Looking at the two KwaZulu-Natal under-16 representative teams of 2011 alongside the Grant Khomo 2012, gives an indication of who to be on the lookout for in 2013 as far as individual talent is concerned. Going by the current batch of under-17 that played at either Craven Week or Academy rugby in 2012, Grant Khomo selection never quite tell the full story though. Current SA Schools players in the form of the du Preez twins are missing from the lists below, as they were fast-tracked to the 2011 Craven Week team while still under-16. However the twins names are easily spotted when missing from lists as they are well-known players in the province, so it’s really the not so easily recognised under-17 players like Corne Vermaak, Sparks Ngcobo, Akona Nela (all Glenwood), Banele Ngwenya, Kelvin Elber (both M/College) and Ayron Schramm (Kearsney) who have been the open age-group bolters this season. Without a doubt it is reasonable to expect more of the same in terms of surprise packages rapidly climbing to be considered amongst the top players in 2013, particularly in the group that will be turning 18 (as opposed to 17). So expect a few boys currently in the system that were overlooked for Grant Khomo Week to pick up their games, possibly as a result of improvement in skills or strength or size and press hard for places in the KZN Craven Week or Academy Week teams of 2013.
| KZN Grant Khomo 2011 | KZN u16B 2011 | KZN Grant Khomo 2012 | |
| 1 | T Zondi (Glenwood) | T Mgwaba (Glenwood) | T Steyn (Maritzburg College) |
| 2 | V Khatide (M/College) | A Mthembu (Glenwood) | M Mazwi (Maritzburg College) |
| 3 | R Zondi (M/College) | M Majola (Westville) | M Dlamini (Maritzburg College) |
| 4 | S Buthelezi (M/College) | R Jardine (Westville) | K Du Randt (Glenwood) |
| 5 | M Mazibuko (Glenwood) | C Schoeman (Michaelhouse) | J Martin (Westville) |
| 6 | A de la Rey (Westville) | W Hippolite (Glenwood) | K Webster (DHS) |
| 7 | L Otieno (Westville) | N Maseko (Hilton) | H Tharratt (Maritzburg College) |
| 8 | S vd Heever (Glenwood) | J Conradie (M/College) | D Goodson (Maritzburg College) |
| 9 | M Reece-Edwards (Kearsney) | L Booysen (M/College) | K Khanyile (Glenwood) |
| 10 | L van Zyl (DHS) | M Mcume (Glenwood) | C Jonas (Glenwood) |
| 11 | M Coetzee (M/College) | D Pieters (Westville) | S Buthelezi (Westville) |
| 12 | K Ntshangase (Glenwood) | B Ellse (Westville) | T Blewett (Hilton) |
| 13 | S Ngcobo (Glenwood) | J Pretorius (Richards Bay) | M Joubert (Glenwood) |
| 14 | B Arnott (Michaelhouse) | K Paverd (Westville) | K Thobejane (Glenwood) |
| 15 | N Dlamini (Kearsney) | L Snyman (Westville) | C Bredell (Glenwood) |
| 16 | B Pellicia (Kearsney) | B Kennedy (Westvile) | T Zincume (Westville) |
| 17 | N Gumede (M/College) | N Ntanzi (Glenwood) | P Mngadi (Glenwood) |
| 18 | R Kay (Glenwood) | R Wiesner (M/College) | Y Thambiran (Westville) |
| 19 | G Francis (Kearsney) | N Ncanana (Port Shepstone) | T Erasmus (Westville) |
| 20 | R McHardy (Westville) | K Gerrard (Glenwood) | J Koekemoer (Maritzburg College) |
| 21 | A Ndlovu (Westville) | M Pieterse (Port Natal) | R Fouche (Glenwood) |
| 22 | N Ngubane (DHS) | M Dickeson (Hilton) | S Pahla (Westville) |
@beet: If so I assume that something has been done to give him the opportunity to get home once in a while? If so – well done to those responsible.
@GreenBlooded:Just an update on Curtis Jonas. I heard he might be staying.
@ Griffon- I think that you will find I said several rather than seven.Also with regard to the other two boys ,they are currently playing in my son’s soccer team and so are still very much at the school.The prop has actually been at all their matches watching.
@ Star: I read a previous comment on another post where you had said 7 of the boys in the Westville 15A which is the whole backline are over 75 kgs. Iv seen some of them upclose and don’t think all of them are over that mark. I heard the Westville prop has all ready left but heard the other two are still at the school. I might be wrong. @ Greenblooded : Iv heard a lot of praise about Jonas, and he’s open style of play, I hope Glenwood could try keep for the sake of KZN rugby. The U16 age group this year has been blessed to have 4 all very capable fly-halfs(Anderson,Jonas,Koekemoer, and Tedder, it’ll be interesting if they all get to play against eachother next year
@star: These were the originally selected teams (I think). I’ll add the replacements for both years if someone submits them :smile:
Tables are proving to be a challenge to insert. The source had the wrong date so I ended up making that 2011 admendment a number of times after importing from source.
@ beet- I am glad that you changed the year for the U16B team.Also I was sure there were 12 Westville boys in the 2011 A /B set-up. Where is Zane Weir? Of futher possible interest when looking forward, I read a Westville document that said that of the 60 boys( from 1sts to 4ths),36(60%) would be back next year.When combined with the strong U16 age group, Westville should be able to put out a fairly compeptitive Open grouping.( but as Grassy keeps reminding us we must take nothing for granted).
@GreenBlooded: That’s unfortunate for Gwd and KZN SBR. Logistically it is a big ask to make regular trips from WC to KZN. And with such good schools in the WC, Its a surprise that WC kids would even come to KZN. I noticed that the Sharks also like to recruit the u19 boys from the W/Cape in pairs from a school, possibly for the exact same reason – to help overcome homesickness
Curtis Jonas is the youngster that joined Glenwood this year from the Western Cape. I’ve heard that he is not happy and looking to go back home – reason being that he is terribly homesick and doesn’t get to see his folks at all during term time. In fact he hasn’t been home once since joining Glenwood. Heard that he may be going back to the Cape and joining Paarl Gym?
@Boishaaipa, what predictions for 2013. We are not expecting anything in 2013 as the team will be mostly grade 11. I have said a few times that Westville and Kearsney will be going for top spot in KZN in 2013. Last year I made predictions that 2012 would be a good year because we had 1 x SA Schools, 1 x SA Academy and 8 x Craven week players returning. It’s only obvious you would expect a good year, but sadly I got it wrong and we all know the issues of this year. The team never quite reached their potential, maybe against Queens and the 2nd half against Paarl Gim only. This year proved that names and a great team on paper means nothing…
@Grasshopper: I remember last year this time some predictions were also made….
@Greenhopper: Will be interesting choices. Presumably Jonas will be 10 and Akona is good at 12 so will Mcume play 13??? Also what about Vermaak at 13 and Joubert at 15???
@Grasshopper: i think they need to look at the front row, this year Zondi didn’t put IMHO , his best , they need to become a better scrumming unit and need to increase fitness and speed, if we are going to stick with the front row, then they need to lose weight , and build strength and technique , but please don’t try and bulk them.
Mcune must go to center
@Grasshopper: would be good to get news on Hippolite , I know he did himself a serious knee injury this year, but this kid has the highest work rate of a lose forward , he is tireless over the game and works hard, but what i really enjoyed was his speed , he would have played without doubt 2nds , and would have played him over Kay ,
Off topic, great Top 25! Looks pretty spot on to me; http://www.saschoolsports.co.za/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=690:rugby-final-rugby-rankings-for-2012&Itemid=19
Michaelhouse are probably about 5 places too high, but hey ho…
Glenwood side from the above;
1) T.Zondi
2) A. Mtembu
3) Mgwaba
4) Mazibuko
5) K Du Randt
6) Hippolite
7) R Kay (C)
8) S Van der Heever
9) K Khanyile
10) Jonas/Mcume
11) Vermaak
12) Nela
13) Joubert
14) Ngcobo
15) Bredell
Very young but full of pace and skill. Maybe slighty light and inexperienced in the forwards though, but hopefully Kay and Mazibuko can lead the way..
@Beet, wow very interesting. Maritzburg College, Westville and Glenwood dominate all 3 sides. All 3 schools could put together very good 1st sides for 2013 from these lists. The key thing is which of these players have private schools given bursaries to leave the 3 Gov powerhouses to strenghten their sides. You are right though that eyes will be on those boys who did not make these sides and caught up.