Updated. Cutting to the chase, trials were held on 2 different fields at the same time as per usual, so it was impossible to follow both under-16 and under-18 games. On the main field at Woodburn Stadium in Pietermaritzburg on a fairly warm afternoon the under-18 trial unfolded as follows:
3 planned games of about 20 minutes per half were played. The first one was for places in the Country Districts team. The quality of play suggested that this year’s CD team will be better than last year’s one. After the two KZN trial matches, the selectors picked a Probables to face a Possibles. It was all straightforward up until that point but at half time in this game, they got the boys to change jerseys and picked 2 new Probable and Possible sides for the second half which was a little confusing. Anyway after the matches, it was announced that the final teams would be out by Thursday latest.
Here are the Probables and Possibles for both games.
| PROBABLES | POSSIBLES | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | J. Gumede (M.College) | T. Visser (Kearsney) |
| 2 | K. Van Vuuren (Glenwood) | J. Meaker (Kearsney) |
| 3 | F. Mudariki (Michaelhouse) | C. Holenstein (Michaelhouse) |
| 4 | N. Vidima (Glenwood) | J. Gouws (Hilton) |
| 5 | D. Du Preez (Kearsney) | S. Vd Heever (Glenwood) |
| 6 | W. Mazibuko (Glenwood) | W. Hippolite (Glenwood) |
| 7 | J.L. Du Preez (Kearsney) | N. Maseko (Hilton) (went to 8) |
| 8 | A. Schramm (Kearsney) | J. Coetzee (Glenwood) |
| 9 | M. Reece-Edwards (Kearsney) | R. McHardy (Westville) |
| 10 | K. Webster (DHS) | C. Jonas (Glenwood) |
| 11 | S. Ngcobo (Glenwood) | T. Tobejane (Glenwood) |
| 12 | A. Nela (Glenwood) | T. Blewett (Hilton) |
| 13 | M. Coetzee (M.College) | N. Mcuma (Glenwood) |
| 14 | B. Ellse (Westville) | L. Ngcobo (M.College) |
| 15 | M. Joubert (Glenwood) | K. Elder (M.College) |
| 7 | M. Muller (Glenwood) | |
| 4 | R. Du Toit (Emp)* | |
| 14 | C. Lines (Kearsney) | |
| PROBABLES | POSSIBLES | |
| 1 | M. Majola (Westville) | C. Holenstein (Michaelhouse) |
| 2 | K. Van Vuuren (Glenwood) | M. Mazwi (M.College) |
| 3 | K. Tredoux (Glenwood) | M. Moloi (Kearsney) |
| 4 | N. Vidima (Glenwood) | C. Schoeman (Michaelhouse) |
| 5 | D. Du Preez (Kearsney) | R. Du Toit (Emp)* |
| 6 | W. Mazibuko (Glenwood) | W. Hippolite (Glenwood) |
| 7 | J.L. Du Preez (Kearsney) | M. Muller (Glenwood) |
| 8 | A. Schramm (Kearsney) | N. Maseko (Hilton) |
| 9 | M. Reece-Edwards (Kearsney) | K. Khanyile (Glenwood) |
| 10 | R. Mchardy (Westville) | K. Webster (DHS) |
| 11 | S. Ngcobo (Glenwood) | T. Tobejane (Glenwood) |
| 12 | A. Nela (Glenwood) | T. Blewett (Hilton) |
| 13 | N. Mcuma (Glenwood) | M. Coetzee (M.College) |
| 14 | K. Elder (M.College) | B. Ellse (Westville) |
| 15 | M. Joubert (Glenwood) | C. Lines (Kearsney) |
| 10 | C. Jonas (Glenwood) |
Note:
Bruce Arnott – KZN Schools 2012 has had a lousy time with injuries this year. It did not look like he played at all
Tristan Tedder – the Kearsney flyhalf was hospitalised after the St Stithians game and although he was at trials, he did not have medical clearance to play
Corne Vermaak – recovering from an injury played for part of the earlier trial match and went very well. He got subbed at half time in that game and was rested after that.
During trials Lindo Ngcobo, Jaco Coetzee and Seth van der Heerver picked up injuries which prevented them from continuing.
* R du Toit is who I suspected the tall player was but this has to be verified.
@ Beet : Any luck on the GK side ?
Okay I have loaded the team guys
@All Black: This whole thing is a balls up. Very poorly handled by some adults who should know better. Isn’t there a protocol that should be followed?? They should walk the plank.
@All Black: Surprised Jordan Meaker made it, he is tiny for a hooker at 80kg/170cm
@Grasshopper: Oh well. Well done to those boys. Guess the rest will be told in time.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=503722679683557&l=f5b94e060d
Does anyone know when the actual squads will be announced?
@beet: I think parents need to separate selection and the process of announcing the teams. We have to assume the teams are as they should be, within the bounds of our different requirements, just the way they announce the teams needs to be known up front and stuck to.
@kcob: Ja- it just seems so unfair on the boys regardless if they make it or not. They must give themselves enough time to select the side and then get it ratified before it is leaked. kick off is at 12- no sooner. The anticipation will be electric and everyone will know at the same time who made it and who didn’t. Seems very simple but can it work. not sure. the temptation is great to let a boy know from your school that he is through and as we know, he won’t keep it quiet. Anyway- well done to all the boys who are through. It is a hard road and to finally get the nod is a feather in your caps. GO KZN. Next year is going to be interesting.
@Buffel. I agree, there should be be like in the old days, where the pinned it up on a notice board. I agree too that the time date and site should be published too, for all those eager to watch closely. Wonder what was agreed amongst the conveners and selectors; I am sure no-one would be THAT careless to disobey his committee and communicate such news? Hope this is not the case.
They must stipulate that the teams will be released on a date and time and not a minute sooner. That will standardise the process and everyone will know at that given time. If there is a leak then the person responsible gets removed and struck from the selection panel.
It must be released in a medium that is accessable to all. So at 12 p.m. Thurday 23rd the sides will be announced on the ….. web site. So it is an anticipation for all involved.
During the trials it was clearly evident to players in the penulimate and final trial game who the chosen players were.
Part of rugby is dissapointment and the ability to move on and come back determined to prove your individual point.
Administrators are bound by the same policies which often preclude the minority and protect the majority to no benefit of the game.
Well done to all the boys who part took at the trials it was a great reflection on the strides KZN school rugby has taken.
@Gungets Tuft: I think the KZNRU High School Association are going to have to do some damage control today because there are bound to be a lot of pissed off parents especially once the teams are made official and it becomes clear who did not make it. And the bitterness will be justified.
For me the important thing is to establish what the protocol was in years gone by. I assumed players that made the teams have always been told about it first but I could be mistaken.
Either way, if it was a norm or not the situation has been badly mismanaged. That info should never have been allowed to be made public beforehand. The players should have been made aware of this. A lot of kids who have put in a huge effort to make KZN and didn’t will be hurting today, might already be doing so. Their loved ones too. How things have happened yesterday is just going to add anger to the pain.
I also say that if only a select few and not all the selected players were told, then there is a big problem re: favourtism and KZNRU HSA needs to get to the bottom of that.
@beet: More important is the kids that have NOT been selected. That is the first call, then just publish the teams
@flyparent: I think you raise a good point about the “fairness of the whole process”
Every single year without fail the fairness of the selection process gets questioned. As innocent and well intended as it may have seemed at the time to let boys know that they had made the team, to restrict this information sharing to just certain boys and exclude others who had made the team is just plain wrong. If that’s the way it’s unfolded it is totally unacceptable. If they are going to go about it in this way extra precautions should have been taken to make sure the info does not become public info.
Alternatively if all the boys who have been selected were informed ahead of time then I don’t see it as being such a big deal.
@All Black: Have also seen all of the congratulations being passed around and have also even heard rumblings of boys who have and have not made GK and it would appear to be coming from selectors telling the boys at their schools. With social media as it is this is unacceptable, unprofessional and unfair to the boys who are still waiting to hear! This type of thing only adds further to the debate of fairness in the whole process. Hopefully all boys will know officially today.
@All Black: I believe some individuals have been told, should have kept it to themselves till the official announcement. Hard on the kids that have not made it, to find out by exclusion.
@All Black: Same thing with a couple Westville boys in the GK side. Maybe the team lists our out ?
Something that is a little concerning. I see all over FB Kearsney boys being congratulated for making the CW side? How can they be informed and the rest of the squad have not? Is this a case of some pigs being more equal than others?
@HORSEFLY NO.1: just imagine what DHS would have got, even scarier
Anyone have any thoughts on the kyle vs mtshali game, what do you think about both team’s centre pairs? The msthali #15 was extremely quick off the mark, put on a superb performance and even earned some game time in the bigger games
@Grasshopper:
Yeah mate. Think it would be the kind of scores Glenwood got against Grey College In 2010…you know…when Grey scored 1600+ points with Glenwood only returning with about 70 or so…
But I thought some of thosee scores would of been higher…oh well
@HORSEFLY NO.1: wow, thank goodness the tier 1 sides don’t play Clifton, it would be a massacre especially in the opens…..
DHS results vs Clifton:
1st – DHS won 28-11
2nd- DHS won 50-5
3rd- DHS won 55-7
16A – Drew 14-14
15A- DHS won 71-12
15B- DHS won 65-0
14A- DHS won 66-0
14B- DHS won 69-0
The 16A and 1st side REALLY have to pick up their game. Very,very average scores against a tier-2 school.
For me #8 is the perfect position for Jaco, he’s built for it IMO. If he works harder he could even make the KZN U18 CW starting team as a #8 next year, Goodson playing flank.
@TheGoose:
Any idea when the GK and CW sides will be announced?
@beet: Beet, I don’t have all the names yet – just bits and pieces coming out as a trickle.
@Grasshopper: Joe P is u19 so doesn’t qualify.
They have a big strong tallish prop there in Cameron Holenstein of Michaelhouse. Last year when I was confusing him with Whiting, he was scrumming everyone he came up against towards the end of the season in KZN. He does a bit of the carrying work as well. This year I don’t know if he’s carrying an injury but doesn’t quite have that same determination. I think if they can get him right he could give a lot of TH’s a hard time coz he has the power + with his height he would really help as a lifter in the lineouts
@Grasshopper: I think if they do that then they seriously must give consideration to bringing in an openside flanker.
Last years Craven Week final was actually the opening game between the Bulls and WP. The game was played at a crazy pace. The one thing that kept Province in the hunt in the first half was their brilliant contesting of the tackled ball. Got there quickly and got hands on the ball. The Bulls were not committing numbers to the breakdown.
At Glenwood Kay was the direct player not Mazibuko. Even after Kay went down to 2nds, Hypolite fulfilled that role. So it looks like there is either hard work ahead converting Wandi and to be honest he doesn’t really have the physique for the position or put a player in who can play to the ball, bend low over a ruck and is stronger at staying on his feet long enough once the other team’s clearer arrives. That’s why I favoured Maseko then Goodsen and now Coetzee.
@beet: If they wanted to add bulk, Jo Potgieter the Glenwood prop at 192/121kg could be a tight lock……..or they should have picked jackson at prop, sorry for beating that drum but he was the only player in the Westville team that looked intimidating even for me as a big adult…
@beet: If Vidima gets picked, I would play him on the flank and put the Doops at lock
@star: Yes at KERF Glenwood preferred Harmsworth who is about 1.97m. He is now back in the 2nds and interestingly attended Sharks u19 trials on Monday.
Vidima if I’m not mistaken played for the KZN development last year. He has good mobility and his workrate is high. But he is only about 1.85m tall and isn’t generally a Glenwood lineout option.
Wandi Mazibuko is the go-to man for GM much like Smith was for College last year. But he too is just 1.84m.
But either way its an annual challenge for the selectors. We don’t have tall guys.
Mazibuko, Schramm, D du Preez will have to be the 3 lineout options.
@star: He is the ex KZN development kid who went to Glenwood about 18 months ago as a No8. He is a great player but a little small for lock (190/93kg), started off in the 2nd’s, went to Kearsney as a reserve but replaced the much bigger Harmsworth and Teichmann in the 1st team. Sean obviously sees something there, probably easy to lift in the linouts and very mobile, so like having an extra loose forward. I just worry about his size against the monster locks of the Bulls etc…
@beet: Ya that is true, it is going to be tough going come lineout time against the Bulls, I hope the coaches put enough emphasis on this aspect of play.
@star: I think he plays/played second team 8th man for GW -could be wrong though?
@RBugger: Hooker: It’s a trials issue I have which I was hoping would have been changed following last year when they allowed Hartman to throw to Moberly (both MHS) and de Beer to Negri (both Hilton) at probs vs poss. I don’t know how much you learn about a hooker’s accuracy at trials if he has to throw to strangers but I think you possibly give those that can chuck to schoolmates an unfair advantage.
Sadly our Sharks u19 team doesn’t even have tall locks apart from Gideon Koegelenberg this year, otherwise I say invite some of these tall boys to trials to simulate lineout conditions for the Bulls, Lions etc coz its only when our school teams come up against these guys that the lineout woes get emphasised. To compete against the tall boys accuracy and varied options are so essential.
@ Beet-who is this Vidima that seems to have come from the back of the pack to be a racing certainty. I recall Grassy asking the question at Wildeklaver as he was also a bit surprized by his appearance at lock. I don’t think he was the GW lock at the KF.
@TheGoose: Why not just give us the whole team if you have it?
@beet: Fair point, I just worry as he goes off a lot. He went off against Kearsney, Paarl Gim, Paarl Boys and again yesterday, not sure if he is carrying an injury or not.
I do rate Coetzee, but not as an 8 – like I said, I would like to see the twins at lock and then Coetzee perhaps at 6 – to me, he is more a flanker/fetcher than an 8.
With regards to hooker, the Glenwood guy is big and strong, but it does not look like he can throw? Anyone notice that? How has his lineouts been this year?
@beet: Think I have 1 too many backs. There will be no extra wing. The lock and loose forward then 2 different guys.
Sorry – and Tedder at 10 with Webster as the reserve.
@beet: Meaker is a reserve, McHardy is a reserve.
@beet: Thanks
@Queenian: These are the trial teams. Some look assured of places
2. van Vuuren
5. D du Preez
4. Vidima
7. JL du Preez
6. Mazibuko
8. Schramm
9. Reece-Edwards
11. Ngcobo
12. Nela
15. Vermaak
Then
Webster
Ellse
Joubert
look like they will be in.
Most of frontrow still a guess (4 props for sure + hooker), extra lock/l/forward, scrumhalf, flyhalf, centre, wing
That would be 22. Last time I asked it was uncertain if 22 or 23 would make up the squad size.
@RBugger: The fact that they didn’t split up JL, Wandi and Ayron with 3 different setups, is a clear suggestion to me that those 3 are confirmed choices for CW.
So while I was at trials watching I saw 2 of the 3 best candidates for KZN player of the season combining with an SA Schools player up against a Gr,11 who didn’t back down from any challenges. Jaco tackles, he gets to his feet quickly to contest and he carries well. I didn’t say he was everyone’s favourite but he impressed me much at trials.
I’ve watched Maseko this year and last year. This youngster can bring it big time. He did so against Kearsney last year and excellent vs Glenwood this year. I didn’t see that same prominence at the trials.
I have my own personal mock team which had Maseko in as the 4th loosie and coached up to be the no.6 fetch. I think Jaco did plenty to convince selectors he should be that 4th l/forward onboard.
Full of GW players i see are these the actual teams or what the GW folk would like to see.
@TheGoose: The backup scrummie and hooker have to go as specialist positions as well as (probably) a loosehead and tighthead, the rest will then likely be a lock/loose forward, a looseforward and an inside back (10/12) and outside back (13/wing/15) – so five forwards and three backs.
Bulls up first is going to be tough – they will have size and pace. I remember watching us get smashed by the Lions in the second game last year after a good win against OFS – it looked like we were schoolboys playing against an U21 side! Lions in turn got thumped by the Bulls in the final game.
All is not lost though – the Bulls can on occasion not pitch up at Craven Week notwithstanding the talent at their disposal. They were poor at home at Affies in 2008 and sufferred the indignty of playing their final game on an outside field. We beat them in 2005 – Pat Cilliers, Mike Rhodes, Warren Whiteley and Chris Micklewood’s side. The 2007 side with Pat Lambie, Dale Chadwick and the Cronje twins went down 27-24 narrowly at Paul Roos after running up a big lead in the first half which was clawed back in the second when the Bulls big pack got on top.
@beet: Beet, were you actually at the trials? Having watched closely and intently, I would have to disagree on your diagnosis of Coetzee. He had one good run, but again came off the field, I have made this statement before, he seems to come off the field every single game.
Yes I do rate him, but I thought Schramm was outstanding! He scored 4 tries and set up another 3, I know this is not everything, but as an 8, to me, he was standout.
So then, where would Coetzee fit? Du Preez at 7 has come through nicely after injury and I know he will lift his game at CW, he will be the beast the KZN team needs!
Mazibuko is better than Coetzee in open play and I feel Du Preez, despite his height, is stronger on the floor than Coetzee.
I thought Mazeko was also good.
As for the Flyhalf role, I really hope Tedder is considered with Webster as backup. Tedder is just too talented not to make it.
And lastly on the KC front, did you notice how Visser dominated in the scrum? He is not the biggest, but he was utterly in that area of play
Who from the Possibles will make up the rest of the CW 23?
@HORSEFLY NO.1: Jonas is delightful player to watch. There is noticeable difference in Glenwood with and without him. He makes things happen so I pay him his dues. Webster is the same age. He doesn’t have the wicked change in direction but otherwise he can play the same style as Jonas, He is a bigger, has a more physical presence, he’s a better defender and he is a better kicker out of hand.
I don’t know if you’re missing my point about kicker. It’s not just about any kicker it’s about a reliable kicker. Vermaak assumed the kicking duties when Khanyile took over from Gerhard at 9, so he was not the first choice kicker at GM. Marcel times his kicks very well but will have to improve on his accuracy. Some kickers can improve on accuracy with increased training but with Tedder you have that already.
@beet:
So who had the better game between Jonas and Webster?
And, with Corne Vermaak at #15 goal-kicking duties will probably go to him as he’s been very good there this year. Marcel Coetzee if chosen also kicks for his school so that won’t be a problem.
But I too agree on Jaco, he’s played very well this season and deserves a CW spot. Didn’t make GK last year due to injury but has picked himself up and made himself a contender for CW, an example that guys like Simpson will have to follow.
@Amalekite: It was interesting to watch the Webster vs Jonas contest with Webster behind a stronger pack of forwards which was not the case on Sat. In the Sharks Day game and at College, Webster showed his class.
I real pity Tedder was not there. Tedder’s option taking has always been good and he is cool under pressure. I not a huge fan of role he sometimes has to play in his school setup because it doesn’t provide him with enough opportunities to show he can control the game. I think today would have been a lot more suited to showing that he is a multi-skilled player. For one thing he is deceptively quick and he can playmake for shoulder runs.
One of the key areas that did not get tested today which they did look at last year is goal-kicking. It’s not an area to be underestimated and I think it’s one of the areas where Tedder earns his stripes.
@Amalekite: and he’s Gr.11, at the moment he has star written all over him. Coetzee in the forwards and Brad Ellse in the backs were my favs today. I said Ellse was a better 12 than 13 a few days back but he did well at 13. I loved the hand-offs.
Beet. I agree. I also worry we have lost the initiative if any team does not have a genuine grunt who hunts down anyone who goes to ground and fetches/steals or causes general mayhem there. We seem to have an abundance of big open style running bashing loosies. One of those buggers must do the hard graph.
That’s where a good mobile hooker helps as he doubles that role up across the width of the pitch.
As for penetrating backs; we seem to lack the Khubeka, Mvelase, Fisher etc type game breakers. That blondy from Gimmies looked like that type of bloke.
I do agree with some that the tight five MUST do the tight 5 job – and to do that they must be strong and ready to run ruck to ruck and endure clean ball and bully on the fringes.
Then we could be competitive with WP, Bulls, FS etc
@beet: Jaco Coetzee is a lovely player who I think should make it into the CW side.
@GreenBlooded: I agree with you fully as I have experienced both first hand. The way that the DRSU selectors kept on mixing the players ensured that they were all given a fair chance.
For example, Tedder is a brilliant flyhalf as everyone knows, but he also has a great pack of forwards. Today Webster was outstanding behind forwards that were going forward. We now need to compare their performances behind a pack that is being dominated….
@kcob: You have a point, but the DRSU selectors do attend matches. It is a lot easier for them, as all the teams play at one venue every Sunday. Don’t forget that the coaches can also send players that they feel have been overlooked.
I though that if there was a player that possibly threw a spanner in the works today it was Jaco Coetzee. He pitched up with that same irresistible form he had on Saturday vs DHS and will be a hard player to ignore now. Before I spoke about a possible role for if Goodsen as a openside flank because he is a go-getter, this provided Maseko was not picked as I think Maseko could fulfil the same role. But for some reason today the 3 Hilton boys were nowhere near their best. I’ve seen them all play better. But back to Coetzee, I really think he could thrive as a fetcher type. He has become so good at contesting for the ball at the breakdown. I understand the role of Schramm as the classy no.8 but with Mazibuko also being there to play as a loose player, the KZN team is really going to need so forwards who can put their heads down and play the tight game. Not everyone can be a first up carrier. Some boys are going to have to secure ball at the rucks.
@kcob: The season to date performance gets invoked at the invitation stage – only the cream get invited to trials. If selectors are looking at how many times a lock doesn’t catch the ball from a strange hooker then they are doing it wrong. That always needs to be re-coached when new personell are involved. The trick is spotting the talent and the skills of players to fit a certain style of play. If a player has a bad day – tough. It’s about rising to the occassion and BMT – the trials are the first test in that regard.
@beet: Sorry when I say unfortunately in that comment I mean about my own mindset. I had 4 areas of interest:
1) A good lineout. We will be up against the likes of RG Snyman, Abongile Nonkwantana and Hyron Andrews. We need an accurate thrower and at least 3 viable lineout options to give us enough flexibility to compete here.
2) At the same time we need a big enough scrum to be able to absorb and dish out the hits at the breakdown. We can’t afford to have our energy sucked out of us at scrum-time and then have nothing in the tank to contest at the rucks.
3) We need a genuine openside play to the ball option. Modern day rugby suggest that every player should know how to contest for a ball on the ground but time and time again, the presence of a specialist in this role proves his worth.
4) Backs and particularly centres who can tackle. If you don’t have a plan to take care of Jurie Linde and Eduard Keyter, maybe even Franco Naude it could turn out to be a long afternoon
My worry with our trials is that coz our forwards are shorter and tend to be smaller, their lineout skills and ability to stand up in the collisions are not put to the true test. We need to measure our skills in practice matches against Highveld unions imho before we make final selections – just like the Bulls and Lions are currently doing. This year we also don’t have an x-factor Emile Schwarz or Tyler Fisher or Pat Howard or Jesse Kriel in our backline, so the tests for defenders at trials wasn’t so hard, yet I felt some players came up very short in the tackling department esp those that had to mark Ellse who had a good trial and presented a bit of physical challenge combined with speed in midfield.
If you try hide the identity of a player or players at the trials; and then use independent selectors, it the same as using a Candaian Rugby coach to select a springbok out of a North vs South match on one sitting. It rules out the season to date performance and hangs it all on one or two chukkas which if you have an average game or paired blokes he don’t share the ball or throw to you in the line out; rules you out of selection. Year to date performance and even previous season must bt a serious consideration for building a strongest team. Not easy I know, many theories. Glad I ain’t one. Good luck to all those kids eagerly waiting – it’s a crappy wait!
@Grasshopper: Nice theory – but it starts in the set pieces. Where does the first phase possession come from?
@Amalekite: Kyle Cooper is another, played 2nds at Glenwood behind SA schools hooker Shaun Malton, he is doing far better than Shaun now
@beet: I think that they should at least take a look at the selection process used by the DRSUYCA last season for the IPT representative teams. Basically the process works like this:
1. The IPT team coaches watch matches throughout the season and based on their observations, invite players to trials.
2. The club team coaches are given the opportunity to add players to the list who they feel have been clearly overlooked.
3. Trials are held where players are identified by a serial number only – no club colours may be worn. Several chukkas are played with randomly selected teams – each player getting to play 2 or 3 chukkas at least.
4. Last season for the first time, selectors were INDEPENDANT of any club. Although this was highly criticised initially, it turned out to be a major improvement from the partisan selections which took place in previous seasons.
5. Selectors were kept ISOLATED from ‘interested parties’ on the deck at Varsity College where the trials were held. With a few minor exceptions – there was no interference with the selection process.
Just some points to think about.
@Amalekite:
I just edited and added an extra “L” to Marcel to avoid mass confusion between the Sharks/Bok and the College centre/wing.
@beet: I have to agree with you about the selectors having the Bulls in mind.
I was concerned at how little difference there was when the Erasmus team took on the Moodley team with all its stars. I felt that the Erasmus team’s front row got the better of the Moodley team.
the Prinsloo team and the Blose team were also pretty evenly matched.
The Kyle team clearly outshone the Mtshali team. There were a few players who shone. Both no. 8’s were pretty good, and the 15 for the Kyle team was outstanding.
Good luck to all the boys ! To those who did not make it, keep on trying and realise that if you think that you have been hard done by, there are many others like you. Take a leaf out of Marcell Coetzee’s book: Don’t give up ! Keep on working hard and knocking on doors. they will open !
@beet: so basically pick the biggest team possible to try and stop the Bulls? I say stuff it, play Aussie style and run it with extreme pace! Be quicker to break downs and swing it wide quickly! Run their monster forwards off their feet…..
The more I think about the u18 selections the more I feel for the selectors. There are some key areas where they have to make tough decisions. Props, locks, centres. Do they reward the best players or pick horses for courses. First up for KZN at Craven Week is the Bulls – possibly the favourites to win CW this year. I had this on my mind all afternoon – unfortunately it was all about picking a team that could defend against Bulls strengths rather than one that could play to our own strengths.
Lets hope that we send the right side to CW. There are a few permutations that will work. TEDDER and WEBSTER to make it. REECE-EDWARDS and MCHARDY to make it. Dark Horse-VISSER at loose head’ The rest speak for themselves. Interesting at Full Back. There are a few boys that can play as utility backs,like an all rounder in cricket, and with the intense games that they play- injuries are a worry and with back up in various positions ,it would be wise to have cover. Cant wait for the announcement. Good luck to all the boys involved.Hope the selectors think of 2014 when announcing the Acadamy side.
@HORSEFLY NO.1: Sadly, there was no battle of the scrumhalves … Kitching was sick so had very limited game time, Vorster was injured after 5 minutes and didn’t continue. Dahl was certainly the selectors’ choice all along and did enough to secure that today.
Hookers – Febana probably 1st choice with Sam Swanepoel as backup. Must say though, Damon Lee (W) and Cohen (GW) were very competitive there – probably the toughest position to secure in this age group.
What I think for U18:
1. GW
2. GW
3. ?
4: GW Loosie or Vidima
5: KC Dan Doop
6: GW Mazibuko
7: KC JL Doop
8: KC Schramm
9: KC Reece-Edwards
10: KC Tedder/Webster
11: GW Ngcobo
12: ?
13: W Ellse
14: ?
15: GW Vermaak
16: W McHardy to cover for 9&10
Although Tedder didn’t play because of his illness after Saints game, he’ll still make the side I think.
@Pedantic: Good to hear that Bader Pretorius did so well. Just about everyone who’s watched him down in the Western Cape, rates him very highly.
@Pedantic: Du Randt played well against Kearsney, made the decisive break that led to the winning penalty in the last minute against Hilton and was unbelievable against DHS last Saturday. He has gears and great lateral movement.
Nice to hear Ntuli did well at no.5. Maybe that’s where he’ll be fit in for DHS next year too.
Who won the battle of the scrumhalves and the battle of the hookers though?
@Griffon: GK side wasn’t announced after trials.
U16 Standouts for me today: (Don’t know the final side so could be all wrong)
Ntuli (DHS) [5]- Looks like he may have worked himself into a starting lock position, worked hard all day and deserves the position.
Staples (GW) [8]- Only played one half before going off with a slight injury – dominated his position.
Pretorius (MHS) [10]- Have been waiting to see his apparent “star” quality and he showed it off today, this is a big big talent!
Du Randt (GW) [13] – Wow this boy can turn on the pace in an instant, a bit small but strong and tough, a certainty.
Voster (MHS) [15] – Very solid full back with all the skills required, nice boot on him and strong counter attack, should be the starting 15.
The big concern for me was that the “possibles” team were scoring at will at one stage with the “probables” just too tired (or lazy) to defend – interesting to see the coaches and management tearing their hair out watching their “stars” getting a hiding from the “also rans” ;)
All in all should be a decent side, but as always, as fans we could probably select a team of players not selected that would challenge the GK team
The Possibles and Probables are playing. The selectors have mixed them up a little – in one of the teams Reece McHardy is playing flyhalf, Vidima is at lock, Doops and Schramm are in, Reece-Edwards is 9.
Has anyone heard how Tristan Tedder is after he went off at St Stithians? Is he playing in today’s trials?
For me I think the big surprises will be in the boys that made Academy or CW last year that may be pushed out or down by new talent.
@ Beet : I heard the GK side will be announced after the trials today. Know anything about this ?