East High School wins R100 000 at the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Mpumalanga Provincial Finals

East High School won the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Mpumalanga provincial final for the second year in a row at the Thulamahashe Stadium in Bushbuckridge last Saturday. The win means the Enhlanzeni school will be representing their province, together with Eric Nxumalo Secondary School, who finished in second place, at the national finals from 24 to 28 September at Durban’s King Zwelithini Stadium.

Team coach Sibusiso Chiloene is not that surprised that his team has made it two in a row. “>From the start of the season our aim was to win this tournament and therefore more money for the school, and if you are so focused you can achieve your goals.  We were mentally and physically prepared,” he said.

As provincial champions, the school wins R100 000 to be used to fund projects identified by the winning school.  “I can’t say on what the school will spend the winnings, but I hope it is to continue to update the classrooms.  We started with our winnings last year and it has made such a difference to the morale of the learners.”

The 2013 East High team had four new players in their ranks, and they rose to the occasion brilliantly. “I thought that they were going to have challenges because they were new to this

tournament but they did me proud,” Chiloene said.

Siyabonga Sibiya, who moved from KZN to East High last year, was one of the key new players on Saturday.  “Some of my friends moved to the school and I decided to do the same due to the enormous opportunities the school offers.”

Siyabonga’s inspiration is his father, who played for Golden Arrows. “He pushed me to start playing and I have grown to love the game.  When I was 12 years old I even got to attend an academy in Brazil.  I hope to follow in my father’s footsteps and play for a PSL club.”

The coach has identified one area that needs to be worked on prior to the national finals.  “The team needs to improve on capitalising on opportunities to score more goals,” He said “We had numerous chances to score, but our boys didn’t achieve due to lack of communication.”

Provincial Finals Results

Qualifiers

Qhubulwazi 2 vs Eric Nxumalo 5

East High 3 vs Kopanang 2

Third/Fourth playoff

Qhubulwazi 2 vs Kopanang 1

Final

East High 2(4) vs Eric Nxumalo 2(2)

Wrenchville High Schools prepares for the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Northern Cape Provincial Finals

The players at Wrenchville High School from the Kuruman JTG District in the Northern Cape went through the regional qualifying stage of the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup without conceding a goal, and they are hoping to use that discipline in defence to see them go through to the national finals taking place in KwaZulu-Natal in September.

The school will be playing in the Northern Cape provincial finals in Upington on Saturday, 27 July, and coach, Tello Moses Rabotso says they are all very excited at the prospect. “This is the first time we have reached the provincial finals,” he said. “We were knocked out in the regional final last year, and we are going all out to qualify for the national finals this time.”

Rabotso believes the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Cup is a great competition because it promotes school sport in the rural areas. “It encourages our young stars to develop their talent, and exposes them to scouts from the professional clubs and academies. Then there is the money schools can win which all rural schools need. ”

The team is hard at work preparing for the finals, training five times a week. Rabotso is pleased with their improvement on last year. They have scored 9 goals, without conceding any and won all their games at the regional playoffs. He says that, should the school win the provincial title, they will use the prize money to build their own sports facilities as they now train on the local community sports grounds.

Among the team’s key players, according to Rabotso, is goalkeeper Lorenzo McCarthy – It was largely due to him that the team went through the qualifying stages without conceding a single goal.

McCarthy comes from a family of soccer players.  “My father was a soccer player star for one of our local teams.  He inspired me to take up the game and I would like to follow in his footsteps – but go even further and play for one of the PSL teams.”

He was signed by Kuruman Rovers after being spotted by the team’s coach at last year’s Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup regional finals. “Playing at this level helps me at school as I am taught good soccer habits. I will do my best on Saturday to get us through to the Nationals for the first time.”

But McCarthy cannot do it on his own, and will be assisted by defender, Boipelo Mahlabane.  “This is first Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup experience and I am determined to play my best,” he said. Like his best friend, McCarthy, he sees himself playing soccer professionally soon, “hopefully for Sundowns or Supersport United.”  He especially likes Teko Modise and dreams of playing like him one day.

Teams competing on Saturday are:

Wrenchville High School                - Kuruman

Rietvale High School                        -Ritchie

Orion High School                            - De Aar

Kakamas High School                      -Kakamas

Okiep High School                            -Springbok

Love of writing earns youngster a trip to London to report on the Danone Nations Cup World Final!

Teboho Msiza, a budding poet and novelist from Kimberley, will be joining Daniye Primary School on the trip to London in September to play in the Danone Nations Cup World Finals – but he will not be playing but reporting on how the team from South Africa will progress.  The 13 year old Danone Nations Cup ‘Kids Reporter’ earned the right to go to London via a media competition.

Msiza is an only child in grade 7 at Vooruitsig Primary School in the Northern Cape. He is passionate about reading and writing and excels at English, thanks to the help of his mother who has a PHD in Curriculum Studies from the University of the Free State.  He was brought up in the Free State but moved a few years ago when his father received an internship at Kimberly Hospital.

He says that when he grows up he wants to be a reporter as he enjoys sharing information and believes that most reporters convey messages very well to the public. His role model is Deborah Patta of Third Degree. “I began writing at 8, and enjoy writing song lyrics, poetry as well as fantasy stories,” he said. “My grandfather inspires me and has always made sure that I read a lot. He is always giving me books to read every time we visit him in Lesotho.”

One person the aspiring writer would love to meet is Disney Channel CEO, Robert A Iger.  “I love writing fantasy stories and I want to find out how he comes up with such extraordinary ideas for kids shows.  Everything they do is vibrant and current.”

Teboho was told about the Danone Nations Cup and the kids reporter competition by his cousin. He did some research and drafted his motivation letter for his mom to send via e-mail while he was at school. “When I get to London I will interview the SA team and the coach,” he said. “I am looking forward to interacting with people from other countries and making new friends too.”

Rietvale High School benefit from generous Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup winnings

Rietvale High School, from the Francis Baard Region in Northern Cape is a school that has benefitted in the past from the generous prize money on offer to successful schools in the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup. The school was Northern Cape provincial champions in 2011 and 2012, and they received R100 000 each time, to go towards projects needed to benefit not only the school students, but the community at large.

Barry Kammies, the team manager, explains that their success in the competition has meant a lot to the school. ”In 2011 the School Governing Body (SGB) decided to use the prize money to put a fence around the school’s yard. Boys from the township would come into the school and disrupt classes and cause chaos,” he explained. “Since the fence has been put up the school has been running smoothly with no interruptions.”

The SGB hasn’t decided what to do with the 2012 winnings yet, although Kammies believes they should put it towards buying a mini-bus to transport the school’s sports teams to tournaments.  “Most of the tournaments that we partake in are far away and a bus will help us a lot.”

Success in the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup has done a lot for the children at the school, Kammies believes. “More kids are interested in playing for the school’s soccer team now,” he said. “Even the girls have become interested in soccer and we have started a girl’s soccer team. The tournament has uplifted the team’s spirits because they know that this tournament can do a lot, not just for the school, but also for the players as there are always scouts from PSL Clubs attending the Provincial and National finals.”

Rietvale has been in the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup ever since it started, and although they have been Northern Cape provincial champions twice, they have not gone further than that. They are in the provincial finals again this year and Kammies is determined that they will go all the way this time around.

It’s not going to be easy, though. “I have seen Okiep High School playing and they are a very strong team. I think they will give us a tough time when we have to play against them. But my team will do their best,” he said. Kammies identifies 19 year old striker, Angelo Van Rooi as a key player for the team.

“I had played in this tournament for 4 years,” said Van Rooi.  “The first 2 years we didn’t win anything; so when we won in 2011, and again in 2012, my spirits were uplifted and I realised then that working hard does pay off.  This is my last year and I would like to finish within the top four at the National Finals so we can help fund the bus we want to buy to transport the sports players.” he said

About the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup:

·       Named after prominent businessman Patrice Motsepe’s late mother, the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup offers the biggest prize money at school level in Africa (R3.4 million in total). 

·       The sponsors are:  Sanlam, the Motsepe Foundation and the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust.

·       The primary objective of the tournament is to revive the culture of school football amongst students between the age of 16 and 19 years old.

·       The tournament also gives players the opportunity to showcase their skills to soccer scouts with the talented players being recruited into development structures to be nurtured and shaped into professional players.

Experience could be what East High needs to win the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup

Bojosi Manjoe is playing in the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup competition for the third year in a row but this time for his new school, East High, in the Mpumalanga provincial finals in Bushbuckridge on Saturday, 20 July.

He played in the national finals of the competition twice – for Free State champions Harmony High School – before being spotted by scouts from National First Division club Sivutsa Stars FC who invited him to trails at the club.

“My agent, Timothy Zukazi had a meeting with the coach for Sivutsa Stars FC and they decided that I should attend trials in December. I went along and trained with their team. They were impressed and they decided to sign me on to their team,” Bojosi said.

Bojosi is 19 years old and hails from Bloemfontein where he lives with his grandparents and younger sister – his parents passed away when he was a little boy.  “Currently I live in Mpumalanga, in a house belonging to Sivutsa Stars.,” he said. “It’s very different to where I’m originally from. People from here are very friendly. The atmosphere is totally different from the one back home in Free State.”

He is currently in grade 12 and says his studies are going great. “I’m focused on my school work and determined to pass grade 12. After matriculating I plan on taking a year off from school. I’m going to dedicate that year for soccer and see where my soccer career takes me, but I want to one day become a geologist as I know that soccer is for the young.”

East High coach Sibusiso Chiloeng said Bojosi was key to the team getting to the provincial finals. “He might have only scored one goal but is excellent at setting up for others to score. He is a skilled footballer who has the ability to anticipate the opponents’ moves.”

Bojosi believes the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup has helped him in sharpening his football skills. “Each and every time we meet up and play with different schools we learn new skills and tactics from those other schools. It is a great tournament as it unveils talent from rural areas which usually does not get recognised that often,” he said.

In five years’ time he sees himself playing for a top team in the PSL preferably Kaizer Chiefs. “I would love to have finished my studies to become a geologist by then,” he said

About the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup:

·       Named after prominent businessman Patrice Motsepe’s late mother, the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup offers the biggest prize money at school level in Africa (R3.4 million in total). 

·       The sponsors are:  Sanlam, the Motsepe Foundation and the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust.

·       The primary objective of the tournament is to revive the culture of school football amongst students between the age of 16 and 19 years old.

·       The tournament also gives players the opportunity to showcase their skills to soccer scouts with the talented players being recruited into development structures to be nurtured and shaped into professional players.

Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Provincial Finals about to Start!

The provincial finals of the U-19 biggest football tournament in Africa, the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, gets underway on 20 July with Mpumalanga being the first host province. Both the winners and runners-up will go through to the national finals in Durban in September and stand a chance of winning R1 million to be used to fund projects that will make a difference to the learners of the school and the community at large.  

The Tournament is run under the auspices of the South African Schools Association (SASFA). "This is the most exciting period of the tournament where the best teams in the nine provinces fight for a position in the final of this prestigious tournament. We are hoping that PSL teams and SAFA Junior national team's coaches will come to scout players,” said Steve Pila, SASFA General Secretary.   

In the past 3 years R10.2 million has gone to schools to fund legacy projects via the tournament and that figure is set to rise over the next few months as the provincial champions each get R100 000 and the top four sides at the national finals get R1million, R600 00, R500 000 and R400 00, respectively. Projects that schools have spent their winnings on include boreholes, combi’s, upgrading of classrooms/Soccer fields, purchase desks, computers, soccer kit , fencing off the school and much more.

The defending champions are Gauteng’s School of Excellence who have completed their cluster games and are about to embark on the regional playoff stage of the competition.

Tournament Sponsors, Sanlam, believe that the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup creates opportunities that have a positive impact on the youth and also provides exposure to scouts for those players who have the talent to go further in the game. “This sponsorship has many objectives, one of which is to give back to the community and reward excellence by offering substantial prize money.  We also want to encourage as many footballers as possible between the ages of 15 and 19 to compete and possibly to be seen by soccer scouts. Players who stand out will then be recruited into development structures to be nurtured and shaped into professional footballers,” said Frank Louw, Sanlam’s Sponsorships Manager.

The tournament also contributes to enhanced learning through improved educational facilities for the benefit of the rest of pupils in the winning schools and the broader communities around them.

The Dates and Venues of the provincial finals are:

20 July – Mpumalanga, Thulamahashe Stadium, Bushbuckridge
27 July - Northern Cape, Paballelo Stadium, Upington
3-August - North West, Thlakgameng Stadium, Ganyesa
August-10- Limpopo, Nkowankowa Stadium, Tzaneen
August-13 - Gauteng, Muckleuneck Stadium, Mamelodi

August 24 - Eastern Cape, Dumpsey Adams Stadium, Queenstown
August 31 –KwaZulu-Natal, SAI Military, Ladysmith
September 7 - Free State, Mangaung Outdoor Sports Centre, Bloemfontein
September 14 - Western Cape, Bhongolethu Stadium, Oudtshoorn
September 24 to 28 - National Playoffs, King Zwelithini Stadium

About the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup (Run under the auspices of the South African Football Association (SASFA)

·       Named after prominent businessman Patrice Motsepe’s late mother, the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup offers the biggest prize money at school level in Africa (R3.4 million in total). 

·       The sponsors are:  Sanlam, the Motsepe Foundation and the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust.

·       The primary objective of the tournament is to revive the culture of school football amongst students between the age of 16 and 19 years old.

·       The tournament also gives players the opportunity to showcase their skills to soccer scouts with the talented players being recruited into development structures to be nurtured and shaped into professional players.

Benny's Care Sports Academy qualified for Limpopo Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Provincial Finals

Benny’s Care Sports Academy is one of the schools that has qualified to play in the Limpopo provincial finals of the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, run under the auspices of the South African Schools Football Association (SASFA), in Nkowankowa Stadium, Tzaneen on 10 August. Promising star, Andrew Kabota has been identified as key to the school’s success. What helps is the fact that this will be his second season in the tournament.

Midfielder, Kabota, grew up watching his father, Andrew “Ace” Kabota playing for Black Leopards. Ace was a well-known player in Limpopo and it was from him that Andrew got his love for the game, and his soccer genes. ”But as a child I wanted to be a dancer,” said Kabota.  “But my father didn’t approve of that, and I didn’t want to disappoint him. So, while I still like dancing, listening to house music and playing tennis, soccer is my first love.”

Andrew is 18 years old, and in grade 12. This is his second year playing in the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Cup competition and he describes it as a great experience. “It gives us an opportunity to be exposed to people from professional teams that can potentially sign us on.” He believes the team has a good chance of going further in the competition this year. “Last year there was little communication in the team, and we had no respect. We have definitely improved since then,” he said.

Andrew is currently also playing for Musina United FC, a local team in Limpopo. Looking at the future, Andrew sees himself playing for one if the teams in the PSL. He is good at numbers and is doing well at mathematics at school, where he is studying commercial subjects. He wants to study auditing when he leaves school.

If he has to identify one player who he regards as a soccer legend, it would be former Kaizer Chiefs legend Doctor Khumalo who he regards as a grounded and respectable professional player. “He is currently the head coach for the under 17 Kaizer Chiefs team and he gives back to the development of soccer in this country,” he said.

About the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup:

·       The tournament is run under the auspices of the South Africa Football Association (SASFA)

   Named after prominent businessman Patrice Motsepe’s late mother, the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup offers the biggest prize money at school level in Africa (R3.4 million in total). 

·       The sponsors are:  Sanlam, the Motsepe Foundation and the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust.

·       The primary objective of the tournament is to revive the culture of school football amongst students between the age of 16 and 19 years old.

·       The tournament also gives players the opportunity to showcase their skills to soccer scouts with the talented players being recruited into development structures to be nurtured and shaped into professional players.

 

Western Province prove that they are the best team at the 50th Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven week

The win meant that Western Province became the only team at the week to win all three of their games, and they were rewarded with the inclusion of seven of their players in the SA Schools team that was announced at the end of the tournament.

The 28-man squad will make up the teams that will play games against their counterparts from England, Wales and France. They meet England in Cape Town on August 9, followed by clashes against France in George on August 13 and Wales in Wellington on August 17.

Only one other side ended up unbeaten – the Griffons, who won their second and third games after drawing their first.

There were two shock results on the final day – SWD produced a great second half display to beat the Blue Bulls, and the Pumas beat Free State 25-22, thanks to a last gasp penalty in a thriller of a main curtain-raiser.

The SA Schools Squad:
Forwards -Rikus Bothma (Western Province), Daniel du Plessis (Western Province), Daniel du Preez (KZN), Jean-Luc du Preez (KZN), Thomas du Toit (Western Province), Joseph Dweba (Golden Lions), Ruan Kramer (Free State), Thabani Mtsi (Border), Ox Nche (Free State), Abongile Nonkontwana (Blue Bulls), Refuoe Rampeta (Free State), JD Schickerling (Western Province), Francois Steyn (Blue Bulls), PJ Toerien (Blue Bulls), Jacques Vermeulen (Western Province), Conraad van Vuuren (Mpumalanga)

Backs - Daniel du Plessis (Western Province), Remu Galant (SWD), Warrik Galant (SWD), Grant Hermanus (Western Province), Dewald Human (SWD), Malcolm Jaer (Eastern Province), Jurie Linde (Blue Bulls), Justin Phillips (Blue Bulls), Brandon Thompson (Mpumalanga), Duhan van der Merwe (SWD), EW Viljoen (Free State), Leolin Zass (Boland).
Coach: Chris October (Western Province), assistant coach: Roean Bezuidenhoudt (Griffons). Manager: David Coert (Boland).

Results

Namibia 33 Zimbabwe 10, E Province Country Limpopo Blue Bulls 36, Griquas 94 Border Country 5, KwaZulu-Natal 77 Border 14, KwaZulu-Natal 77 Border 14, Griffons 34 Boland 27, Leopards 34 Griquas Country 17, E Province 29 Valke 21, Pumas 25 Free State 22, Western Provincae 45 Golden Lions 29.

Eric Nxumalo High School qualifies for Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Mpumalanga Provincial Finals

After three years of trying, Eric Nxumalo Secondary School from the Bohlabela Region in Mpumalanga is through to the provincial finals of the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup.

“For the past three years we have been eliminated at the regional stage of the competition,” said coach, Simango Canon.  “This is a huge achievement for the school. We are looking forward to competing and we hope that we continue winning,” he said.

Canon believes tournaments like the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup are essential. “Apart from the huge money that can be won to help with the upgrading of schools, the kids come from rural areas and chances like these give them exposure to scouts from big leagues, That’s why I tell them that every game they play their need to excel because they never know who might be watching them,” he said.

Team captain, Manthabele Fumani’s love of the game started at 5 years old when he would kick a ball around the dusty streets of Bohlabela. “We used to play just to pass the time, we didn’t take it seriously.  My father used to come and play with us and teach us how to tackle and he taught us how to do shibobo’s, show me your number and many more tricks.  He was my mentor in everything, my academics, soccer and with personal problems, but sadly he died a few years ago.”

Fumani realises the importance of doing well academically. “I make sure that school work comes first and soccer second. It’s sometimes hard to focus on two things that mean the world to you, but I’m trying to balance the two. Especially now that I’m in Grade 12 I need to focus my attention into my school work.”

As far as the future is concerned, he dreams of a successful career as a professional player. Then he would like to focus on building his community. “For instance I would love to build a community library and multi-purpose centre in the rural village where I live.”

The team he would love to play for is Orlando Pirates. “I’m their number 1 supporter and I hope that I can play for them one day,” he said.

About the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup:

·       Named after prominent businessman Patrice Motsepe’s late mother, the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup offers the biggest prize money at school level in Africa (R3.4 million in total). 

·       The sponsors are:  Sanlam, the Motsepe Foundation and the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust.

·       The primary objective of the tournament is to revive the culture of school football amongst students between the age of 16 and 19 years old.

·       The tournament also gives players the opportunity to showcase their skills to soccer scouts with the talented players being recruited into development structures to be nurtured and shaped into professional players.

Western Province and the Golden Lions clash in the title game of the 50th Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week

The 50^th Anniversary of the Coca-Cola Craven Week will be brought to a close on Saturday when Western Province and the Golden Lions meet in the final game of the tournament, the main game of the last day, which has become known as the unofficial title game of the event.

There is, of course, no official champion of Craven Week. It is purely a festival of rugby, but everyone knows that, in most years, the two top sides are given the honour of playing in that last game. And the winner of that encounter has the bragging rights until the following year.

This year the two teams who will be featured are among those who have made most appearances in the week’s showpiece fixture. Western Province, in fact, have played in the main game more times than any other team, by quite a long way.

They have made 22 final game appearances down the years, followed by Free State with 17. The Golden Lions are next on the list with 12 appearances, followed by the Blue Bulls with 9.

This is Western Province’s sixth appearance in the last 10 years, and the Lions’ fifth. WP last had the honour in 2010, while this is the Golden Lions’ third consecutive final.

As far as main game victories are concerned, Western Province head the list with 11, followed by Free State on 8 and the Blue Bulls on 6.

Coca-Cola Craven Week main game results since 2000

2000: Pumas vs Boland, 19-18

2001: South Western Districts vs Blue Bulls, 26-20

2002: Western Province vs Free State, 31-16

2003: Western Province vs Free State, 22-17

2004: Free State vs Western Province, 17-16

2005: Golden Lions vs Eastern Province, 38-15

2006: Blue Bulls vs Golden Lions, 35-20

2007: Free State vs Western Province, 52-3

2008: South Western Districts vs Free State, 31-25

2009: Western Province vs Free State, 19-17

2010: Free State vs Western Province, 42-21

2011: Free State vs Golden Lions 28-17

2012: Golden Lions v Blue Bulls 47-0

2013: Golden Lions v Western Province

Saturday’s Fixtures

C Field – 9:15am Border CD v Griquas, 10.45pm Griquas Country v Leopards

B Field – 9:15am Limpopo Blue Bulls v EP Country, 10:45am Griffons v Boland, 12:15am E Province v Valke.

A Field- 9:15am Zimbabwe v Namibia, 10:45am Border v KwaZulu-Natal, 12:15am Blue Bulls v SWD, 1.45pm Free State v Pumas, 3.15pm Golden Lions v Western Province.

The Golden Lions and Western Province face each other in the final game of the 2013 Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week

The Golden Lions will meet Western Province in the unofficial final of the 50^th Coca-Cola Craven Week on Saturday.

They earned that right after winning their opening two games at the festival. The Lions scraped home by a single point against Free State on Thursday, while Province were comfortable, 30-6 winners over the Blue Bulls in their second game, on Wednesday.

It took an injury-time penalty to separate the sides when the Golden Lions and Free State met on Thursday. The game was a thriller, with the lead changing hands twice and nothing to separate the sides.

SWD turned it on to beat Easter Province comfortably, 40-14, while both the Valke and the Griffons had good wins.

There are only four sides that have won both games so far – Zimbabwe and Border join WP and the Lions – showing how evenly matched the sides are this year.

Zimbabwe have had their best week in years and, as a reward, the organisers have slotted their annual “international” against Namibia in on the main field on Saturday.

Free State and the Pumas – who both won one and lost one game, play in the main curtain-raiser.

This is the third year in a row that the Lions are playing in the main game at the Coca-Cola Craven Week.

Saturday’s Fixtures

C Field – 8.45am Border CD v Griquas, 10.15pm Griquas Country v Leopards

B Field – 8.45am Limpopo Blue Bulls v EP Country, 10.15am Griffons v Boland, 11.45am E Province v Valke.

A Field- 8.45am Zimbabwe v Namibia, 10.15am Border v KwaZulu-Natal, 11.45am Blue Bulls v SWD, 1.15pm Free State v Pumas, 3.15pm Golden Lions v Western Province.

Thursday’s Results

Leopards 64 Border Country 0, Valke 44 Griquas Country 24, Griffons 26 E Province Country 20, SWD 40 E Province 14, Golden Lions 20 Free State 19.

The benefits of SARU's high performance programme is evident at the Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week

SA Rugby’s revised provincial high performance system is in its second year, and there is already evidence at the Coca-Cola Under-18 Craven Week, currently under way in Polokwane that it is paying dividends.

Herman Masimla, SARU’s manager of junior high performance says that the physical conditioning of the players has markedly improved on previous years and, although some teams are clearly tactically superior, as far as physical strength and condition are concerned, the gaps between provinces have closed.

The provincial high performance programme, Masimla explains, requires each province to identify a squad of at least 30 under-15 players and at least 50 under-17s each year and to begin preparing them for the next year’s Coca-Cola youth weeks – Grant Khomo or Craven/Academy Week.

“We supply all 14 provinces with the necessary protocols, manuals, biokinetic support, testing kits and software, and we expect a standardised programme to be followed for the identified players across the provinces,” he said.

“A successful rugby player needs tactical expertise and physical ability. We leave the tactical side up to the coaches in the provinces, but we want a standard of physical preparedness to be maintained.”

Once the players for the Youth Weeks have been identified out of those provincial squads, they become eligible for SARU’s national high performance programme.

“At the youth weeks we speak to all the players and tell them what is needed for them to rise to the next level,” Masimla says. “Every player is given a training manual and a DVD with video clips explaining how the exercises must be done.”

At the under-16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week a squad of 50 players were identified to attend a high performance training camp in September. At the end of that week an elite group will be announced and they will be fully supported in the years ahead of the u-18 week. “The criteria will be that they should be players that show every sign of becoming future internationals, at the under-20 level initially,” Masimla explains.

And at the end of the Coca-Cola under-18 Craven Week an SA Schools squad of 28 will be announced, with the proviso that players from the under-18 Academy Week can also be included.

They will play international matches against under-18 teams from England, France  and Wales and, after that an elite squad will again be chosen, again on the basis that they are players who show signs of becoming internationals.

“That group become part of the squad from which next year’s under-20s will be chosen and, as we have seen, the next step from there is Super Rugby and the Springboks,” Masimla says.

That’s the pathway SARU have developed and it’s what has made SA Rugby consistently among the best in the world. The Coca-Cola Youth Weeks play a vital part in the system.

Western Province throws down the gauntlet on day 3 of the Coca-Cola Under-18 Craven Week

Western Province threw down the gauntlet on day three of the Coca-Cola Craven Week in Polokwane on Wednesday, beating The Blue Bulls 30-6 and sounding a warning that it is going to take a very good team to beat them in Saturday’s main game of the week – where they are almost certainly headed now.

The Blue Bulls were very impressive against KwaZulu-Natal in the first outing, but on Wednesday they had no answer to the power of the Province forwards, to the pace and skill of their backs, and to the accurate goal-kicking of Grant Hermanus, who slotted three penalties and converted the three WP tries for a 100% record with the boot.

The Bulls didn’t take the chances that came their way early on in the game and could not capitalise on a period when Province had two players in the sin bin. In fact, the Cape side scored the only points during that period – a Hermanus penalty – and once their full compliment were back on the field they took control and never looked back.

They scored three good tries – by Rikus Bosman, Herschel Jantjies and Heinrich Buhr.

The Bulls’ two penalties were kicked by Jemeel Warnick.

Border came through their second game with a win - 37-19 over Boland – which makes them one of three unbeaten sides in their group, along with WP and Zimbabwe. They have been impressive in both outings and should be given one of the late fixtures on the main field on Saturday.

The Pumas bounced back from their loss to Western Province on day one by scoring an emphatic, 40-18 win over KwaZulu-Natal.

The loss was the second on the trot for KwaZulu-Natal and a side that came to the week with high expectations will now be relegated to one of the minor fixtures on the final day.

Zimbabwe, meanwhile, are having their best Craven Week in many years. On Wednesday they recorded their second win – a comfortable 43-5 victory over the hosts, the Limpopo Blue Bulls.

The other visiting side, Namibia got the action going on day three with a 27-10 win over Griquas.

Thursday’s action sees Free State take on the Golden Lions in a clash that will probably decide who meets WP on Saturday. Eastern Province meet SWD in the other big game of the day.

Wednesday’s Results

Namiba 27 Griquas 10, Zimbabwe 43 Limpopo Blue Bulls 5, Border 37 Boland 19, Pumas 40 KwaZulu-Natal 18, Western Province 30 Blue Bulls 6.

Thursday’s Fixtures

Leopards v Border Country, Valke v Griquas Country, Griffons v E Province Country, E Province v SWD, Golden Lions v Free State.