SARU / SASRA should really try to reformulate their selection criteria in future to make SA Schools and SA u18 one and the same team selected. All the other boys who are part of the process but not selected for the u18 international series, should just be capped and given blazers as SA Schools “A” players.
So by all means select a greater squad, have a trial game, broaden the final selections to include any player who was injured, didn’t play at Craven Week or was previously overlooked. Just only cap one team as SA Schools slash SA u18 at the end of the process.
All the other boys who are part of the process but not selected for the u18 international series, should be regarded as SA Schools “A” players and given blazers in line with this honour.
The highest honour for a rugby player is to represent his country. That should remain the top honour. Those boys should be known the SA Schools team.
It is also for historical statistical records to just have one list instead of two overlapping ones.
The SA u18 team will play France u18 on Tue, 15 Aug 23 at Stellenberg HS and England u18 on Sat 19 Aug 23 at Paarl Boys’ HS.
A WP u18 XV comprised mainly of Paarl Boys’ High and Paarl Gim players will also be in action.
| # | POS | NAME | SCHOOL | PROVINCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PR | Phiwayinkosi Kubeka | Maritzburg College | Sharks |
| 2 | PR | Ranon Fouche | Grey College | Free State |
| 3 | PR | Lithemba Mfupi | Glenwood | Sharks |
| 4 | PR | Simphiwe Ngobese | Durban HS | Sharks |
| 5 | PR | Jean Erasmus | Grey College | Free State |
| 6 | HK | Siphosethu Mnebelele | KES | Golden Lions |
| 7 | HK | Imaani Pemba | Grey HS | Eastern Province |
| 8 | LK | Ulrich van der Westhuizen | Monument | Golden Lions |
| 9 | LK | Jacobus Grobbelaar | Fichardtpark | Free State |
| 10 | LK | Marno Stopforth | Grey College | Free State |
| 11 | FL | Batho Hlekani | Graeme | Eastern Province |
| 12 | FL | Divan Fuller | HJS Paarl BH | Western Province |
| 13 | FL | Thando Biyela | KES | Golden Lions |
| 14 | FL | Xola Nyali | Wynberg | Western Province |
| 15 | N8 | JJ Theron | Grey College | Free State |
| 16 | SH | Haashim Pead | Bishops | Western Province |
| 17 | SH | Christiaan van der Westhuizen | Grey College | Free State |
| 18 | FH | Ian van der Merwe | Grey College | Free State |
| 19 | FH | Dominic Malgas | Nico Malan | Eastern Province |
| 20 | CT | Gino Cupido | Strand | Western Province |
| 21 | CT | Janco Purchase | Affies | Blue Bulls |
| 22 | WG | Luyanda Kunene | Maritzburg College | Sharks |
| 23 | WG | Jameel de Jongh | HJS Paarl BH | Western Province |
| 24 | WG | Scott Nel | HJS Paarl BH | Western Province |
| 25 | FB | JC Mars | HJS Paarl BH | Western Province |
| 26 | FB | Cheswill Jooste | Noordheuwel | Golden Lions |
Kyle Smith was verlede jaar vir my die beste losskakel op skolevlak en vanjaar het hy ‘n verdere stappie na bo gegee.
The 2, 5, 6 and 8 made massive difference in the pack. Then 10, 13 and 15 in the backline. Pick your best teams for SA games
@Kantman: I’m eating my hat. I didn’t watch the game as was in Cardiff watching the Boks. Will try watch it now. Well done to the boys
@KES Oldboy: A good performance indeed.
@Kantman: Today we started with our best team. Also, the intensity of international rugby caught us out vs France. We learned from that experience and were up for it today. A very good performance!
@tzavosky: And chose players in their positions, that is usually a big help.
@Kantman: The coach read all the negative comments on this blog to them last night!
What made the difference for the SA u18 win over England ….
@Smallies: Self fulfilling prophecy
@Kantman: dis alles te danke aan saru se vasklou aan greensquad spelers…..
@Kantman: 100%
@Kantman: Feels clueless to me here sitting on the other side of the world. What is worse, did you see the Boks WC Jersey, the Bok is about the size of a stamp on the arm. Soon it will be gone and they can be called the Kwaggas. I fear this is our last real chance of actually winning the thing. SA U18’s are going to battle
So …
SA U18 coach picked his team for the first match against France ” to give everyone a chance “. In a two game series and playing 4 backline players out of position.
For the England match, starting 2 players that were late call-ups, including the Paarl Gim flyhalf. Also states that they are using the series ” to see who can make the step up ” – how do that create any confidence that there is a real plan for the development of junior players?
We have a serious challenge at national level in the identification and development of players for higher honours.
@yesnomaybe: classic, nah I’m about 5km away, can’t afford his area. He’s 100m from Harpenden rugby club. He’s a doos & he can’t tackle. I used to love bumping into Vincent Koch, Brad Barrett, Mouritz Botha, Schalk Brits are co in the past. Andy Farrell owns a house next to Owen. His lighty goes to my kids school…..awesome Town, love it here…
@Grasshopper: If Owen practises his kicking 100m from you, where does he practise his tackling technique. Maybe you could show him where his arms are? Good thing he’s English cos if he was South African he would be out the World Cup with his previous track record.
@apple: I live in Harpenden and am involved in the club rugby here. Owen Farrell lives about 100m away from the club and practices his kicking there. So yep, super aware of the system. I was coaching kids but decided to stop and focus on my daughters netball until my boy is older. You are correct. England go for variety across many schools rather than pooling them in elite rugby schools……
@Grasshopper: My kids were in the England public school system – played against a number of the England players during prep years and now at school. Some observations. The quota issue in SA is to some extent the public vs state school argument in England. Most of the boys are in public schools (ie private) where the technical coaching is brilliant, so that when somebody has the skills and get pulled up to club rugby, they are technically quite good. Yes, the best also play at club (play on Sat for school and Sunday for club), but the Harrow boys have been special since u13 (and even better 7s players), the captain came from Tonga in his u13 year on a “shopping in Boland” deal. School year starts here in September, so u17s are more like u17 and a half. The boys come from a variety of schools – only eg Harrow and St Albans have more than 1 in the squad, which makes the school system more competitive with open rugby even though they only play 12-14 games in a season for school. Don’t under estimate the benefit of the u18 6 nations in bleeding the kids into top class rugby as a team. Hopefully SA starts with their first choice team on Saturday and it would be competitive.
@yesnomaybe: Yes, but our schools pump UK schools, even our 5th best side should beat the English. The England system focuses on club and the team is made up of club U18s who play against men. They will be ready for anything. Grey would be a better challenge to them. SA U18 waiting for a hiding it seems. They lost to the French and the English beat them by 41!!!
As ek mooi daaraan dink het die 10 n fly gehad op 12, n vleuel op 13, n heelagter op vleuel en n vleuel op heelagter
Hy moes dalk eerder die ball vir daai 2 honger stutte gepass het
Ek dink dalk het die coach vir die 10 gesê om sy oë toe te maak en die bal so ver as moontlik in enige rigting moet pass met die hoop dat iemand dit sal vang
Daai 2 Sharks voorrymanne het ook gelyk of hul meer lus was vir hot dogs as skrum
@Mate: meeste saru spanne is maar kak ,dis mos net die Bokke wat belangrik is volgens saru
@Mate: selde scenario volgens, my swak voorbereiding swak beplanning ,swak bestuur…
@Smallies:
Ons o/20’s is net so kak
@Mate: dit werk vir Grey want almal is op die sefde page en almal het dieselfde skill level …..almal verstaan presies wat verwag word van hom en wat sy job is in die span .
Hier sit jy met n saam gegooide span wat dalk 4 ofeninge saam gehad het en n afrigter wat waarskynlik nie eers die laaities se name ken nie…. ,helfte kan tien teen een nie eers calls onthou nie ….die Barbarians sit elke jaar met diesefde probleem ,
@Grasshopper: We got to keep this real, that wasn’t really a proper WP team. The majority of the better Kwota players especially Black population are based in the Southern suburbs as they English speaking & they weren’t allowed to play as they still have derby matches on for the next 2 weeks. That side had some good individuals, however, they had some very average school 2nd & even 3rd team players playing plus a few B league players on the team sheet. There were still a few good individual players, however,absolutely no teamwork as everyone wants to be a hero & stand out & as we all know, there is no I in team. I also don’t think they were well prepared for the match whereby the English had a match & many more training sessions than they did. They were always going to be lambs to the slaughter. Not a real fair contest.
@Rainier:
Sjoe Rainier ek dink daar moet meer as net die bestuur geblaam word
Die outjies het omtrent geen skills
Die flyhalf probeer elke 2 de aangee direk vleuel toe pass
Vir Grey werk dit dalk want die opposisie is maar useless
Geen verdediging
Geen vuur
Daai Engelse slotte blaas vuur in die games
Hulle het daai WP outjies soos klippies rondgegooi
Die Engelse het my in beide games beindruk
Baie skills en speel aanskoulike rugby
Ek is teleurgesteld in die Bokkies, of hul uit posisie gekies was of nie
Ek dink eerder uit hul diepte
Ons kyk maar teen Engeland
Maar nou support ek eers gou die Mathildas
Gosh England pumped the Western Province U18 XV, 76-15…….YIKES!
@Mate: Helfte van die agterlyn was uit posisie gekies. Die enigste 8 in die groep was op die bench. En die Franse is nie mank nie, hulle 8 en 9 is fantasties.
Ek dink die blaam moet vierkantig voor die span bestuur geplaas word.
Wow
Skielik is SA skolerugby nie so goed soos wat almal dink
En dit was maar die Engelse en Franse 0/17’s
En aan die begin van hul seisoen
@Rainier: Yes, he should have been there.
The Frogs are giving the Bokkiee a hiding of note at the moment.
@Gold: Not that strong a team, limited practise and the usual criteria
Should be a strong WP XV. Do you have the lineup, and do you know if it has to follow the usual demographic make-up?
I cannot fathom how Pieter vd Merwe is not part of this group.