Monument may be one of the dominant forces in South African schoolboy rugby this season, but their strong form is not translating into obvious favour in the early Craven Week selection race.
The Lions U18 trial squad to face the Pumas has been released and, on paper, it is not especially flattering for the Witbulle.
The biggest talking point has to be the omission of ultra heavyweight locks Henco van Geelen and Matthew van Deventer from the trial A side. Their exclusion is difficult to ignore.
Van Geelen, in particular, looks every bit a genuine contender not only for Lions honours but potentially for higher recognition, with many likely to view him as a legitimate South African u18 prospect. Alongside Van Deventer, the engine-room pair have been instrumental in making the Monnas pack one of the most physically dominant units in the country this year. Their set-piece and tight-loose strength, coupled with brutal efficiency in contact, have repeatedly laid the platform for Monument victories.
Also surprisingly relegated to the B team is big influential No 8 Ryno van der Westhuizen. Given his importance to Monnas’ forward dominance, he appeared one of the more secure selections heading into trials. Instead, like his lock partners, he now has to prove his case all over again. Life was not set to be easy with the Noordheuwel back-row pairing of Armand van Eck and Kean Lourens returning this year with Craven Week 2025 experience under the belt.
The midfield selections have been equally fascinating.
The battle for the Lions Craven Week No 12 jersey always looked set to be one of the season’s marquee contests, given the quality available. On the current trial selections, however, the early advantage belongs to Helpmekaar’s Ethan Lourens, who was in the 2025 Craven Week team alongside his SA Schools 2026 candidate twin Shaye Lourens (scrumhalf).
A notable twist sees one of Ethan’s main rivals, Phano Letsie, shifted to outside centre. This comes despite Monument u17 midfielder Blessing Monareng having looked increasingly convincing in that role throughout the season. Monareng has at least been included on the A-team bench. Letsie was at Craven Week in 2025.
KES powerhouse Sam Smith, named in the B team, remains firmly in the conversation as another contender for the inside centre berth. However, perhaps the most surprising name on the outside looking in is Juandré Ehlers.
Currently in the Lions C team, Ehlers possesses all the raw ingredients coaches tend to covet beyond school rugby — decent size, speed and skill in one package. Under different circumstances, he may well have been viewed as a frontrunner not only for Lions selection but potentially as a candidate for SA Schools consideration. For now, that pathway appears significantly narrower unless he can force a rethink through the trial matches.
There is better news for a handful of Monnas backs.
Reliable goal-kicker and prolific points accumulator Jaydon Viljoen gets the nod at flyhalf, while tall, physically imposing wing Ruan Genis is also rewarded. Both look like players with legitimate post-school rugby futures.
An interesting omission from the A team is Jeppe’s Joel Akilo, who plays most of his school rugby at 13 but represented the Lions at wing during last year’s Craven Week. He has again been named on the wing, but only in the B lineup. This suggests selectors still value his athletic upside, footwork and versatility, while affording him one final opportunity to strengthen his case.
Loose forward Siya Ncube is another Monnas player to benefit, earning recognition after a series of strong performances in the shadow of the Witbulle’s heavyweight pack. Back-row teammate Caleb Sparks has been less fortunate, finding himself in the C team.
At the back, Loghan Langevelt also finds himself in the B team. The Monnas fullback has been lively, dependable and generally assured. However making the Lions Craven Week side was always going to be a long shot, irrespective of how good his form is. One surprise A-team selection in this department is Jeppe’s u17 regular flyhalf, Ndzalama Mbhalati, whose booming boot may have counted in his favour. He gets the nod over Nories Craven Week 2025 player Tidi Moekesane (A-team bench).
Meanwhile, Cameron Kourie’s selection ahead of experienced KES utility back Daniel Soekoe is noteworthy in itself. Kourie has quietly developed into an important versatile option for Monument this season, capable of covering multiple inside back roles. Monnas wing Miguel Coetzee also finds himself in the C’s.
Elsewhere, one of the more intriguing positional battles remains at loosehead prop.
Jeppe’s Josh Hamman currently appears to have edged ahead of Helpmekaar’s Diandro Botha. It remains one of the tighter and more compelling selection races in the squad.
| Lions u18A | Lions U18B | ||||||
| 1 | Joshua Hamman | 1 of 7 Jeppe | 1 | #1 | Diandro Botha | 1 of 3 Helpmekaar | |
| 2 | Jeandre vd Merwe | 1 of 4 Helpmekaar | 2 | #1 | Siya Nkomo | 1 of 7 KES | |
| 3 | Steph Botha | 1 of 6 Noordheuwel | 3 | #2 | Mahlatsi Sekekele | 1 of 3 Jeppe | |
| 4 | MC van Tonder | 2 of 4 Helpmekaar | 4 | #2 | Daniel van der Linde | 2 of 3 Helpmekaar | |
| 5 | Glodi Tshipamba | 2 of 7 Jeppe | 5 | #3 | Tswaledi Phasha | 2 of 7 KES | |
| 6 | Mihle Dyakala | 3 of 7 Jeppe | 6 | #3 | Jordan Venter | 1 of 1 Northcliff | |
| 7 | Kean Lourens | 2 of 6 Noordheuwel | 7 | #4 | Hanco van Geelen | 1 of 6 Monument | |
| 8 | Armand van Eck | 3 of 6 Noordheuwel | 8 | #4 | Blake Esbend | 2 of 3 Jeppe | |
| 9 | Shaye Lourens | 3 of 4 Helpmekaar | 9 | #4 | Matthew van Deventer | 2 of 6 Monument | |
| 10 | Jaydon Viljoen | 1 of 4 Monument | 10 | #4 | Robert Hurne | 1 of 2 Noordheuwel | |
| 11 | Ruan Genis | 2 of 4 Monument | 11 | #5 | Naledi Phiri | 3 of 7 KES | |
| 12 | Ethan Lourens | 4 of 4 Helpmekaar | 12 | #6 | Lewellyn Vermaak | 3 of 3 Helpmekaar | |
| 13 | Phano Letsie | 4 of 7 Jeppe | 13 | #7 | Allan Patu | 1 of 1 St Johns | |
| 14 | Lethabo Mashao | 5 of 7 Jeppe | 14 | #8 | Ryno vd Westhuizen | 3 of 6 Monument | |
| 15 | Ndzalama Mbhalati | 6 of 7 Jeppe | 15 | #9 | SW de Waal | 2 of 2 Noordheuwel | |
| 16 | Siphosamandosi Cele | 1 of 1 St Stithians | 16 | #9 | Lethabo Malahlela | 1 of 1 Parktown | |
| 17 | Mako Mandisa | 1 of 1 St John’s | 17 | #10 | Cameron Kourie | 4 of 6 Monument | |
| 18 | Kwazi Nyoka | 7 of 7 Jeppe | 18 | #11 | Joel Akilo | 3 of 3 Jeppe | |
| 19 | Lewellyn Lourens | 4 of 6 Noordheuwel | 19 | #12 | Sam Smith | 4 of 7 KES | |
| 20 | Siya Ncube | 3 of 4 Monument | 20 | #13 | L Mbabdamana | 5 of 7 KES | |
| 21 | Prince Agu | 5 of 6 Noordheuwel | 21 | #14 | Ntsumi Twala | 6 of 7 KES | |
| 22 | Blessing Monareng | 4 of 4 Monument | 22 | #15 | Logan Langeveldt | 5 of 6 Monument | |
| 23 | Tidi Moekesane | 6 of 6 Noordheuwel | 23 | #15 | Asa Mkwajo | 7 of 7 KES | |
| 24 | 24 | #15 | Ray Nathan van Kolver | 6 of 6 Monument | |||
| Lions U18C | Lions U17A | ||||||
| 1 | #1 | Dexter Chirwa | 7 of 14 Monument | 1 | Noah Tomkinson | 1 of 1 St Stithians | |
| 2 | #2 | Tristan Rodriques | 8 of 14 Monument | 2 | Cayden Streicher | 1 of 7 Noordheuwel | |
| 3 | #2 | Joshua Snyman | 8 of 16 KES | 3 | Jaydon Nel | 1 of 3 Monument | |
| 4 | #3 | Deacon Korff | 9 of 14 Monument | 4 | Andries vd Merwe | 1 of 2 KES | |
| 5 | #3 | Aluwani Ndlovu | 4 of 9 Jeppe | 5 | Rick vd Berg | 2 of 7 Noordheuwel | |
| 6 | #3 | Karlo Steenkamp | 4 of 10 Helpmekaar | 6 | Marvedi Ndomba | 1 of 3 Jeppe | |
| 7 | #3 | Markus Jacobs | 1 of 2 Marais Viljoen | 7 | Rico vd Westhuizen | 3 of 7 Noordheuwel | |
| 8 | #4 | Rhys Minnaar | 2 of 3 Northcliff | 8 | Dewald du Preez | 1 of 4 Helpmekaar | |
| 9 | #4 | Adrian Barnard | 9 of 16 KES | 9 | Thando Msimang | 2 of 3 Jeppe | |
| 10 | #6 | Caleb Sparks | 10 of 14 Monument | 10 | Daniel Lumbula | 1 of 2 Parktown | |
| 11 | #7 | Phillip Rykaardt | 1 of 1 Randburg | 11 | Thato Mapuru | 1 of 1 Marais Viljoen | |
| 12 | #7 | Xander Jackson | 5 of 10 Helpmekaar | 12 | Roche Botha | 2 of 3 Monument | |
| 13 | #7 | Kenneth Thring | 1 of 2 St Stithians | 13 | Matthys de Koker | 1 of 1 Dinamika | |
| 14 | #8 | Diederik Kleyn | 10 of 16 KES | 14 | Ruan Bester | 2 of 4 Helpmekaar | |
| 15 | #9 | Taige David | 11 of 16 KES | 15 | Kgotso Mazibuko | 1 of 1 St Benedicts | |
| 16 | #9 | Luxon Zwane | 5 of 9 Jeppe | 16 | Thomas Hunt | 1 of 1 Northcliff | |
| 17 | #10 | Daniel Soekoe | 12 of 16 KES | 17 | Luthando Marangxa | 3 of 3 Jeppe | |
| 18 | #10 | Liam Moseley | 2 of 2 St Johns | 18 | Defonde Hoff | 4 of 7 Noordheuwel | |
| 19 | #11 | Keegan Jackson | 13 of 16 KES | 19 | Zuan Krige | 3 of 4 Helpmekaar | |
| 20 | #11 | Everence Ihenaco | 2 of 4 Parktown | 20 | Russel Mgiba | 2 of 2 KES | |
| 21 | #11 | Joshua Wilkinson | 14 of 16 KES | 21 | Edwill October | 5 of 7 Noordheuwel | |
| 22 | #12 | Kieran Reid | 3 of 11 Noordheuwel | 22 | Hlayisani Mbambo | 2 of 2 Parktown | |
| 23 | #12 | Jeandre Ehlers | 11 of 14 Monument | 23 | Jayden Brown | 4 of 4 Helpmekaar | |
| 24 | #14 | Tristan Helmund | 4 of 11 Noordheuwel | 24 | Migael Coetzee | 3 of 3 Monument | |
| 25 | #15 | Xander van Niekerk | 6 of 10 Helpmekaar | 25 | Chrisandro Flemmer | 6 of 7 Noordheuwel | |
| 26 | #15 | Dali Milanzi | 6 of 9 Jeppe | 26 | Heinrich Smit | 7 of 7 Noordheuwel |
@beet
The U17A and U18C Teams listed above are the same.
-FIXED-
@Rainier (Comment #8)
Agreed. It’s possible he has a niggle or didn’t play full trials. I think it’s also very likely that he will make the main team, and if he doesn’t get snapped up by a pro team, or the SA U18/20 pathway he will find the French clubs very happy to have him like Paul Willemse.
Some 15 years ago, I was very critical of Monnas having way too many provincial reps, but the wheel seems to have turned too far in the opposite direction now. I suspect that some of the Monnas players will be moved up to the CW team after the practice game v Pumas….or are these the final teams?
@Kaya 85 (Comment #7)
No he is a prop. I listed the positional numbers as #1 etc in grey alongside the sequential numbers in red.
Van Geelen paying B-team is a disgrace.
Just for clarity:
@Beet
Is the KES hooker listed not their captain and prop? They selecting him at #2?
@wanza_15 (Comment #5) That’s a very interesting issue you raise. Now, technically at least, U18 Craven Week is still a representative GLRU team, rather than Lions (the pro Franchise currently going as Fidelity SecureDrive Lions). All selections are also supposedly therefore by “volunteers”, participants, coaches etc. of schools within GLRU jurisdiction and as such not prejudicial to the professional franchise. And I think another point, is that whatever contract there is comes into effect after completion of schoolboy rugby (if not school/matric completion).
I wonder if someone could comment; I saw Jaydon Viljoen signed a pro contract with The Bulls. I then find it strange why the Lions would select him for u18 Craven Week, it feels like a broken or counter intuitive process doesn’t it, I mean, the man has told you way before Craven Week that is that he isn’t committed to you after school? Isn’t this all at the very least trying to be an end to end process ie. you play u16 GK, you’re on our radar, you progress to Craven Week, you’re now a SERIOUS prospect for the Union, and hopefully then our relationship progresses beyond matric – we’ve invested a lot. For him to “tell” you 3 weeks before CW that he is taking his talents elsewhere, should the Lions not look at another boy? This is not about Viljoen, it is about similar situations in general
@wanza_15 (Comment #3)
Love love watching Glodi. Hopefully a lot more to come from him at CW and then after school as a loose forward!
Very interesting. This is quite flattering from a Jeppe perspective, we absolutely do not deserve the most reps – at least speaking at a high level. However when you peel the onion back and look at who they actually are, it’s hard to keep them out. Joshua, Glodi, Phano and to a lesser degree Mihle have been outstanding, them 4 “definitely”. Lethabo’s star has risen of late, he is playing with confidence and I am imagining he had a good trial. Ndzalama is the definitely for me the most interesting inclusion but I guess without the kicking duties which will almost surely be Viljoen’s responsibility (and correctly so) and being deployed at 15 rather than 10, he does clear well with ball in hand – it does make sense.
Huge game on Saturday then, especially for Akilo who looks to have been demoted to the Lions B team from being a Craven Week player last year. It’s interesting because as the article alludes to, for us he plays 13 but at Lions he plays wing; I’m not sure that serves him. Our trip to Krugersdorp has a bit more on it now – the timing is impeccable.
Jeppe will travel to Krugersdorp to play Monnas on Saturday. Statement matches need to be made. Statement matches will be made.
He is a bit new to the Lock position but there’s no reason why Henco Van Geelen shouldn’t be in the A team. maybe it was done to try get the player, and others snubbed, to commit to great performances in these trial matches.