The Lions have one of the best packs at the CW. The backline however is a problem. The first game the Lions fw ate kept busy the backline will struggle.
@BrotherBear: Agree it was a performance far below expectations by that Golden Lions team. We can only write it off as first game jitters combined with a very strong onslaught by Border initially, but that was expected and should have been dealt with much better. Perhaps some of the new players are battling to adapt to the game plan which perhaps does not bring the best out of all the players. I remember the frustration of players after the first game last year as well. Too many stupid errors by players that are normally quite good. The missed tackles, shooting up out of the line and poor ball handling was completely unacceptable. Many of the players not playing their best rugby but I for one hope it is a repeat of last year when the team was terrible on day 1 and then smashed the Blue Bulls in the following match.
Stier wat is die rede vir jou gekarring oor die aantal Boishaai seuns in die CW span ? Live with it. Julle prestasies was vanjaar uitstekend, maar dit beteken beslis nie julle moet outomaties die span oorheers nie. Dikwels kry jy ‘n span wat as ‘n SPAN goed funksioneer, maar as indiwidue minder sterk voorkom. Dit gebeur elke jaar met ster spanne. Kyk na die P Roos onder 16 span. As jou redenasie geldig is, behoort hulle ten minste 50% van die span uit te maak. Wie het die meeste spelers in die span gehad ? Moenie “worry” nie. Volgende het julle net 3 in die CW span.
@CharlesZA: Daar is net vier van Boishaai by CW/AW, skole soos Ugie High, Dordrecht High, Kalahari High en Hoogenhout High het meer seuns by CW/AW as Boishaai? Nee wat CW/AW is ‘n grap, hoe op aarde kan die streek met die meeste top skole net twee spanne he terwyl meeste streke drie of vier spanne daar het? Om dit te verkoop as die room van ons land se SBR is verregaande. Ek dink ons top rugby skole se seccies sal meeste van daai spanne by CW/AW slag.
@Bere007: En as die Bulle nie hulle laerskool rugby struktuur verbeter nie gaan julle nog baie meer moet koop. Talent is daar wel oor genoeg in Pretoria.
What happened to Jurie Linde? Is he still playing rugby ? Was the next big thing..same with Morgan Steyn
Moet se ek was nie vreeslik beindruk met die algemene spelpeil van spanne nie. Die hoeveelheid hanteerfoute en swak besluitnemenings was ooglopend, maar ek sal dit vir eers toeskryf aan eerste dag jitters. In die WP span was daar duidelik n speler of twee wat uit diepte gelyk het en heeltemal verdwyn het deur die loop van die wedstryd. Fourie en Swanepoel was vir my baie goed voor asook Le Roux wat ingekom het op No 99 in die span. Hulle het hulle werk gedoen en was goed in vastelos..nie soos showponies op die punte rondegstaan en wag vir die bal nie..Agter was Muller du Plessis gevaarlik en die senters het goed verdedig. Die game was eintlik laaste 15 minute net n losgetjommel wat niemand eintlik enige iets uit wys kon word nie.
Lions het stadig begin maar deur die loop van die wedstryd het hulle strukture ingeskop en toe in 2de helfte is dit neusie verby gewees vir Border. Laasgenoemde het hard probeer maar was meer geneig om te hoop op individuele briljantheid vir punte as n spanpoging. Boland se vedediging in 2de helfte gelyk asof hulle dit op Wellington se oefenveld vergeet het..Dit is moeilik om die OVS se ware potentsiaal te meet gegewe hoe swak Boland was!
In geheel lyk die Lions vir my die mees gebalanseerde span. lekker groot en beweeglike voorspelers met n giftige agterlyn. WP sal n beter vertoning as die een teen Pumas moet gee as hulle die Lions wil klop in my opinie.
@Stier: Verstaan wat jy probeer se maar ek dink julle het 5 by CW/AW en ten minste 4 wat beseer is wat daar sou wees as hulle fiks was. Dan is hulle loskakel van eerste span o19 en indien hy o18 sou hy daae gewees het.
@Stier: Ek was bietjie weg,maar moet toegee jy het al lank voor CW dieselfde gese.Dit is egter baie jammer dat CW af gewater word.Julle is egter in n baie bevooregte posisie,die gap gaan net groter word.Ek skat geen span by CW sal HJS wen nie,so julle getalle in WP maak nie sin nie.Ek vir een is ook bekommerd oor die ander provinsies,hoe kan jy kompeterend wees as jy n c span speler van n skole span in jou CW span het.Wie word gebluff?Dis hoekom ek dink die Bulle en almal betrokke doen goed met die Assupol toernooi waar oor die 250 seuns wat oor die hoof gesien word vir CW n regverdige kans gegun word om talente uit te stal.Die Bokkie week is in my opinie nie die antwoord nie.Ek skat ander Unies gaan metertyd volg met iets soortsgelyk..
Dit is juis hoekom ons daar by julle werf ?
@Grizzly: Ja daar is mos geseg ek praat nie rugby nie, soos jy seg praat ek 80% van die tyd as dit oor rygby gaan. Waar is al daai rugby manne nou wat so gekla het? Ek verstaan hulle argument net so min soos jy.
Die span keuses hier in die Kaap is net so swak soos Ploegskaar al verduidelik het. Ek kyk vandag en dit is snaaks hoe die enigste onoorwonne skool in Suid Afrika net vier seuns by die CW/AW het. Kan jy dink as dit enige ander skool was wat die reaksie sou gewees het? CW is net vir die pret en ek dink glad nie die beste talent in ons land speel daar nie. Net snaaks dat dit verkoop word as die betse SBR talent in ons land.
Die feit dat WP almal wen is seker maar ‘n bewys dat hulle meer spanne verdien as enige ander streek, wat nie nou die geval is nie. Ek twyfel egter of WP so goed gaan doen by die 18 manne maar die o/13 seuns het ook verras met hoe goed hulle gedoen het. As die WP die o/18’s ook moet wen sal ek baie bekommerd wees as ek die ander provinsies is.
@Grizzly: wel hulle het nie slegter as wp of die lions gelyk nie,
Lions extremely poor today. None if the big names in your teams above arrived at all, except for David Cary. Tight five only Asinathi showed up and loose forwards realy poor, except for Mark (but not his best). Backline tackling will be their downfall against quality team. Combrinck was OK. Border attack really poor. Their defense held up for 45 minutes.
Vian Fourie the real deal for WP.
@Carl de Kock: Ek stem saam.Sal altyd kyk en belangstel,dit is egter nie meer wat dit was nie.@Smallies: Ek dink nie Vrystaat hierdie jaar n span vir die final nie.Hulle gesien teen die Bulle op Bondedag waar die telling hul gevlei het.Hoop hul bewys my verkeerd want ek is n groot supporter.@Stier: Hi daar,vir iemand wat nie veel waarde heg aan cw het jy omtrent 80% van al die inskrywings op die Cw posts
Baie geluk aan jul jnrs en Gk.Die dae wat ander spanne daai goed wen is verby.Laasjaar en hierdie jaar by die Bulle se 0/16 moet hul met spelers speel wat vir hul skool se C spanne speel!So moet asb nie CW ernstig op vat nie.So is ek oortuig dat daar 4 of 5 spelers in Bulle se snr span speel wat die beste in hul posisie is.Dat n speler soos Zwartkops se 10 nie een van die spanne gehaal het nie is lagwekkend.Ek glo die lions gaan goeie rekenskap van hulself gee maar ek skat dis weer die tripple crown vir die WP…
@Smallies: Yip, die organiseerders het dir Vrystaat hard gespyker met die bepalings. Dink nie vrystaat is die beste nie maar is verseker een van die top 8 en moes vandag of more n quarter final gekry het.
Ek sien die vrystaat wp en lions speel vir n plek in die final woensdag, met die wenner van die lions en wp wat seker maar sal deur gaan
Wat eens n prestige week was is nou n afgewaterde uitnodigingsweek. Ons kwaliteit van rugby verswak elke jaar…bietjies vir bietjies…en moenie dat koerante en/of kommentators julle flous nie.
Nie negatief nie, slegs realisties.
Nou ja ! Die volgende week sit ek weer vas voor die TV ! Sterkte vir al die jong manne, veral die manne en hul ouers wat ek ken, asook ons mede bloggers se spruite. Sien baie uit na die toernooi!
It is time. Let the games begin!
@Kattes-Strofes: @Stier: Francke Horne is ‘n yster. Hoop hy raak gou en honderd persent gesond. Dankie vir die inligting oom Kattes.
@Kattes-Strofes: Ja ‘n regte oulike jong man wat soos jy seg ‘n groot toekoms het. Dankie Francke jy het baie plesier verskaf en sterkte.
Net n update oor Francke Horne. Die jongman het n virus opgetel wat sy hart aangetas het, en volgens die dokter, sal hy vir twee maande hom baie stil moet gedra.
Die slegte nuus is natuurlik dat sy skool rugby seisoen dus op n einde is, en dat daar geen Cravenweek , potensiale SA Skole en natuurlik ook interskole vir hom beskore is nie.
Om sake egter in perspektief te plaas, is die goeie nuus dat sy kanse op volle herstel tans uitstekend is, en dat hy in die toekoms nog n normale lewe kan ly, baie bemoedigend.
Francke is natuurlik, behalwe vir sy puik spel, n uitstaande leier, en sy kapteinskap sal beslis deur Boishaai gemis word. Die span , so wil ek glo, sal egter hierdie groot terugslag, behoorlik verwerk, en steeds ons ondersteuners trots maak, wen, of verloor.
Aan hom en sy gesin, wil ek dus net baie dankie sê vir die afgelope klompie jare se plesier, en dat ek steeds vol vertroue is dat hy nog die hoogste sport sal beklee op, en vanaf, die rugby veld !
@beet: At Grant Khomo 2 years ago a similar Kzn team beat WP, hopefully they don’t disappoint this year
@beet: Yes I agree about the game time issue for those front rankers…..Also think KZN have three other players that could ruffle a few of the more high profile feathers and those are all in my view excellent players. They are the lock (or should perhaps consider #7 going forward) Edward Loubsher, the loose forward #6 Dylan Kruger (and man this bloke impressed me at the ‘Bondedag’) and the centre Conan Le Fleur. Just another thing, I hope BB #15 Diego Appollis gets a run at #13 because I think that is his best position and he is a special player (and should be pivotal in the midfield next season.)
@Quagga: Phillip van Dyk is a real yster speler.
Yeah with regards to Labuschagne and Jacobs, I really wasn’t 100% sure which way to have them. I considered switching them a number of times. Last year Labuschagne played 8 for AHS and did an outstanding job. By all accounts is one of the BB region players of the season this year and won’t let anyone down if he makes SAS.
@Quagga: I saw that Nhlabakanye weight is registered as 120kg which would suggest he has lost a few kgs and very good news. He’s a terrific player to watch on the frontfoot with ball in hand and hopefully he can show his form off the ball as well at CW. He is definitely on the SAS selectors radar.
I feel a number of KZN boys’ hopes may be pinned to their success at CW and they are never amongst the top prepared teams coming into the week. I think Mbatha (2) and Gumede (a lock/loose-forward) are two others who’s names might come up on a team list after CW if things go well for KZN.
It’s already so difficult for a non-high profile frontrow player to catch the eye because they generally have the most limited game-time of all squad players since teams are virtually compelled to pick 2 frontrows for CW. SO for a player like Schwultz who is a very mobile and versatile player as you mentioned, there are added challenges to get noticed but made easier if he’s in a winning team in my opinion.
@Boishaai Old Boy: I rate Philip van Dyk of PRG very highly. He is powerful from the base and one of the hard men this year. If there is anything good that comes out of the Horn injury (who I firmly believe will probably still be in the running for SAS cappie) it is that Van Dyk will get his opportunity at the youth weeks. Talking about #8, I see @Beet has has BB #7 Jaco Labuschagne at #8 in one team where I think he is in real contention at #7 with his team mate Philip Potgieter certainly a guy to watch out for as well at #8. Like Van Dyk a real menace in open play and on the ground.
@beet: Keagan Glade of the Golden Lions is not only a monster at #3 come scrum time, but played in the 2015 Grant Khomo with success in the #1 jumper with the huge frame of Asenathi Nhlabakanye at tighthead. I expect to see both of them in the mix and it will be interesting to see the form of Asenathi who seems to be better conditioned now than a few months ago. The GL bench loosehead Nkosi Masuku of Parktown is also a very lively but powerful unit who was in the SARU groups so keep an eye on him too. I agree with you on Knox but think Schwultz is also worth keeping an eye on as he packs down anywhere in the front row.
@Snoek: I mentioned those two 9’s and their prospects in a comment above.
I wasn’t attempting to comply with any transformation targets. Just trying to spark conversation by highlighting some of the players I think have been and might still impress.
Everyone is welcome to share their own list your players to watch or team in line with targets if they like.
@robbie: That is why someone must consider either going the WP CD route or Boland/Winelands route…Boland can stay Boland..its just excludes the Paarl and Stellenbosch schools…or WP uses the current Wineland schools as a CD team so more players can get exposure from Southern and Northern areas. I don’t see what development Border CD or Namibia or Zimbabwe brings to the party at CW..They can compete at Academy level for that matter.
Does anybody know how long Franke will be out for? The injuries is pilling up for Boishaai and SACS and Gim is still waiting. I think Franke had a real chance at SA schools, some good players from Boishaai have missed out this season.
@robbie: I would love CW, especially at u/13 level to go back to a festival format. If you think about it, most schools will play around 16 to 22 games in a year, then they play provincial trials, two or three warm-up games, three CW games and then maybe SA schools. Before you know it some of these boys would have played over 30 games for the year. Many professional players won’t even play that many games in a year. It’s no different for the u/13’s, last year some of the boys in Lochnerhof played 32 games, that is counting the WP trials.
@beet: What about the DHS & SACS scrumhalves ? Your 2 teams very light on PDI’s. The Lions tight head also an option.
@CharlesZA: Jy is korrek, blykbaar was hy is die 46 man groep wat Kus toernooi bygewoon het. Hy het by daai toernooi vir die CW span gespeel. So dit maak nie lekker sin nie.
CW has over time developed from a festival to a league/competition. Thirty years ago + the WP team was selected, practised a few times and rarely if ever played a match before the CW. That is how Craven envisaged the tournament. For years the finalists were determined according to flair and creative play rather than being unbeaten. That may be the reason for the limit of 3 players – give as many players from different schools an opportunity. Of course this will change the dynamic of the CW, but WP will not be much weaker due to the general high standard of rugby in the province. What I would definitely stop is 2nd XV from a school playing in the CW team.
Changing provinces does not lie in the hands of individual schools. What makes people think that Boland would welcome the Winelands schools or that these schools would be better off there ? The previous experiment lasted one season. Players were nailed by the selectors. If I am not mistaken Schalk Burger was a reserve forward (19) in that team yet he played at the World Cup for the Bokke 18 months later.
@Boishaai Old Boy: Direk in CW? So hulle het nie iemand van AW opgetrek?
@CharlesZA: Philip van Dyk of PRG replaced him
@beet: Who replaced Horne? Quite last minute changes these. Havent played a game in few weeks.
@CharlesZA: Herman le Roux.
Thanks
@beet: Kitwanga also out of CW, Andre Hanekom from Stellenberg drafted into AW side. Not sure who took Kitwanga’s spot in CW side.
@beet: There is also a student digs called Michaelhouse in Stellenbosch on the corner of Van Riebeeck Str and Die Laan..
@warriors7: no it’s Hillcrest a College in Zimbabwe.
Some useless information about school names. There is a Michaelhouse and Westville in the Eastern Cape and a Glenwood in the Western Cape.
Re Zim selectuon:
It would be interesting to find out what the exact criteria is for Zimbabwe u18 selection, as there are a number of Zim nationals at schools around SA who play a decent game of rugby. I assume a Zimbabwean u18 player has to attend trials of some sort in order to qualify for the u18 team selection but does he have to attend a Zimbabwean school?
Is the no 11 in the Zimbabwe team from the Hillcrest in Durban ??
@Vyfster: The two teams are picked from the same region. The WP XV team is the “B”, its pretty much the academy week team for the u16 group.
@Vyfster: wp het van laasjaar af twee spanne, en ek dink die gasheer het ook 2
Ek sien Limpopo het Boland naelskraap 15-14 gewen in laerskole Cravenweek…lol…miskien moet die wynland skole maar Boland toe skuif.
016’s by GK het Limpopo vir Valke goeie pak slae (dink 48-19) gegee….mooi so Limpopo….doe zo voort!
Grant Khomo week has a Wp Team as well as a WP XV, also Free State and FS xv…from where are they chosen, or is it just a B team…given your comments above?
Grant Khomo week has a Wp Team as well as a WP XV, also Free State and FS xv…from where are they chosen, or is it just a B team…given your comments above?
@Stier: die ding van Aliwal was dat hulle nader aan Bloemfontein as Oos London is, en by die grens is dit maar altyd die Queens Dale en Stirling show gewees, dit het nie oor getalle gegaan nie maar om die kinders die kans te gee om op n gelyke vlak mee te ding vir plekke
@Stier: Dan begin die manne weer fokus verloor. Akademie bly die belangrikste.
@Stier: Die uitslae van die CW sou drasties verander.
@Smallies: Ek weet nie of dit die moeite werd is om te skyf net om CW spelers te kry nie? Kan jy dink as al die unies net drie spelers per skool mag kies?
@Smallies: Ek sal moet bevestig, ek dink laerskool.
@Carl de Kock: laerskool of hoërskool
@Smallies: Ek verneem bv dat Middelburg val nou onder die Grens …nie meer OP nie..
@BoishaaiPa: drie jaar terug het Aliwal Noord se laerskool besluit om in belang van hulle kinders van grens na die vrystaat te skyf… Sederdien het hulle in drie jaar ses of sewe CW spelers opgelewer en meer as 20 vrystaat platteland spelers vir die vkb week, somtyds is n skuif n baie goeie ding
@Stier: Dis maar net n voeltjie wat ek hoor fluit het…hoe vals hy fluit sal ons nog moet sien!
@Carl de Kock: Ja ek stem saam. Ek dink dit is wat CW moet wees.
@Stier: Uitnodigingspan is heel van pas. Nooit uit en almal kry n beurt.
@BoishaaiPa: Het jy enige idee hoekom die WP dit wil doen? Wat is hulle doel met die besluit, en gaan dit onder 12 en 13 rugby insluit?
@Carl de Kock: Hulle kan die span noem net wat hulle wil maar hulle sal dit nooit doen nie. Dit maak te veel sin om dit te doen.
@Stier:Noem dit sommer n WP XV-tal, of nog beter..n uitnodigingspan.
@beet: I think PRG is going to be one of the teams to beat next year. They are going to be very strong. Lets wait and see what happens next year. Fact is unions don’t really care about schools they only care about the rugby. Mr. Rupert is their main share holder and we will have to see if he will say anything. I would love to know why they want to do this? Like @BoishaaiPa: said they will make the WP team a lot weaker. Personally I don’t have a problem with that because CW should be about festival rugby. I think WP know they will struggle without the wineland schools but they also want to give more Cape Town schools a chance to get WP representation. The decision seems illogical a CD team will allow more city schools to get representation and in my view is a much better option. But like I said the unions only care about themselves and their ego’s. They know a WP CD side will probable beat a WP team every year. They want their bread buttered on both sides and they just don’t care about the schools. One more thing, WP must remember if the wineland schools decide to move to Boland they will have a big problem, the Bulls and Boland are in a partnership if I am not mistaken? WP might just do the Bulls a huge favor if they do this.
@beet: Apologies, we have digressed once more from your topic….I do agree with most of the players on your list. I will however point out another player I hope gets enough game time at CW..Keep a close eye on Ikemefuna from SACS in the WP team…He impressed me in the games against Paul Roos, Gym and Boland. Those are big games and he played well in all of them for SACS.
Ek dink in elk geval kan Boland die Paarl, Wellington en Stellenbosch skole gebruik om n baie sterk Boland span in die veld te stoot en dan kan die res van Boland as Boland CD speel. Hulle sal baie meer kompeterend wees en baie meer verskillende skole en spelers blootstelling gee as wat huidige CD spanne soos Border, Griekwas of OP kan gee!.. WP kan dan sy speler getal oor meer skole versprei en veral die Suidelike Voorstede sal groot baat vind hierby.
@BoishaaiPa: Afrika mentaliteit.
@CharlesZA: Dis maar deesdae baie dieselfde lyk dit vir my!..ses van die een en halfdosyn van die ander!
@BoishaaiPa: Very interesting development.
@BoishaaiPa: Good luck met daai Boland manne.
@Carl de Kock: Nee kyk sodra die unies betrokke raak by SBR is dit net ‘n gemors. Al ons unies is useless, jy moet wees as jy soveel talent het en jy kan net drie super rugby titels in 21 jaar wen? Selfs die skaap boere daar op daai groot droee eiland doen beter as ons en hulle het nie ‘n kwart van ons rugby spelers nie.
@Laevelder: Thank you. I fixed it.
@Stier: But Paul Roos has some very exciting years ahead starting in 2018 and if anything they are the ones that might be prejudiced by such a decision.
@warriors7: It’s just a matter of opinion really
For what it’s worth I think Sanele N and Lucky D will be leading candidates for at least one if not both SA Schools berths. Both are good players. Sanele has a bright future ahead and has the potential to perform as well as James Hall has in a very short time after finishing school. Hendrikse has an equally promising future ahead based on the talent he has displayed.
In the KZN set up if Sanele in fit he will most likely start and play the better portion of Saturday’s match and may even get a run as a 10 during the week in the lead up and take on some of the goal-kicking responsibilities.
What I found interesting looking at the teams along with the progress this season is that whereas at senior pro level in SA, we have a shortage of quality 9’s and 3’s, this year in SBR we are blessed with an abundance of good choices for both positions. The Bulls selection at 9 serves as a good example of depth. With Mulder ruled out, to be able to bring in a player of Snyman’s calibre says a lot for the depth. Also to think WP could overlook Eric Myburgh. I think there are a few other 9’s who will light up CW.
At prop there are a few tightheads like Rocky Knox and James Combrinck who the selectors may have to consider as looseheads. There are a number of achieving tightheads. Sadly the Bulls TH prop Gerrit Visser of Klofies is also out of CW and should have been mentioned in my first comment.
Anyway after watching the quality that NZ and the Lions offered at 3 and 9, hopefully 1 or 2 of our youngsters can go on to become the next Taigh Furlong, Owen Franks, Aaron Smith, TJ Perenara or Conor Murray – all exceptional players and way better than anything we have at senior level in SA at present.
@BoishaaiPa: Ja ‘n hoof by een van die laerskole in Paarl het vir my geseg hy kan elke jaar kies of sy skool onder Boland of WP wil speel. Hy seg ook die politiek in die Boland is net erger.
@Stier: Baie waar. So gaan slim nog sy baas vang
@BoishaaiPa: They can make it one player per school, CW is totally overrated. As it stand at the moment team selections is strange, so how much worse can it get? WP is short sighted, they have enough talent to select a CD team that will give kids from more schools a chance if they want to. But they know if they do select a CD team they will lose the wineland schools and the CD team would probable beat the WP team. Don’t worry to much Mr. Rupert will make the final call and anything that will hurt PRG will not be allowed. That under-roof rugby field at PRG was not build for the fun. Do you know of any union in the country that has such a facility? Mr. Rupert won’t allow this.
@CharlesZA: Daar was al voorheen n Wynland..dit kan weer gebeur!..
. WP is besig om baie ouens se moere te koer..in SARU self…Dit is nie so onwaarskynlik soos wat jy dalk dink nie! Boland is baie wyd..hulle kan die Wynland as n Boland Sub-Unie stig en steeds legitimate deelneem!
@BoishaaiPa: Easy big tiger, hulle gaan nie sommer hulle eie begin nie.
@beet: WP is missing out on 3 top class players from Boishaai this year, very unfortunate for them and for WP. On some other news, I heard through the grapevine that the WP “powers to be” has decided that in future they will not pick more than 3 players (not sure if this is correct number) from one school to give other schools more opportunities to have WP representatives. If this is true, it could have a few repercussions.
1. Players from Northern Subs and other smaller schools who have Craven Week honors in mind might opt not to go to one of the Wineland schools as they will have more competition to get one of the 3 spots.
2. This might end up causing more problems as the best player in his position might not get selected due to school quotas (although it happens in any case in current scenario as well)
3. To be able to accommodate more players from different schools you will loose some continuity and familiarity in play as most boys would not have played together before.
4. You will end up with a scenario where up to 50% of the squad has players who have no experience playing top class schools and it could present a problem when playin top class provincial teams.
5. Worst case scenario..Some top schools in the Winelands might opt to break away from WP and join Boland or form their own Union!
@beet: Nrs 12,16,20,21 at the Puma’s are all HTS players
Interesting that you put Hendrikse ahead of Nohamba on one of your lists. Sad that Mulder and Horne are out they would’ve been in the SAS team for sure.
@CharlesZA:
From what I have been told, Phillip van Dyk of Paul Roos is the effective replacement in the 46 under-18 player group. I’m not sure of the decision regarding FH’s immediate replacement in the CW squad though – if it has or hasn’t been made and if not when it will be made.
@beet: When did Horne get injured? Who is replacing him in the WP team?
Sadly Franke Horn, the highly rated HJS and WP no.8 has been ruled out of CW.
Other significant injured absentees include Johan Mulder the Affies no.9, Wilhelm Barnard (HJS hooker) and perhaps even Ewan Roos (HJS flank).