Free State are in the process of finalising their Craven Week team. They named a fairly predictable blend of 13 Grey College and 9 HTS Louis Botha players for a trial match against the Griffons. The squad is very much along the lines of the quota system in place for Craven Week which stipulates that each team must have a minimum of 9 Previously Disadvantaged Individuals (PDI) in their squad of 22 with no fewer than 5 required to be in the starting line-up and on the field at all times. As a result HTS Louis Botha has become one of the best represented schools at Craven Week this year. The fact that only 2 schools are representing the region, also says a lot about the state of competitiveness at the top end of the Free State inter-schools matches.
Of the interesting selections, impressive Grey College loosehead prop Andrew du Plessis shifts to hooker, a position it is believed he will fulfil at the Sharks next year. Solid Andries Kriek will operate from the base of the scrum as opposed to the secondrow where he sometimes does duty for his school. Strong Grey inside centre and SA 7’s star Carel Durow is not in the mix at this stage. Also not included is 2012 Craven Week player Dylan Harlen of Grey.
| # | Free State | 2012 Representation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ox Nche | Louis Botha | SA Schools |
| 2 | Andrew du Plessis | Grey College | Craven Week |
| 3 | Ruan Kramer | Grey College | Craven Week |
| 4 | Victor Maruping | Louis Botha | u19 Arende |
| 5 | Casper Fourie | Grey College | |
| 6 | Refiole Rampeta | Louis Botha | |
| 7 | Marius Louw (c.) | Grey College | Academy Week |
| 8 | Andries Kriek | Grey College | u19 Arende |
| 9 | Heinrich Sander | Grey College | u19 Arende |
| 10 | Julian Delicado | Grey College | |
| 11 | Sheldon Fortuin | Louis Botha | |
| 12 | Aliqhayiya Mgijima | Louis Botha | |
| 13 | Stephen Rautenbach | Grey College | |
| 14 | Henry Immelman | Grey College | |
| 15 | EW Viljoen | Grey College | Craven Week |
| 16 | Martin Wipplinger | Grey College | |
| 17 | Ruben Terblanche | Grey College | |
| 18 | De Wet Bezuidenhout | Grey College | |
| 19 | Whaseem Gallant | Louis Botha | Academy Week |
| 20 | Sharwin Cupido | Louis Botha | |
| 21 | Masego Toolo | Louis Botha | |
| 22 | Patrick Mbangi | Louis Botha |
@Klofiepa : Reinhardt Arndt was in Laerskool Louw Geldenhuys in Linden voordat hy Grey toe is, so kon nie in Boland se O/13 C/W span gewees het nie. Ek weet nie eers of hy hier die C/W span gehaal het nie.
@Queenian: Julian Delicado (10) has played a few matches for the first team, but mostly at centre for the Cherries
@BOG: Dankie BOG. Het gesien hy was in die 1ste span vroeer in die jaar by Kearsney. As ek reg onthou was hy betrokke in die Outeniqua wedstryd. Ek het Julian Jordaan se naam in die proef spanne gesien, en maar gewonder hoekom hy nie ook ten minste die proef spanne gemaak het nie. Jy is reg, hy is nog in gr. 11, so sy beurt sal kom.
@valke: Praat onder korreksie, maar ek dink hy is in die 3es. Maar weer, sover ek weet, is hy in Gr 11- so sy kanse kom. Hierdie situasie is nie ongewoon daar nie. Oor die jare het CW spelers van elders met groot verwagting soontoe gegaan, maar beland dan in die laer spanne. Andersom, is dit egter ook nie ongewoon vir van daardie spelers om die hoogste vlak te bereik nie. Piet Van Zyl, Kobus Reinach, Gerrie Britz, Tiaan Liebenberg, sover my kennis strek, is spelers wie vir GCB se laer spanne gespeel het.
Are there any Grey Cherries boys in the team
Thought there would be more than 13 Grey boys.
@MyKroon: Enige idee wat met Micheal Andrade gebeur het ?
Aan die begin van die jaar by Grey aangekom as die #1 Loskakel. Nou sien ek hom nerens. Ek neem aan hy het ‘n langtermyn besering ??
@valke: I actually remembered Holmes but boy the compo at 8 is tough this year again. Actually an SA Schools contender I did forget is Pieter Jansen. We’ll have to look carefully at the hookers on show at CW, but he certainly has a lot of good qualities.
@beet: Hi Beet. The Valke team will probably only be finalised next week. Those mentioned above are all there, although I believe you are forgetting the best one, Marco Holmes ( no. 8 ). Johan Labuschagne injured his knee at Wildeklawer against Noord Kaap and will miss Craven Week. I believe he was another strong candidate for SA Schools.
The following EG players were involved against the Lions, although some only helped out because of injury :
Marius Greyvenstein
Pieter Jansen
Estiaan Enslin
Morne Swart
Marco Holmes
Ruan Potgieter
Xander Cronje
Sampie Hearn
Martin van Wyk
Kobus Engelbrecht
@MyKroon: Dankie vir inligting. Jammer om dit te hoor. Een van die min skole spelers wat kan dink en opsom in n oogwink op die veld!!
@valke: Thanks Valke. What about the Valke team. Some EG boys in that team that might push hard for SA Schools status this year – Estian Enslin, Morne Swart, Ruan Potgieter, Sampie Hearn
@MyKroon: What about Carel Durow? Injured?
Arndt het arm gebreek net voor Boishaai. Sekerlik uit vir cravenweek
Lions U/18 school teams
Cravenweek: Erwin Harris (Florida); Sibusiso Nkosi (Jeppe), Godfrey Ramaboea (KES), Gerdus van der Walt (Monnas), Ralton October (Florida); Innocent Radebe (St. Stithians), Hamer Esterhuizen © (Monnas); Wihan Jacobs (Monnas), Dylan Vlok (Monnas), Dwayne Pienaar (Monnas), Ryno Herbst (Monnas), Devon Henson (St. Johns), Roan Grobbelaar (Help), Joseph Dweba (Florida), Frans van Wyk (Monnas). Reserwes: Emmanuel Morowane (Jeppe), Andrew Acton (Jeppe), Gunter Janse van Vuuren (Monnas), Nyaska Tarusenga (St. Benedicts), Brendon Rick (Florida), Erik Fourie (Monnas), Fernando Kermis (Florida).
Akademieweek: Sandile Sibande (Jeppe); Justin Bhana (Florida), Stefan le Roux (Monnas), Tsepo Thule (Jeppe), Vincent Dlamini (Jeppe); Ruan Conradie (Monnas), Stefan Fitzgerald (Monnas); Denzil Hill (Jeppe), Devon Mzama (President), Andile Ngope (Jeppe), Reinhard Schindehutte (Helmp), Tatenda Zhoya (St. Ben), James Mocke (Monnas), Kyle Kruger (Florida), CJ Conradie (Monnas), Gihard Visagie (Helpm). Reserwes: D Rigney (Parktown), CJ Greeff (Monnas), L van Tonder (Jan Viljoen), Devon Mzama (President), Latleho Tsotetsi (St. Ben), Ashley Lindewaal (Florida).
@Klofie Pa: I must say I really like Reinard van Arndt’s play as well. He was tremendous vs Outeniqua and always brings with him this energy and urgency. Always disappointing for me when he’s not in the GCB starting line-up.
Eks verbaas oor die uitsluiting van Arndt. Volg die jong man sedert hy vir die Boland O/13 CW gespeel het.