Tuesday, 19 May 2026.
Just my opinions on the WP u18A team selections to create some discussion:
WP recipe for success
- Western Province’s typical 23-player A-team balance usually settles around a 5:8 POC-to-white split in the pack and 7:3 in the backline. Squad construction is aimed at selecting the strongest 23, but its also about finding the right balance across positions while still maintaining quality, especially in key SBR positions.
WP forward targets: slim pickings this year
- This is shaping up as a particularly difficult year to source POC forwards.
- Across the Winelands Big Four, the two Northern Suburbs Premier League schools, and Bishops Diocesan College, there are currently no POC players in the first-choice A-team packs.
Note that Durbies are included above due to the unfortunate injury to standout hooker Zay-Winn Januarie, who remains sidelined with a neck injury. - As a result, Western Province will likely need to identify forwards from:
- Rondebosch
- SACS
- Wynberg
- B-League schools
- Or potentially from powerhouse B-teams, much like Caleb Koeberg of Paul Roos last season.
Props available, but lack of locks creates selection squeeze
- The three Southern Suburbs schools have produced a reasonable crop of POC front-row talent, but notably no second-row options.
- If WP selects three front-rowers from this cluster, squad balance will almost certainly force selectors to source at least two loose forwards from the same group to complete the pack.
- The shortage of genuine locks places additional pressure on the back-row selection and overall pack composition.
Basson’s return changes the backline equation
- Tiaan Basson has returned from a shoulder injury and is now a strong favourite for selection.
- The Paul Roos captain is expected to partner Ethan Barker of Paarl Gim in midfield, giving WP what looks to be a physically imposing and tactically balanced centre pairing.
- While this strengthens the team considerably, it likely leaves room for only one additional white backline player, further intensifying selection pressure elsewhere.
Ethan vs Travis: the great debate
- Basson’s return may have closed the door on both players making the A-team together.
- Overall, Travis Pheiffer of Paul Roos may well be the country’s form flyhalf this season, but comparisons with Ethan van Biljon of Stellenbergl remain unavoidable.
- Van Biljon is widely viewed as the superior long-term prospect and has already been secured by WP for 2027.
- By contrast, Pheiffer is expected to join the Bulls pathway after school, which inevitably adds another layer to the selection conversation.
- In a WPRU system increasingly focused on strengthening its internal player pathway to senior rugby, these dynamics are difficult to ignore even if people say CW selection is independent of WP/Stormers affairs.
- Van Biljon’s versatility may also work in his favour.
Why this year matters beyond 2026
- There is a growing perception that the WP u18A side could be more vulnerable than usual this season.
- While much of the country would welcome a rare Western Province stumble at Craven Week, such an outcome may actually be counterproductive from a national development perspective.
- Should WP fail in their bid to be crowned Craven Week champs of the umpteenth time in a row, there is a realistic risk they may not field a B-team at Craven Week in 2027.
- That would be unfortunate, as early signs suggest next year’s group could once again have the depth to justify two squads.
Who looks pencilled in
- Hermans (SACS)
- Whitehead (Gim)
- Burden (Stellies)
- Van der Schyff (Berg)
- Van Zyl (Gim)
- Booise (Gim)
- Barker (Gim)
- Basson (PRG)
Who is close
- Dreyer / Schulze (Gim), or potentially both
- Mehlomakulu (Bosch)
- Van Biljon (Stellies) / Pheiffer (PRG)
- Behardien (Berg)
- Bell (Bosch)
Who has been really good this season
- Barnard (PRG)
- van Deventer (Stellies)
- le Roux (PRG)
- Hugo (Gim)
- Brink (Stellies)
- Molnar (Stellies)
- de Villiers (HJS)
- Mongie (Stellies)
- Saunders (Gim)
@Bungee (Comment #13)
I think next week’s game vs Boland will be the best indicator of how things stand in terms of selection but it seems the final teams will only be made known in a couple of weeks.
Would be nice to see next week’s team lists
Any news from the trials yesterday?
@Snelvuur (Comment #11) There is always a player or two that can shine through. And I think a best 23 of the non-A league players will stamp most Academy week teams, and this will insure that these okes don’t fall through the cracks. And I think this year, with the slim pickings mentioned above, we might see a few come through into the WP teams again.
@Bungee (Comment #10)
I reckon the gap’s become too big for guys from those schools to make the team. Guys playing third team for PRG, HJS, Gim play at a higher level every week than someone playing first team in those leagues. Look at Tygerberg: they were the best represented “B-league” school in the Grant Khomo sides over the last few years, but they lost by 60 against Durbanville last week (a week after Durbanville took 60 from PRG).
I’m excited to see what lower league players come through this year. I remember in the past seeing names from schools like Kasselsvlei, Strand and the likes. I think we might be getting a few of them this year, as the u18s of this year were all in gr6/7 in Covid, meaning a lot more went to the schools in their local area.
And I still believe that WP should have 4 u18 teams, with the 4th team being made up of only players from schools not in the A league.
@Trots HJS (Tandem) (Comment #8)
Yeah I don’t think it will happen this year. There is bound to be at least one Boishaai player in the mix.
Just a case of who.
Luhan Hattingh is going to be a player to watch next year and has a big frame but still sort of paying his dues this year.
Dante Davids if hes still u18 could sneak in as a B3 player
WP might grade Barnard as a hooker and send him to CW with the B-team which would open up a place for a prop
Max Malan is newish the LH role so might be a long shot
Bates Winshaw seems to have had a few injury concerns but might be a better bet
One of the locks maybe in AD Faul or Trichardt van Tonder but hard to see them featuring above the Gim duo.
Liam de Villiers is a potential SA u18 level player but it just seems too expensive to cap him in the A-team for CW.
So a few Boishaaiers in the running for the B-team but seeming them in the A-team may come as a surprise. Stellenberg’s prominence up front this season has crowded the field.
@beet (Comment #2)
Hi Beet not arguing against these names but cannot remember when last ( if ever) Boishaai had no boys in the team.
Sad dat PoC/White split is nog n issue in span keuses. As WP sukkel met dit, dan wil ek nie weet hoe haan dit by die ander provinsies nie
Talking KZN. This year the Sharks u18 selectors opted against players like Cebani, Ndamase, Nala, Dladla and Karolisin, all of whom might have stood a better chance of making it to u18 Craven Week this year if they were based in WP.
@Bungee (Comment #4) Agreed and it’s neatly illustrated by the GK situation this year. The Sharks had a great u16 group last year and won GK, but they really don’t have the depth to justify having two teams at GK this year.
@boerboel (Comment #3) Agreed, which is bad news for the guys playing next year as Beet mentioned. I think WP should be guaranteed 2 teams in Craven Week in general though.
this years wp cweek team the weakest in many years
Taking a stab at it
1 Qiraan Hermans SACS
2 Charles Whitehead Paarl Gim
3 Janu van Deventer Stellenberg
4 Juvan Burden Stellenberg
5 Jean Dreyer Paarl Gim
6 Linakho Mehlomakulu Rondebosch
7 Esa van der Schyff Wynberg
8 Hendre van Zyl Paarl Gim
9 Mickyle Booise Paarl Gim
10 Ethan van Biljon Stellenberg
11 Cadynn Samuels Paul Roos
12 Ethan Barker Paarl Gim
13 Tiaan Basson Paul Roos
14 Caleb Bell Rondebosch
15 Tevez Cupido Paul Roos
16 Kwaza Gobingca Rondebosch
17 Lehan Barnard Paul Roos
18 Deen Fortuin SACS
19 Bernhardt Schulze Paarl Gim
20 Yanos Molnar Stellenberg
21 Achmat Behardien Wynberg
22 Luca Orgill SACS
23 Laeeq Davids Wynberg
The teams are probably already in draft mode ahead of today but anyway I tried for one. Props will be interesting and the fourth loose forward where I guess selectors could go for Molnar or Hugo to reward one of them for a having a really good season, Le Roux for a menace at the breakdowns, someone with bulk like Hattingh of HJS or perhaps a well rounded player like Juan Visagie of BL who offers a bit of everything. Brink also a candidate.