| TEAM | SHARKS U18 CW | TEAM | SHARKS U17 AW | ||
| 1 | Aphiwe Shelembe | Michaelhouse | 1 | Indiphile Mlotshwa | Maritzburg College |
| 2 | Rambo Kubheka | Maritzburg College | 2 | Sphephelo Ntshangase | Northwood |
| 3 | Mahle Sithole | Durban HS | 3 | Josh Grant | Hilton |
| 4 | Martin Jr van Wyngaardt | Glenwood | 4 | Okuhle Mbanjwa | Durban HS |
| 5 | Aiden Botha | Maritzburg College | 5 | Bandile Mncwango | Westville |
| 6 | Bongani Dlamini | Durban HS | 6 | Joseph Udo-Idung | Durban HS |
| 7 | Sibusiso Mahlangu | Durban HS | 7 | Chad Howe | Northwood |
| 8 | Jake Jansen | Maritzburg College | 8 | Lwandile Simelane | Westville |
| 9 | Chris Cloete | Westville | 9 | Lian Terblanche | Northwood |
| 10 | Vuyo Gwiji | Northwood | 10 | Cyril Cherayi | Maritzburg College |
| 11 | Carlyle Hawkins | Michaelhouse | 11 | Bradley le Grange | Durban HS |
| 12 | Hanu Pieterse | Hilton | 12 | Inathinkosi Mkhencele | Durban HS |
| 13 | Khanyisa Stamper | Durban HS | 13 | Mumbere Vyambwera | Maritzburg College |
| 14 | Marcwin Nero | Durban HS | 14 | Liam Simpkins | Westville |
| 15 | Matthew Fick | St Charles | 15 | Zander Vorster | Hilton |
| 16 | Aka Boqwana | Durban HS | 16 | Jordan van Wyk | Durban HS |
| 17 | Luke Davidson | Michaelhouse | 17 | Stefan Moolman | Michaelhouse |
| 18 | Jadrian Afrikaner | Westville | 18 | Jade-Will Koopman | Westville |
| 19 | Duncan Basson | Durban HS | 19 | Bongane Khumalo | Northwood |
| 20 | Zingce Simka | Durban HS | 20 | Rourke o’Sullivan | Michaelhouse |
| 21 | Adriano Jackson | Durban HS | 21 | William Ridl | Michaelhouse |
| 22 | Cameron Veenstra | Kearsney | 22 | Aphiwe Buthelezi | Northwood |
| 23 | Zekhethelo Siyaya | Westville | 23 | Lee-Rynne Sinkfontein | Maritzburg College |
| TEAM | Sharks u16 GK | TEAM | Sharks u17B Rhino Week | ||
| 1 | Nathan Aneke | Durban HS | 1 | Minenhle Dlozi | Northwood |
| 2 | Theo Boshoff | Maritzburg College | 2 | Simon Steyn | Hilton |
| 3 | Cilermo Carolus | Durban HS | 3 | Alande Ngubane | Maritzburg College |
| 4 | Ben Coetzee | Hilton | 4 | Trent Chubb | Hilton |
| 5 | Duhan Du Plessis | Durban HS | 5 | Lukhanyiso Nala | Clifton |
| 6 | Luke Faure | Kearsney | 6 | Jose Lottering | Durban HS |
| 7 | Milisuthando George | Durban HS | 7 | Emannuel Dankwah | Hilton |
| 8 | Oliver Guy | Michaelhouse | 8 | Raphael Ajibade | St Charles |
| 9 | Mholi Khuzwayo | Hilton | 9 | Lian Lochner | Glenwood |
| 10 | Likho Khonza | Durban HS | 10 | Doan Nel | Kearsney |
| 11 | Owethu Kosani | Maritzburg College | 11 | Requilme Adonis | Hilton |
| 12 | Amogeleng Mataboge | Durban HS | 12 | Sean McGough | Westville |
| 13 | Lwazi Mbebe | Kearsney | 13 | Khazimla Makali | Hilton |
| 14 | Lwandle Mkhize | Kearsney | 14 | Lizwe Mthethwa | Glenwood |
| 15 | Lwandile Mlaba | Westville | 15 | Savio Stevens | Northwood |
| 16 | Siwe Ndamase | Glenwood | 16 | Oliver Davis | Michaelhouse |
| 17 | Nhlanhla Ndlovu | Kearsney | 17 | Lebo Theko | Westville |
| 18 | Nicholas Salamousas | Michaelhouse | 18 | Aya Jikwana | Kearsney |
| 19 | Iwan Slabbert | Durban HS | 19 | Stewart Falconer | Hilton |
| 20 | Zion Smith | Durban HS | 20 | David Humphries | Westville |
| 21 | Luxolo Sonkononkono | Westville | 21 | Jed Munn-Gavin | Northwood |
| 22 | Rory Stanton | Maritzburg College | 22 | Juan Viljoen | Glenwood |
| 23 | Johannes van der Walt | Northwood | 23 | Ntando Radebe | Kingsway |
@beet (Comment #39)
@beet (Comment #39)
Thanks for the feedback. That’s a real shame. I realise it’s a game of opinions, but mine is that he’s been outstanding and should be a starting player at CW.
@Couchcoach (Comment #38)
Yes he is u18. Good player for sure. Unlucky not to be in the mix. Maybe he would have made it if he had stayed at Province as they have two teams plus an u18 Academy Week team.
@beet (Comment #9)
Beet – any idea if Michael Satade is still u18? If so, I’ve rated him as the top 13 in kzn this season and surprised he’s not in the mix.
@Crashball (Comment #35)
I believe you and I have nothing for that young man left out that will make it better right now. But better to either find out now and change course, or battle it out and show them how much you want it. Either way – best of luck to the lad!
If it is any consolation – trying to get a spot in WP teams is going to be tougher than previous years.
@Schoolboyrugbyfan (Comment #8)
There isn’t a simple answer to this and Beet raises a good point in that the trials day is not the sole determinant (and rightly so) but it does open a can of worms. More concerning for me is that at least one player has openly stated that they require surgery but will wait till after the Provincial week – player in question is not running freely currently nor playing to their obvious ability, yet selected nonetheless.
@Kantman (Comment #14)
Regrettably, whilst your statement is true, try telling that to the player left out or the union or tertiary institution that your son is keen to join. Rightly or wrongly, a tick in the CW checkbox on a rugby CV is the gateway to “being in the mix.” Does that mean players who don’t make CW, can’t make it? Well obviously not, but trust me the path is longer and far tricker
@ForeverHorseFly (Comment #33)
Mostly KZN now for sure, no money to travel far and wide. We don’t have Daddy Aspen on board..
@Grasshopper (Comment #32)
I’m sure Gibson House is just full of local kids.
@ForeverHorseFly (Comment #30)
Well the Horsefly bus has raided the Border region enough, maybe we raid there too. No loss in the end as DHS don’t play Glenwood any longer…
Looks like DHS rugby is in a really good place at the moment. Saw on their FB page that it is a record number of Craven Week(9) and Grant Khomo(8) players for the school this year. Congrats to the boys selected.
@Grasshopper (Comment #29)
I dont think you have to worry about the Berea. Their u15 is a very very good side and they have 10 players across A&B sides. Saw a rankings that has them top5 as well so it will probably be the berea who has to worry about pending raids.
I saw u15a & b teams in the Sharks handle too, Glenwood’s rise showing there now. Fingers crossed we can deflect the pending raids from Berea & elsewhere….
Particularly surprised to see just 2 Hilton boys in the u17 team considering their exceptional 2023 u16 side and GK representation last year. Injuries?
@NW Dad (Comment #25)
Sorry just a technical hitch. Fixed now.
@Skywalker (Comment #23)
Thanks for compliment I would say statically (wonk wonk) DHS are the KZN team to beat and top of provincial league followed by MC and house. Hopefully the knights will change that this weekend!
UNDER 16 GK LIST
@beet (Comment #22)
Is this the same reason why the GK team is removed?
Or do they just want the “scouts” to have less time/knowledge for the transfer season that will occur soon?
@Grasshopper (Comment #20)
To be fair, Michaelhouse are currently No. 1 in KZN I think, and yet they only have 3 players in the CW team. It doesnt always work out that the best team in terms of performance has the best individual players. Some teams are playing better as a cohesive unit, but when choosing individuals to play together under a different coach for a once off tournament, you would still pick the best individuals. It works the other way too, as we saw with the Sharks in URC. Eben, OX, Am etc are the best individuals still for the Springboks, but together as a collective for the Sharks they were not functioning. Doesn’t mean you won’t pick them for the Boks. So NW end up with 1 CW rep only, but as a team they are playing well together and greater then the individual players.
In 2019, NW were the 2nd best in KZN behind Hilton, yet Westville had the most Craven Week reps that year. NW did have 6, but Westville had more standout stars in each position but didn’t function consistently well as a team and so lost to NW and a few others.
Its unfortunate but I hope the likes of Vos, Macey, Dlamini and others at NW or the other names mentioned at the other schools, carry on. Some still get signed to unions even without CW honours, and many can go and play in Varsity Cup and get noticed or even earn contracts that way.
@Kaya 85 (Comment #18)
I had to relist the players because unbeknown to me and unlike in other provinces, the jersey numbers are quite a sensitive issue as it has not been finalised.
@Kaya 85 (Comment #19)
Maybe u19?
@tzavosky (Comment #15)
Yep, it doesn’t account for late developers and those who just work harder after school maybe not playing 1st team. I remember playing against Butch, he was 2nd team wing I think in 1996. This whole KZN Craven Week selection thing is a farce, I mean 1 player from Hilton, Kearsney, St Charles and Glenwood a piece, is nuts. Hilton are strong, with just 3 in the 46. Glenwood have had a poor season but the team is mostly u17, you would think a few more would have made the u17 side.
Yikes, where is Dlamini…DHS rhino-prop??
Was Jake Jansen of Maritzburg College not a lock for most of this season?
Who are the selectors of these teams? 1 boy from Northwood in the CW team after being one of the better teams in KZN this year? I think that the coaches of these teams should not all come from one school. Westville has a head coach, Assistant Head, and S&C coach. I also think that in the Sharks selection processing if you did not make GK the year before you have to be extra special to get selected. Some players in the AW team have been playing second team while others that missed out have played A team games. Two big surprises are the scrumhalf from Glenwood: Lian Lochner and Northwood : Savio Stevens both regular starters in their respective first teams. I have heard that these selection meetings are all about “our school has better players than your schools”
@tzavosky (Comment #15)
👍🏻
@Kantman (Comment #14)
Google “Springboks who didn’t play Craven Week” – it will throw out an article by the late Paul Dobson published in 2012. There’s a long list of names with some famous players, among others Bryan Habana, Henry Honiball, Butch James, Andre Joubert, to name a few.
Craven week is not a measure of potential, but merely of ability and desirability at a specific period in time. Cream always rises to the top. Stay the course, work hard, listen to realistic people you trust.
An interesting fact about the Sharks selections: all selected players that are currently injured must practice on 28 May 2024 or forfeit selection.
@hiltondad995 (Comment #6)
Yup, you’ve hit the nail on the head…..’coaching staff messing around with players’. Happened to us too, and I hear more and more stories from other parents who are now out of the scene, so are comfortable speaking out about it now without the fear if reprisal. It’s very sad indeed. So many promising and potential rugby futures have been destroyed by coaches.
@beet (Comment #10)
That is a fair point and at the end of the day selection all comes down to opinion and everyone is going to have different ones.
@Schoolboyrugbyfan (Comment #8)
I think for every boy, parent, coach the wish should be for fairness. Give those deserving of the opportunity a fair chance to prove they deserve a place. Have fair selectors in place who are able to put their school loyalties aside and pick the most deserving players based on the criteria they have to work with.
Overlooking a player because he happens to be carrying a short-term injury at the time of trials, maybe its a real world lesson but it does not seem fair if he deserves to be selected.
A number of people question the point of having trials in these modern times. They believe there is enough intel for each selector to go on to make an informed choice based on how the season to date has played out. Your comment points to trials being important so there is that point of view as well.
I might be mistaken but I don’t think its recorded anywhere that trials are the sole determinant of selection.
@Henkies (Comment #7)
Jeshua and Chris Cloete were both at DHS at one stage. Chris went to Glenwood and Jeshua to Rondebosch.
2020 was this matric class’s u14 year. It was the year DHS and Glenwood had the fall out over boys starting at DHS and moving to Glenwood while a couple were sponsored for primary school by DHS but ended up starting at Glenwood.
IS THERE TOO MUCH LENIENCY TOWARDS INJURIES AND PREVIOUS YEAR SELECTIONS?
@hiltondad995 (Comment #6)
Tough call HiltonDad. I have seen him play and he really does look like a high impact player. I did not realise he was previously at DHS. Maybe not been a specialist did count against that final selection call as Beet mentioned. Without having 2metre tall locks, the ball really has to be thrown in on a pinpoint and I think KZN schools have held their own in the lineouts this year at festivals against taller non-Natal sides when the hooker’s throws and timing have been accurate. He definitely looks like a player who will do well after school regardless of whether he plays Craven week or not.
At the end of the day it was the coaching staff at Westville who are at fault for moving the lad back and forth,I was told by my son that Jeshua had told one of my sons friends that he was not certain where he would be playing and was only told the first game he’d be playing hooker despite having trained as a 1 & 3 during off season & if we are talking ball carrying, defense and even though it might not look like it with Ferreira, Fitness I don’t think there is a player in the province in the front row that comes remotely close to Jeshua at being so all rounded. You could argue maybe Rambo and Aiden, yet I don’t believe they are as fit as Ferreira is this season,I was sitting behind the poles against monument at the Kearsney Festival & watched the boy make tackle after tackle and then get up and run a set piece off the line out like he was a young Dan Coles, it really was a sight to see but with no biased towards Ferreira as I do believe he put himself in this situation by moving to Westville & I do believe he should’ve stayed at DHS, It is just really sad to see this boy not getting his opportunity after all the adversity he’s faced through the movement of his schooling & through all the doubters which I can say at one point I was and now due to the coaching staff at Westville and it goes to show how these coaches have the Rugby Careers of our boys in their palms.I seriously hope he does get a call up to the Cravenweek Squad or I hope to see a union snatch him up, though he might not be your typical South African Front Rower it would be so sad to see a boy of this calibre slip through the cracks like others before his time because of one selection or coaches analysis but boys like this often head over seas and flourish in environments when they are given the opportunity to grow, similar to a player before his time an old MHS boy Scott Kirk who is thriving in the ranks at bath.
@hiltondad995 (Comment #4)
I think a lot of people could make strong cases for a lot of players who didn’t make the Craven Week team this year. It’s probably the first year in a while where a B-team could beat the A-team on their day. So I guess it depends how we look at it. The selectors either had it easy because they were blessed for choices and could not go wrong no matter who they picked or the selectors had it really tough trying to determine who the best players are for the CW squad because the compo was so close.
For me personally I thought Tom has been a good player for two years running now. But if someone else said Basson, Simka, N Sithole is their first choice, I think they could make very convincing arguments to support this.
Jeshua was disadvantaged by playing hooker most of the time and not being a lineout thrower on top of that. Without that specialist skill he was always going to be hard to make it all the way.
BIG UPSETS!!!
This is the most DHS representation I’ve seen. The program they’ve built deserves a lot of credit.
Glenwood 1 player, wow! Out of 46…The last time we had so few was probably in 1995. How the mighty have fallen. One from Kearsney too. The A league wooden spoon battle this coming weekend..U16s too, only 1 in the A team and 3 in the B team. Sad times…
Under 16s?