Well it’s a long way to go on a bus for a warm-up game, so hopefully the KZN Schools team and management got some sort of value out of their trip down to East London. KZN 62 Border 3 is how the game ended.
Whatever happened on the field of play is likely to be overshadowed by the media interpretation of the result, with all the attention once again falling on Border rugby. Probably rightfully so. Their questionable decision to omit some of the most gifted players in the country as a result of these youngsters already having contracts in place with other unions, deserves to be scrutinised even further. Although it raises a healthy debate over scouting and professionalism at school level, the almost last minute decision to exclude boys, some of whom have post-school agreements dating back over a year now, won’t win favour with many.
Since the advent of the professional era, the majority of young Eastern Cape residents wanting to pursue a career in rugby after school have left the region and made a name for themselves elsewhere, so the decisions made by the Class of 2012 are not out of the norm, yet they are being punished for it.
One-way traffic is the best description of how the game unfolded on Buffalo Park this morning. Given that the KZN side’s defensive systems had already been put to a tough test by the Sharks u19 team almost week ago, perhaps balance has in some way been arrived at, seeing that this game against this weakened Border team was clearly a day for the KZN players to get to know one another on attack.
The KZN team will reunite for a training camp in Port Elizabeth a few days before Craven Week begins on Monday 09 July 2012.
Monnas??? No mate, me not a Monnas man, I am a rugby man!!!!
Great, I’ll be in Westville in December for a couple of weddings and Christmas. Happy to meet you and maybe the other bloggers here for a beer and to chat rugby in general. It does not have to be about Glenwood or Monnas. Keep in touch and we can arrange something. Maybe you could change your tune and not talk about Glenwood too
I am happy to drink beer with you, can you handle your beer and will we talk about something other than Glenwood???
@TheBeast, still no answer to my invite to meet for a beer. You happy to attack and ridicule bloggers on here but not to talk to them man to man? Also, to update you 8 boys were caught over aged, one from Glenwood another from DHS. So the other 6 have been covered up conveniently by the schools involved eg ankle injuries etc, but I think we can all work out who they are…
Hopper dont stress brother. I put Glenwood in the Top 8 by chance cos they did field an u/19 side for a game or 2. Could not get them up the tree while they were an u/25 side.
Grassy: Ignore the animal. Sounds like someone with a different name somewhere else. Could be a Monnas supporter.
@TheBeast, not sure what you got against me but maybe be a man and actually meet up with me to discuss what you have against me. Happy to meet at Waxies in December to discuss it. I also like how you are trying to stir things up with your ranking. Sorry but I’m not childish or stupid enough to take your bait..
KZN Rankings for Season
1. Michaelhouse
2. Kearsney
3. Hilton
4 Maritzburg College
5. DHS
6. Northwood
7. Westville
8. Glenwood
http://www.flickr.com/photos/**** (edited)
We are back to torment you Hopper Hop Hop!!!!
Grasshopper: I can remember playing in the inter varsity days. Packed with spectators (many drunk) but a fantastic day. I can also remember Dbn Varsity beating Tuks in the first round of the Toyota Club Champs. This was something to build on. Instead the other Varsities have gone from strength to strength and we have gone backwards into obscurity. The Bulls back Tuks 100%. Province rely on Stellenbosch and UCT. I can tell you that there are going to many coaches in the club ranks giving up next year. They have seen the way things are going and the control the academy has over the way things are run and have had enough. It is a sad state of affairs but whilst there is a profit being made out of the current system there will be no change.
@All Black, totally agree with you. What has happened to PMB Varsity? In the 90’s it was considered pretty good and had a great campus life (Dennison Res comes to mind). UKZN in Durban was OK, I used to play for them and they had some good players.
With regard to the decision by Border to leave out the contracted players, there was a meeting at the KZNRU to implement the same system.It was decided that it would not be right to do this officially. One wonders if it affects or will affect selection in the future. You can never stop recruiting by the provinces at this level and rightfully so. Parents need to make decisions for the future of their boys and this includes academics. How can you wait for them to finish school and spend a year waiting for clarity on where they should go? This is backed by the unions who are poor in their recruiting. Unfortunately the Sharks fall into this category. They have relied on getting big numbers to the Academy rather than just quality. When one looks at the number of boys at the academy and the success rate going through to become Sharks, it tells a story. When will people see that KZN needs a genuine Varsity with a campus life to attract youngsters? It is not just about the rugby, it is the whole picture. Girls, res life, inter res competitions, inter varsity sport etc. I saw the figure of boys leaving the province to study and was amazed that it was that bad. Club rugby is floundering because of this as we can only rely on what comes to the academy and a handful of others. The U20 Club league is down to 6 teams of which only 3 are competitive. The union makes the excuse that this is because less players play after school and that the hype around schools rugby leaves a vacuum. Too many excuses for me. We all know where the problem lies but it is not in the interests of the Academy to strengthen the Varsities. Something has got to give.
Cannot believe that the Academy side is going by bus to Boland. 24 HOURS? Not the best or safest way to get to a week.
@Horsie, but is a 2 or even 3 year gap between boys really fair? GC could introduce an Under16 group and remove Under15’s. The difference between a 16 and 18/19 year old is huge. I see this as a good thing to avoid injuries where is almost men vs boys, especially in the forwards. Imagine that DHS 130kg lock playing against a 16 year old, stream rolling comes to mind..
Schools should be allowed to field 16. Year olds in their 1st XV! What about schools like GC who don’t have an U16 group? Would it mean their players would. Have to take a gap year from their beloved sport?! Don’t think so!
I don’t believe the schools will succeed. The age band in U18 has been extended to include U16’s to accommodate schools, but now they want U16’s to play against U19’s. Not in the best interests of the player.
@star: That is serious. I know that the Pumas u18 and u19s had a bus accident on their way down to Durbs last year. According to a coach they were just relieved the bus was travelling very slowly when the axle or something like that broke.
Apparently the KZN coaches were chuffed that they got a 70-seater for the trip to East London. Guess that opinion has changed now. Good that everyone is safe.
@HORSEFLY NO.1: I recall someone mentioning a game when Cope played wing for DHS. I think it was down at the Grey PE Fest.
@Pedantic, well both men could get new passports and ID books and come back into rugby in a couple of years
@GreenBlooded: Uhmmmm no … the maximum age will be Under 19 … schools are trying to get it passed that they can field Under 16 players in opens (Under 19) – reason being, many schools don’t field Under 16 teams and go directly from Under 15 into opens.
Siya Tom and Payi are done with junior rugby, and sadly probably all rugby!
I believe that the bus bringing the boys back from the EC blew up.Thank goodness someone smelt the diesel and evacuated the boys.Earlier in the year the driver of a bus carrying my boy back from Queenstown had a heart attack while driving down a pass. The driver managed to stop the bus and collapsed on the road instead of at the wheel which probably saved the lives of the boys.These near tragic moments must alert the powers that be that drivers must be medically cleared at least every year and that the busses must have proper maintenance logs done.
@Pedantic: If they get the 3 year age-band we might see Siyabonga, Mbembe and Jackson on a school field near you…….. ;)
@beet
Well the better the chances are for him to make the team.
I kknow he played 10, 12 and 15 at School but 14? He must be faster than I thought he was!
Good luck Cope!
@HORSEFLY NO.1: I managed to get the u19 team yesterday and passed it on to Sharksworld. I’ve posted it here now with
Brendon Cope in as a flyhalf but really he’s a utility back, having seen him play 10,14 and 15 at club this season.
@BoishaaiPa: I’m still working on trying to get blue and white stripes
Where do you all get those nice logo’s?….Beet?..You leaving me looking blank in here!
@Grasshopper: With the recent updated legislation it’s illegal for them to play anyone older than U19.
Kearsney have now lost the Old Crock’s traditional annual match because of this new ruling and unless the schools get their request of a 3 year age band, we might see the exclusion of U16’s in 1st teams next year.
I agree with Beet … just a little game time and some time on tour together can do a lot for the team dynamic – weak opposition is not really a problem there.
is there still no info on what the sharks u19 side is like this year??
@Grasshopper: An u21 team would be too strong. They played the Sharks u19 extended squad and were soundly beaten by about 6-0 tries. In any other season Border would have been ideal compo as the 2 Unions are generally of similar strength.
I think spending time together on the trip and even just the game time helps tho.
Not really a fair competition and not that helpful in testing KZN before a tough Free State fixture (I think that is KZN’s first game). They should have played a club Under21 side or something to really test them.