COCA-COLA® HERO OF THE DAY (DAY 4)

Juan (JJ) Van der Mescht from the Sharks has been named the Coca-Cola Hero of the Day for day 4 of the U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week.

The prestigious Coca-Cola Hero of the Day award is presented on each day of the tournament in recognition of a game changing ‘hero’ moment.  JJ was selected for the award by a Coca-Cola appointed panel of rugby experts, led by Springbok legend Victor Matfield. He scored the first try of the match and had an opportunity to score another but selflessly passed the ball to his captain Phendulani Buthelezi to score instead.

“It is an honor and privilege to get the Hero of the Day award, and an even greater privilege to get the award from one of my heroes, Victor Matfield,” said Mescht.

“JJ is part of a fantastic Sharks team and is one of the reasons they are such a great team. What impressed me the most was his incredible sportsmanship and selflessness when he offloaded the ball to his teammate when he could’ve dotted it down himself,” said Matfield.

Phindi Phiri, Coca-Cola South Africa’s Marketing Assets Manager, “Congratulations to JJ for being chosen as the Coca-Cola Hero of the Day for day 4. The Coca-Cola Craven Week is where South Africa’s best, up and coming rugby players are identified – this is where heroes are made. JJ is a selfless player that puts his team mates first. Part of being a hero is being a team player and he embodies this trait perfectly. I hope that this is just the beginning of a long and successful career in rugby for him.”

 

About the Coca-Cola® Craven Week

The Coca-Cola Craven Week is an annual rugby union tournament aimed at identifying the top school rugby players in the country. The tournament started in July 1964, and is named after the legendary Springbok rugby union player and coach Dr Danie Craven.  Coca-Cola became the naming rights sponsor in 1985. There are four tournaments that take place during the Coca-Cola Youth Weeks, namely the Coca-Cola U/13 Craven Week, Coca-Cola U/16 Grant Khomo Week, Coca-Cola U/18 Academy Week and the Coca-Cola U/18 Craven Week.  Many of South Africa’s top rugby players have participated in the Coca-Cola Craven Weeks as a springboard to their professional careers including former World Cup winning captain’s John Smit and Francois Pienaar.

About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands and more than 3,800 beverage choices. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our company’s portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands, 18 of which are available in reduced-, low- or no-calorie options. Our billion-dollar brands include Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Dasani, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Del Valle, Georgia and Gold Peak. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, we are the No. 1 provider of both sparkling and still beverages.  More than 1.9 billion servings of our beverages are enjoyed by consumers in more than 200 countries each day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, create a safe, inclusive work