Imagine the Kings Superugby team could use players that at least attended junior schools within the Border, SWD and EP. I know could put together a nice side. I had a look at under-13 Craven Week before they moved to high school.Who would be in your starting XV?
| # | Name | Surname | SR Team | High School | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | François | Steyn | Sharks | Aliwal North | Border |
| 2 | Bjorn | Basson | Bulls | Dale | Border |
| 3 | Bandise | Maku | Kings | Dale | Border |
| 4 | Siviwe | Soyizwapi | Kings | Dale | Border |
| 5 | Keegan | Daniel | Sharks | Dale | Border |
| 6 | Lubabalo | Mtembu | Sharks | Dale | Border |
| 7 | Wandile | Mjekevu | Sharks | Dale | Border |
| 8 | Siyabonga | Ntubeni | Stormers | Dale | Border |
| 9 | Akona | Ndungane | Bulls | Hudson Park | Border CD |
| 10 | Odwa | Ndungane | Sharks | Hudson Park | Border CD |
| 11 | Lwazi | Mvovo | Sharks | Maria Louw | Border |
| 12 | Rocco | Jansen | Cheetahs | Queens | Border |
| 13 | Sibusiso | Sithole | Sharks | Queens | Border |
| 14 | Bongi | Mbonambi | Bulls | St Albans | Border |
| 15 | Philip | van der Walt | Cheetahs | Adelaide | EPCD |
| 16 | Dewald | Potgieter | Bulls | Daniel Pienaar | EP |
| 17 | Jacques | Potgieter | Bulls | Daniel Pienaar | EP |
| 18 | Ligtoring | Landman | Cheetahs | Despatch | EP |
| 19 | Elric | van Vuuren | Kings | Despatch | EP |
| 20 | Cameron | Jacobs | Cheetahs | Framesby | EP |
| 21 | Rynier | Bernardo | Kings | Framesby | EP |
| 22 | Cornell | du Preez | Kings | Framesby | EP |
| 23 | Deon | Stegmann | Bulls | Gill | EPCD |
| 24 | Paul | Jordaan | Sharks | Gill | EPCD |
| 25 | Jan | Serfontein | Bulls | Grey High | EP |
| 26 | JJ | Engelbrecht | Bulls | Grey High | EP |
| 27 | Wesley | Dunlop | Kings | Grey High | EP |
| 28 | Mpho | Mbiyozo | Kings | Grey High | EP |
| 29 | Sergeal | Petersen | Kings | Grey High | EP |
| 30 | Luke | Watson | Kings | Grey High | EP |
| 31 | Tim | Whitehead | Sharks | Grey High | EP |
| 32 | Kurt | Coleman | Stormers | Grey High | EP |
| 33 | Siya | Kolisi | Stormers | Grey High | EP |
| 34 | Siyanda | Grey | Kings | Humani | EP |
| 35 | Grant | Hattingh | Bulls | Kingswood | EPCD |
| 36 | Steven | Sykes | Kings | Marlow | EPCD |
| 37 | Gouws | Prinsloo | Sharks | Marlow | EPCD |
| 38 | Michael | Killian | Kings | Muir | EP |
| 39 | Darron | Nell | Kings | Muir | EP |
| 40 | Ross | Geldenhuys | Kings | St Andrews | EPCD |
| 41 | Ryan | Kankowski | Sharks | St Andrews | EPCD |
| 42 | Lizo | Gqoboka | Kings | Tabankulu | Border CD |
| 43 | Davon | Raubenheimer | Cheetahs | Knysna | SWD |
| 44 | Boetie | Britz | Kings | Oakdale | SWD |
| 45 | Meyer | Bosman | Sharks | Oakdale | SWD |
| 46 | Caylib | Oosthuizen | Cheetahs | Oudtshoorn | SWD |
| 47 | Zane | Kirchner | Bulls | PW Botha | SWD |
Dont see any Selborne men…
Nic Groom was at Dale Junior
@Playa: 100% . Not a short term solution. Both the Lions and Kings will be affected negatively. Eastern Cape has brilliant talent though. Got to use it.
@All Black: I hear you and good point.I think if the Kings had rather set a 5 year plan for getting into Super XV rugby, they could have managed to get that right.Short term thinking will not advantage them at all.Yeah, SARU should get their share of the blame for making promises they cannot keep.
But I hope the Kings can make an effort in keepin track of these players and make decent offers to them to come back.
@All Black: Thats exactly an assumption which I am trying to allay. As someone who also migrated to Grey from the Eastern Cape, I had no affinity, in rugby terms, with that region(And Im not suggesting this as some international/ professional player- just as “John Blog” )
@BOG: The Cheetahs acquired a very useful player in Lood de Jager from the Leopards – same age as Wegner. Lood is a good ball carrier amongst other things. I wonder if Carl saw the writing on the wall? Then again a guy like Quinn Roux (ex Affies) who had so much to offer WP also bailed early, so maybe it’s a trend. It certainly has not hurt Juandre Kruger’s career. Thinking about it Quinn, very much a 2-jumper in the lineout would have had his work cut out displacing one Eben Etzebeth.
@BOG: I know all of that. Point I am making is that if the Kings really got their act together they could attract these guys back to their home province after having been through the Grey system. I think that is the gist of what this article is about?
Firstly, let me add some players who I left out- Jean Cook(playing for BBs this SAt) , Steph Roberts (prop) Tewis De Bruin(9) and Phillip Snyman (Utility back, currently playing 7s) The VD Merwe (prop) who I mentioned, is Schalk.The other one is actually a Boishaai product- he only came to Grey for some finishing touches after school.
As a newcomer I would be very surprized if he left for France next year already. @beet: I think that there are several players in the shadows, like Neil Jordaan, who could still stick up their hand. Another, is Carl Wagner (lock)who has gone to France- he is only 21@Woltrui: I can say, a first- I agree with an Affie. Deon Stegman is indeed an underrated players player. Anyone who has played alongside of him, will tell you that.@Ludz: Im not sure if there is mischief in your question. I dont keep stats, but interesting enough, the 2007 team(one of the best) had about half of the team who were at GCB from Grade ONE- ie 12 years.@All Black: For more than 120 years, GCB has had about a third (400)of the high school, in boarding school, and many who are unable to secure boarding in one of the three hostels, boarding privately.
@Playa: Pure observation of interest. Eastern Cape has lost a lot of boys to Bloem it seems.
@All Black: I hope we’re not jumping to conclusions re poaching here.I’m not saying you are.As we know GCB is a massive boarding school, and attracts kids from all over.A large contingent of Grey Junior boys are local kids.Something familiar with most junior schools in the country.
What is really interesting is how many boys were at primary school outside of OFS and ended up going to Grey.
@BOG: Bog, I think it will be interesting to follow Neill Jordaan’s progress this year. Neill was one of those amazingly talented SBR players who’s progress was hindered by injury. Still u21.
@Woltrui: Ok, fair enough, he has done well in the blue jersey.Maybe I am just blinded by his performances in the green and gold jersey.
@Playa: Playa Deon Stegman is a legend in BB country. In my opinion he won us (BB) a Currie Cup and played a desisive role in wining us a Super Rugby Cup. Although both players is good, Stegman is still years in front of Kolisi. Stegman the first person to be picked if Youre going to war.
@BOG: would be interesting to know how many of those did their junior schooling in Free State though
@beet: I seem to lean towards your team. Your thoughts on Siya Kolisi are very interesting. I would have gone with him before Stegman. He hasnt impressed me as a fetcher.
i think Bees Roux was at Marlow. His in France loving his rugby.
@Bog. Like the look of Van der Merwe. is he alaso of to France next year .
@Ludz: What the heck, let me bore you anyway. Here goes:
15 Joe Petersen
14,13, 12, 11: Frans Steyn,Francois Venter, Aalwyn Hollenbach, Jan Serfontein, Dries Swanepoel, William Small-Smith, Paul Jordaan, Piet Lindeque, Robert Ebersohn, Adriaan Strauss, Wayne Stevens.
10: Johan Goosen , Sias Ebersohn, George Whitehead
9: Ruan Pienaar, Piet V Zyl. Cobus Reinach, Falie Oelchig
8,7,6 : Heinrich Brussouw, Deon Stegmann, Frans Viljoen, Boom Prisloo,
4,5: Gerrie Brits, Flip vd Merwe, Francois vd Merwe, Lappies Labuschagne, Waltie Vermeulen
2: Bismarck Du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss, Tiaan Liebenberg, Richardt Strauss(Ireland) Hercu Liebenberg
1 , 3: Coenie Oosthuizen, Jannie Du Plessis, Cj vd Linde, Wian Du Preez, Vd Merwe(latest Cheetah) And I may have left out a few
@Ludz: You reckon. I dont want to bore you, but have you seen a fantasy team consisting of OG players? Not only quality, but depth too. That team will come close to the play-off stages of the S15 and wont they have “gees” and loyalty as well? Something which is sadly lacking these days.
A few things that I noticed. Shortage of frontrow players particularly props. Not much by way of secondrow guys either. So perhaps the Schooled in Kings might not be that strong after all despite the quantity. Also despite Dale having a good rep from producing SA Schools scrumhalves, no.9 from the region have not kicked on and made it at senior level.
So my team:
1. Caylib Oosthuizen
2. Skarra Ntubeni
3. Ross Geldenhuys
4. Steven Sykes
5. Ligtoring Landman
6. Deon Stegmann
7. David Denton
8. Keegan Daniel
9. Rory Kockott
10. Johan Goosen
11. Bjorn Basson
12. Frans Steyn
13. Jan Serfontein
14. Lwazi Mvovo
15. Gouws Prinsloo
Siya Kolisi off the bench coz he’s a hard to fit in kind of player. Not a genuine 6 nor really big enough for 7. Kanko misses out coz Keegs in such dynamite form at 8. Wings were hard to pick
@BOG: maybe just the Kaa can boast as good a list like that
Lionel Cronje should be on that list as well shouldn’t he? Fudge Mabetha as well..I believe he did part of his schooling in the EC
I dont want to encourage you in your mischief and fantasies, but Johan Goosen could be useful. I think others too, were omitted. Where was Daniel, Kankowski,ect at school? But then again, I would imagine other franchises who could draw up equally impressive lists and even more so. The only thing that will ensure their stay at the Kings, would be a 6 figure salary and a mansion at the marina in Port Alfred.
Rockspider you forgot to include Johan Goosen in that list. He went to Burgersdorp Primary and played Border U13 Craven Week in 2005
I love this. Personally I hope the Kings and Lions will get their house in order and work on the rugby structures from the bottom to become real powers once we get to 2016 and we have a 6 team SA conferense. Glad to see saru have put up academies in all the Kings franchises, thats the way to go.
Ok…may have gotten ahead of myself there…maybe not world beating. Quality nonetheless
Im lost for words. A dream team by any accounts. This could be a world beating squad.Now we have to go hunting overseas to make up quality numbers
Hey Rockspider, maybe we should go for a pint or 2 at the MASC when Im in King in March. QC86 can sponsor the biltong.
MAN what a team they would make if they were retained by EP