WESTERN PROVINCE ARE THE ONLY UNBEATEN TEAM AT THE COCA-COLA UNDER 13 CRAVEN WEEK 2013

Western Province are the unofficial SA primary schools provincial rugby champions after beating the Blue Bulls 11-10 in the final game of the Coca-Cola Under-13 Craven Week in Bela-Bela on Friday.

The win meant that WP were the only side to remain unbeaten in their four games and their status as the top side at the week was well deserved.

There is no official winner at Craven Week, but everyone knows that the two top-ranked sides are pitted against each other in the last game of the tournament, and the winner there wears the crown for the next year,

The final was as close as the score line suggests.

Western Province scored a try and penalty to a Bills penalty to lead 8-3 at half time, but the Bulls hit back with an early second half try to go 10-8 up and it stayed that way until close to the end when a further Province penalty gave them the win.

In other action on the final day, the Eastern Cape sides showed that primary schools rugby is in good shape in that province. Border ended the unbeaten run of the Pumas, beating them 29-12, while the Border Country Districts side rounded off a good week with a 21-5 win over SWD.

Eastern Province thumped Boland 28-0 in the second last game of the day.

The Golden Lions bounced back from their heavy loss to the Blue Bulls in their third outing to beat KwaZulu-Natal 13-12 in a thriller.

Results

Griquas 12 Namibia 5,, Free State 26 Zimbabwe 17, Griffons 12 Valke 5, Border Country 21 SWD 5, Leopards 32 Limpopo Blue Bulls 5, Golden Lions 13 KwaZulu-Natal 12, Border 29 Pumas 12, Eastern Province 28 Boland 0, Western Province 11 Blue Bulls 10

 

THE WELFARE OF THE PLAYER IS AN IMPORTANT FEATURE OF THE COCA-COLA UNDER 13 CRAVEN WEEK

The Coca-Cola under-13 Craven Week, under way in Bela-Bela this week is a celebration of rugby's potential, with the best of the players who are only just finding their feet in game showing their skills in front of an enthusiastic audience.

The fact that these are players at a crucial and vulnerable stage of their physical development is not lost on SA Rugby and the organisers of the week, and their well-being is at the center of everything that happens.

Thys Bezhuidenhout, chairperson of SA Schools Rugby, explains that the medical requirements in staging an event like this are very stringent, and meeting these requirements was the biggest challenge in hosting the event in Bela-Bela.

"One of the biggest changes in this year’s tournament was a medical challenge," he said. "Both the Limpopo Blue Bulls and the Blue Bulls management team worked hard to make sure that the medical facilities are up to scratch to host a large event like this and to make sure that the kids are safe and get the best medical treatment. There are 2 helicopters, 2 hospitals close by (government and private) a hospital in Pretoria on standby, 7 ambulances and a lot of medical staff. SARU will not compromise on the safety of our children," he said.

The particular concern for the welfare of players at this age extends to the selection of the referees who officiate at the tournament.

"All the referees in this tournament are fulltime teachers and that is very important at this age group," Bezhuidenhout explained. "Teachers have an in-depth knowledge of the requirements of children at this age. Teachers know when to let play run and when play has become dangerous and it is time to stop the game. Referees at older age groups are used to well-trained and well-conditioned players who have the muscular structure to handle certain match situations."

So, different from the other Coca-Cola Youth Weeks, these referees are not only the top upcoming young officials, identified by SARU, they are also all primary schools teachers, nominated by their provinces.

Bezhuidenhout has been to this week for 34 years now, and for him, what stands out is the increase in the number of players of colour appearing, and the excellent standards they achieve.

"In the early days the tournament only had 4 teams that were chosen from previous disadvantaged areas. Now over 50% of the players are non-white. The biggest challenge is to keep these players playing rugby once they leave school. The structures in the rural areas are difficult to find so we lose a lot of very good players," he said.

THE 2013 U-13 COCA-COLA YOUTH RUGBY WEEK GOT OFF TO A FANTASTIC START WITH A COUPLE OF SUPRISING RESULTS

The 42 Coca-Cola Under 13 Craven Week for Primary Schools got going in balmy Bela-Bela yesterday and the players responded to the opportunity to show their skills in ideal conditions, away from their icy home environments, by producing some sparkling barefoot rugby.

The two most impressive sides on show on day one appeared in the opening and the closing encounters – the Golden Lions beat Zimbabwe 36-0 in the tournament opener, and KwaZulu-Natal accounted for the hosts, the Limpopo Blue Bulls 33-5 in the final game of the day, to set the bar for the other teams who want to have a say in the stakes for main game honours come Friday.

In between, there were impressive performances from Border, who beat Free State 28-17, and the Blue Bulls who overcame a feisty Boland 19-5.

The Bulls won the main game at last year’s Coca-Cola under-13 Craven Week, so they are the unofficial champions, and they showed on day one that it is not a crown they will be relinquishing readily.

Border trailed 14-17 at halftime against Free State, but scored 14 unanswered points in the second period to announce themselves as serious contenders this year.

The upset of the day was caused by the Leopards, who beat fancied Eastern Province 10-5 in tight affair that saw a titanic forward struggle.

Even tighter was the SWD v Valke clash which ended in a rare pointless draw.

In Tuesday’s action the first day winners face tougher opposition, so the Golden Lions face Border in the main game of the day, while the Blue Bulls take on the Leopards, and KwaZulu-Natal meet Boland.

Wednesday is a rest day, and the teams play their third and fourth games on Thursday and Friday.

Monday’s Results

Golden Lions 36 Zimbabwe 0, Pumas 17 Namibia 0, Border 28 Free State 17, Border Country 5 Griffons 3, SWD 0 Valke 0, Leopards 10 E Province 5, Western Province 31 Griquas 7, Blue Bulls 19 Boland 5, KwaZulu-Natal 33 Limpopo Blue Bulls 5.

Tuesday’s fixtures

9am SWD v Griquas, 9.50am Valke v Limpopo Blue Bulls, 10.40am Pumas v Border Country, 11.30am Free State v Namibia, 12.20pm Griffons v Zimbabwe, 1.10pm KwaZulu-Natal v Boland, 2pm E Province v W Province, 2.50pm Blue Bulls v Leopards, 3.40pm Golden Lions v Border.

THE 2013 U-13 COCA-COLA YOUTH RUGBY WEEK ABOUT TO KICK OFF

Traditionally the winter school holiday is Youth Rugby Weeks time and the under-13s got the ball rolling when the under-13 Coca-Cola Craven Week kicks off in Bela-Bela today, Monday 24 June.

The primary school interprovincial week is the place where heroes are made – a talent pipeline that begins here and extends through the Coca-Cola under-16 Grant Khomo Week to the under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week, and from there into the under-20 “Baby Boks” system.

All the South African Rugby Union (SARU) provinces have held their trials and identified their most skilled players who will gather in Bela Bela to participate in the Coca-Cola under-13 Craven Week over four days – Monday June 24, Tuesday June 25, Thursday June 27 and Friday June 28.

Although rugby at this level is dominated by early developers, which has meant that fewer players go on from here to play international rugby than is the case with the under-18 Craven Week, a fair number of Coca-Cola under-13 Craven Week players have gone on to wear the green and gold.

“Coca-Cola is honored to play such an important role in the Coca-Cola under-13 Craven Week, we can look back with pride knowing that we have provided a platform where hundreds of rugby heroes have been made. If we look at our provincial as well as national teams, the amount of players that played in one or more of the Coca-Cola Youth Rugby Weeks is tantamount to how important grassroots development is and it highlights the need for corporates such as Coca-Cola, to play a vital role in developing young sports heroes while promoting an active, healthy and balanced lifestyle” explains Donnay Carter Coca-Cola South Africa Brand Manager

In the current Springbok side there is one graduate of the week – hooker Adriaan Strauss – but recent Springboks include Fourie Du Preez, Wynand Olivier, Luke Watson, Schalk Burger and Jacques Fourie, all of whom made their representative debuts at this level.

In keeping with traditions, the Coca-Cola under-13 Craven Week is purely a festival of rugby, with no league points awarded and no overall winner. The only team honour up for grabs is the possibility of being chosen to play in the main game of the final day of the week.

Only the fixtures for day one are arranged beforehand, with the matches for the remaining days being organised, on a strength vs strength basis, at the end of each day’s play

Results for the morning games:

Gauteng Lions 36 vs Zimbabwe 0

Try Scorers: Davan du Plessis, Franco Julliun Schutte, Jason Freeman, Muzilikazi Manyike, Thuso Diyale, Tristan Leonard Dullisear

Conversions: Dean Sheldon Lategan, Muzilikazi Manyike x 2

Pumas 17 vs Namibia 0

Try Scorers: Coenraad Visser, Dylan Pretorius, Jean Jordaan

Conversion: Coenraad Visser

Border 28 vs Free State 17

Border Try Scorers: Bulelani Qabazi Ngaki x 2, Thabang Vuyo Maifo, Wyclef Lezhane Vlitoor

Border Coversions: Jaden Cyril Hendrikse x 4

Free State Try Scorers: Charl van der Merwe, De Wet Marais, Johannes de Jager

Border Conversion: Alex-Zander du Plessis

Griffons 3 vs Border CD 5

Griffons Penalty: Richard Gerhardus Frederick Kriel

Border Try: Wanda Fana

Valke 0 vs SWD 0