A highly successful seventh Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival wrapped up today with the announcement of five players who each received bursaries to the Sharks Academy for 2015.
Valued at over R100 000 each, the recipients are prop Kenny van Niekerk and flyhalf Curtis Jonas, both from Glenwood, flank Adrian Heystek from Westville Boys’ High, fullback Justerino Davids from Dale College in King William’s Town and fullback Barend Smit from HTS Middelburg. This includes a contract with the Academy in 2015, accommodation and a tuition bursary with one of its education partners.
In making the awards, Etienne Fynn managing director of the Academy, said the great pool of talent this year had made it extremely difficult for the selectors to choose only three players, as originally planned.
“The standard is again consistently high with excellent match-ups at the festival. Academy coaches and selectors who have been to the other festivals taking place around the country this weekend have reported that the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival has an exceptionally high standard of participating teams; with sides being very competitive and evenly matched.”
The festival was well supported with capacity crowds who were able to enjoy a high standard of competitive rugby in good weather. It was a successful event for organisers and sponsors Standard Bank, Illovo Sugar South Africa, Nashua Durban and of course the Sharks Academy.
Adding to status of the festival and to the thrill of competing players, international referees Craig Joubert and Marius Jonker officiated at three games. Joubert said it was always a delight to ref schoolboy games and to experience the wealth of talent coming through at this level of the game.
@BOG: hahahha, very funny….they do look alike now that you say it…
@BOG: Hahahahahahahaha
@BOG: Lyk vir my eerder na n jong Edwill van Aarde
hahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Going by the photo, I’m wondering if Jacques kallis is making a comeback as a schoolboy rugby player under the name, Kenny.
@Speartackle: CLASSIC!!!!
Might want to add one category for bloggers – Best argument against BHP ranking based on WK performance
@Gungets Tuft: Well it can’t be Mr Skevington who left for DHS a few years back, he had a serious Garden gnome beard. There was a father who used to lurk a bit, very thin, with a beard but I doubt that quick…..Gnome-gate begins, can other bloggers comment?
@Grasshopper: No, not Rudi Dames. GN is about the size of one of Rudi’s legs … and has a beard .. should have taken a photo, but he was too quick for my cell phone ..
@BoishaaiPa: I thought they had supporters ( recruiters ) all over the country.
@Gungets Tuft: Loudest would certainly go to KES, they are certainly the loudest on Twitter….red power, redtide, redis best, redpower, redforever, redpride…..every red adjective you can think of they have used…..
@Gungets Tuft: Wow, he must be quicker than Simon Magakwe so in affect the fastest South African on the planet currently. Who was it, Rudi ‘Gnome’ Dames? Maybe he took some gummy berry juice prior to the match.
@Speartackle: You will have to look for other supporters for the cheerleader criteria..Paarl Boys will be in Japan and not in Kimberley this year and I doubt there will be many of their supporters hanging around Kimberley! There is stiil Paarl Gim, KES and Selborne supporters to fulfill the role!
@Speartackle: Fastest sprinting coach from Glenwood – no contest. The way, in the EGJ match, that Garden Gnome gassed it from the 1/2 way to under the poles (straight line running) and actually overtook some supporting runners and defenders, to be the second person to reach the scorer (I kid you not!!!) … there MUST be a video …
He is going to win the loudest coach ook – I got a call from a mate in Umhlanga asking “Who’s holding what at Kearsney”, cosYcos ou GN doesn’t hold {snigger} back when he thinks his team is being denied at the tackle.
@Speartackle:
Hahahaha!
I’ll be awarding 8 bursaries to the Spear Academy after Wildclover 2014. It will not be to players though but to spectators.
Criteria will include:
Best dressed Grey supporter
Loudest mouth from Outeniqua
Cheerleader from Paarl Boishaai
Box wine drinkers from Paul Roos
Physical appearance of Waterkloof photographers
Fastest sprinting coach from Glenwood
Satisfied Affie dads
Couch potatoes from EG Jansen
Dutchies from Pietermaritzburg College
Most modern safari suits from Boland Landbou
Biggest calves from Monnas
@Knight_CHS07: They are a source of food (Kudu does carry ticks afte rall
)…but they are prey to the big cats, so he’ll need to be careful where he feeds, or else he may fall prey to stray teeth
@Playa:
Are you saying the Kudu (Sbura Sithole) cannot be trusted?
Well done Curtis and Kenny, awesome achievement! Especially Kenny for coming back from injury and working hard to be in awesome shape for the season. You guys have Kyle Cooper, Franna, Fred and others to learn from……seize the moment! Using Kearsney’s motto, Carpe Diem!
Well done Justerino!!! All the best young man. You have 2 big brothers in Keegan Daniels and Tera Mthembu to look up to, and a cousin in Sbura Sithole, if you get really desperate
Very proud of you and all the best! Per Ardua Ad Astra!
Well done to all these boys, well deserved achievement indeed. Unfortunately i have watched only one (Justerino Davids) out of the 5 players chosen, but i trust judgement of the Sharks Academy 100%.
Well done boyties
@Tjoppa: Ek dink daai manne met die blou truie sal hul strategie moet verander, baie vinnig! Die Sharks (en baie ander) begin sense in rugby inbring. Ek was by die Kearsney fees en het so bietjie gevleg met die Sharks verteenwoordigers daar. Ditto wat jy hier se hoor.
Klink goed.
Well deserved boys. I’ve seen all of you played and you can be proud!
Well done Sharks for recognition on this level.
Had the wonderfull opportunity to watch the last 3 games at st Johns on Saturday with two gentleman from the Sharks. Previously when asked where to go after school I suggested Potch or Bloem but I must admit the Sharks will also now be included.
1) They are not under any financial stress as their academy is currently having +/- 160 boys attending. U19 TO U21
2) When asked how do they identify talent I was astonished to hear this. “I look at his performance on the field. His commitment and where required his flair and ball sense.” Hip hip hooray not sitting with a tape and weights to see if he fits into the parameters set for a certain position. SIZE IS NOT THE ALFA AND OMEGA
3) If the boys are not selected for the underage Shark teams they are required to play club rugby. Another big hip hip hooray so nobody carry bags for a two year period without having much game time.
4) Nine coaches look after these boys and new talent is not shown the door because the budget is full.
I was pleasantly suprised.
THIS ADVERT WAS NOT PAID FOR AND MY SUBJECTIVITY IS NOT INFLUENCED BY BEING CONTRACTED BY THE SHARKS AT ALL
