I enlisted the help of Queens College Class of 2011 old boy Ludz to compile a Border team made up of players that had represented the union at Craven Week over the last 10 seasons. Here’s what he came up with:
| # | LUDZ’S BORDER TEAM OF DECADE | SCHOOL | YEAR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bandise Maku | Dale College | ||
| 2 | Lisle Clark (Captain) | Queen’s College | ||
| 3 | Allan Dell | Queen’s College | ||
| 4 | Luvuyo Lusaseni | Selborne College | ||
| 5 | Matthew Lutge | Queen’s College | ||
| 6 | Chris Cloete | Selborne College | ||
| 7 | Johan Meyer | Queen’s College | ||
| 8 | Lubabalo Mtembu | Dale College | ||
| 9 | Rory Kockott | Selborne College | ||
| 10 | Lionel Cronje | Queen’s College | ||
| 11 | Lwazi Mvovo | Mario Louw High | ||
| 12 | Andile Jho | Dale College | ||
| 13 | Khatrada Ntabeni | Queen’s College | ||
| 14 | Sbura Sithole | Queen’s College | ||
| 15 | Kholo Ramashala | Queen’s College | ||
| 16 | Grant Hartley | Queen’s College | ||
| 17 | Soso September | Selborne College | ||
| 18 | Jaco Nepgen | Hangklip High | ||
| 19 | Tim Agaba | Stirling High | ||
| 20 | Sinovuyo Nyoka | Dale College | ||
| 21 | Joshua Stander | Queen’s College | ||
| 22 | Daniel van der Wyver | Selborne College |
Border’s Craven Week teams 2004-2013
| # | 2013 | # | 2012 | # | 2011 | # | 2010 | # | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thabani Mtsi | 1 | Mihlali Mtongana | 1 | Yakha Qinela | 1 | Allan Dell (c.) | 1 | Sonwabiso September |
| 2 | Jayson Reinecke | 2 | Keegan Emms (c.) | 2 | Siphatho Qinisile (c.) | 2 | Sihle Gogela | 2 | Grant Hartley (c.) |
| 3 | Matthew Nelson | 3 | Johannes Jonker | 3 | Ryan Germishuys | 3 | Chase Morison | 3 | Allan Dell |
| 4 | Jason Steyn | 4 | Brenton de Coning | 4 | Jason Orpen | 4 | Andrew Love | 4 | Louis Nel |
| 5 | Robert Lyons | 5 | Mick Meintjes | 5 | Andrew Love | 5 | Callan Roelf Venter | 5 | Chay Oberholzer |
| 6 | Damian Wolvaard | 6 | Michael Hansen | 6 | Siphesihle Punguzwa | 6 | Dean Hammond | 6 | Roelof Roodt |
| 7 | Jedwyn Harty | 7 | James Snelling | 7 | Siyasanga Makohliso | 7 | Roelof Smit | 7 | Chris Cloete |
| 8 | Justin Hollis | 8 | Naythan Knoetze | 8 | Johan Meyer | 8 | Johan Meyer | 8 | Matthew Williams |
| 9 | Kewan Gibb | 9 | Akhona Sihunu | 9 | Cameron Opperman | 9 | Bangihlombe Kobese | 9 | Matthew King |
| 10 | Lungelo Gosa (c.) | 10 | Bukho Ntsaluba | 10 | Achumile Mashalaba | 10 | James Allderman | 10 | Dale Sabbagh |
| 11 | Jerry Danquah | 11 | Justin Bell | 11 | Emihle Baneti | 11 | Ofentse Boloko | 11 | Lionel Makiwane |
| 12 | Simon Bolze | 12 | Aubrey Ferreira | 12 | Dylan de Wilzen | 12 | Andile Jho | 12 | Andile Jho |
| 13 | Somila Jho | 13 | Sibanye Bukani | 13 | Siphumelele Msutwana | 13 | Keegan van Schalkwyk | 13 | Aziyena Mandaba |
| 14 | Lilitha Jonas | 14 | Warren Swarts | 14 | Milani Mqhayi | 14 | Achumile Mashalaba | 14 | Mzwethu Mfenyana |
| 15 | Ayavuya Mavuso | 15 | Thabani Mgugudo | 15 | Joshua van Rooyen | 15 | Jason Germishuys | 15 | Olunje Gwampi |
| 16 | Sinako George | 16 | Bryce Rennie | 16 | Maliviwe Simanga | 16 | Tyran Fagan | 16 | Lifa Ghana |
| 17 | Sibusiso Lali | 17 | Similile Qinela | 17 | Neil Fourie | 17 | Mihlali Mpafi | 17 | Luvuyo Kama |
| 18 | Lona Ntsila | 18 | Andrew Miles | 18 | Jason-Paul Buchholz | 18 | Khwezi Mona | 18 | Mahdi Elabor |
| 19 | Mihlali Nchukana | 19 | Mandilake Ponco | 19 | Frederik Lubbe | 19 | Jermaine Kleinsmith | 19 | Roche Vorster |
| 20 | Keegan Gray | 20 | Onke Nyaku | 20 | Juan-Phillip Smith | 20 | Konke Maholwana | 20 | Bangihlombe Kobese |
| 21 | Kyle Brown | 21 | Lilitha Jonas | 21 | Justin Haynes | 21 | Sinjin Greyvenstein | 21 | Shane Swart |
| 22 | Nanele Tyali | 22 | Somila Jho | 22 | Joshua Stander | 22 | Thabo Sisusa | 22 | Ofentse Boloko |
| 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | |||||
| # | 2008 | # | 2007 | # | 2006 | # | 2005 | # | 2004 |
| 1 | Daylin Berndt | 1 | Daylin Berndt | 1 | Ming-Loung Tu | 1 | Roelof Koorsen | 1 | Bandise Maku |
| 2 | Grant Hartley | 2 | Nicolaas Van Pletzen | 2 | Lisle Clark | 2 | Lisle Clark | 2 | Cade Pressly |
| 3 | Wesley Cloete | 3 | Robert Mc Farlane | 3 | Gareth Hartley | 3 | Keagan-Ross Rhind (c.) | 3 | Jacobus Strydom |
| 4 | Vernon Adams | 4 | Jacques Du Plessis | 4 | Joubert Horn | 4 | Jarryd Greyvenstein | 4 | Jaco Nepgen |
| 5 | Louis Nel | 5 | Wynand Wagenaar | 5 | Luvuyiso Lusaseni | 5 | Mathew Lutge | 5 | Jacobus Stroebel |
| 6 | Matthew Williams | 6 | Geoffrey Wood | 6 | Lukhanyo Losi | 6 | Ruan Jordaan | 6 | Clarence Randall |
| 7 | Jarryd de Jager | 7 | Frederik Potgieter | 7 | Johannes Dreyer | 7 | Glenn McEwan | 7 | Sokhana Mkona |
| 8 | Lubabalo Mtembu | 8 | Tim Agaba | 8 | Shane Spring | 8 | Mzothando Simani | 8 | Romano Lamprecht |
| 9 | Sinovuyo Nyoka | 9 | Craig Shone | 9 | Sonwabiso Socikwa | 9 | Mandilakhe Tile | 9 | Rory Kockott |
| 10 | Dale Sabbagh | 10 | Lionel Cronje | 10 | Lionel Cronje | 10 | Jannie Myburgh | 10 | Andisa Gqobo |
| 11 | Sibusiso Sithole (c.) | 11 | Logan Basson | 11 | Kholo Ramashala | 11 | Alexander Hattingh | 11 | Lwazi Mvovo |
| 12 | Robert Alers | 12 | Bradley Kretzmann | 12 | Jeffrey Williams | 12 | Jeffrey Williams | 12 | Jared Biggs |
| 13 | David Russell | 13 | Simthembile Cakwe | 13 | Bulelo Jimana | 13 | Zamikhaya Bushula | 13 | Lutho Nyeka |
| 14 | Lionel Makiwane | 14 | Okuhlo Joyi | 14 | Mayibuye Ndwandwa | 14 | Yandisa Jaxa | 14 | Yandisa Jaxa |
| 15 | Daniel Van De Vyver | 15 | Kholo Ramashala | 15 | Qhawe Magwentshu | 15 | Qhawe Magwentshu | 15 | Wynand Greyvenstein |
| 16 | Sibulele Stemele | 16 | Peter Smith | 16 | Andile Mrwebi | 16 | Nkosinathi Langeni | 16 | Dylan Pieterse |
| 17 | Sonwabiso September | 17 | Johannes Bekker | 17 | Albertus Visser | 17 | Ming-Loung Tu | 17 | Vusumzi Mdwara |
| 18 | Mahdi Elabor | 18 | Bulelani Mbuqe | 18 | Darryl Van Der Mescht | 18 | Luvuyiso Lusaseni | 18 | Mathew Lutge |
| 19 | Frederik Potgieter | 19 | Sihle Mtwa | 19 | Wilken Heyns | 19 | Shane Spring | 19 | Mzothando Simani |
| 20 | Matthew King | 20 | Sinovuyo Nyoka | 20 | Gordon Rayment | 20 | Sonwabiso Socikwa | 20 | Mandilakhe Tile |
| 21 | Aziyena Mandaba | 21 | Jarryd Hettema | 21 | Maphelo Mpondo | 21 | Kathrada Ntabeni | 21 | Jannie Myburgh |
| 22 | Jarryd Buys | 22 | Bongani Zwane | 22 | Ruan Swart | 22 | Xolisa Noko | 22 | Phiwe Nomlomo |
| 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
@vatikaki:
forgot about him. Not sure if he’ll be in the running for sure. Some interesting battles ahead for places.
@Ludz: I’ll take your word for it. I may have just been mesmerised by Sabbagh’s attacking prowess on attack and failed to notice his lack of ability in defence.
I only got to see one game of Bradley Kretzmann against a very weak Dale side in 2007. So I know very little of him.
@beet:
Jaco van der Walt would be the favourite?
@vatikaki: I watched Kobus play against JL in Durban and altho JL was brilliant on the day, Kobus was really good as well. Add to that Kobus kicks very well from the tee, JL does not. I think that backup place to Pollard at the JWC is still very much up for grabs. Also Ryno Eksteen is bound to have a say once he’s back from injury.
@vatikaki: @QC86: he’s very determined, he works so hard on his rugby hey. The leg brace was taken off today and he was very excited, shows he’s still got the hunger and drive. It’s good to see that as well, he was absolutely dejected after injurying the knee against Border. Mentally a very strong young lad.
I agree Vati, Kobus Marais has had a good season and has impressed a lot of people, Josh is a fighter though and I’m sure him and Kobus will have quite the battle for that u21 no.10 jumper next year
Uncle Rudi, it’s good to hear Puppy’s playing though, hopefully next year he’ll break into that Sharks u21 matchday squad.
@Playa: Dale was a really good attacking player, but he wasn’t a keen tackler. The Selborne flyhalf I rated was Bradley Kretzmann, he was a brilliant flyhalf, just played in another man’s era, Lionel Cronje’s era. I rate them in this order: 1. Lionel Cronje 2. Josh Stander 3. Bradley Kretzmann 4. Dale Sabbagh. Tell you what though, that Morgan Steyn is 1 to watch over the next 2 seasons, he has got massive potential.
@QC86:
With Kobus Marais having received U19 Back of the Year, he’ll probably have a tough time breaking into the side next year?
It’s a shame. He’d be welcomed in Cape Town I’m sure.
Or hopefully he gets fit and the Bulls give him sufficient game-time.
@Ludz: i saw Stander in Pretoria on Saturday,he had a big leg brace on his left leg,still looks very determined tho,by the way baywatch and the KZN Duikers side got a big klap from the Bulls amateur
@Ludz: Hahahaha! Very Queens friendly indeed. But to be fair, QC produced some great teams and players, especially between 2004-2008.
Must say though the number 21 jersey is a toss up between Josh Stander and Dale Sabbagh. Then again, I didn’t see much of Stander, so I’ll trust your judgement…
@Ludz:
The best of them always have hot girlfriends.
And Lisle Clark’s girlfriend is probably top of the pile. WOW.
@Queenian: hahaha, was a bit concerned I might be accused of a bit of Queen’s bias there, but those are the okes I feel would make my team of the decade.
A guy like Lisle Clark was outstanding at school, I’ll never know how he didn’t make SA Schools in 2006. His career was cut short by a terrible back injury in the 2008 Varsity Cup while he was playing for Maties.
Sihunu probably a shot at making SA U20.
Good pick there Ludz