COCA-COLA CRAVEN WEEK HEROES STAR FOR BABY BOKS: EMBROSE PAPIER

The Coca-Cola® Craven Week is where heroes are made with the vast majority of Springboks having come through its ranks. The latest generation of heroes are continuing to illustrate the proof of this statement with three past Coca-Cola® Hero of the Day winners - Curwin Bosch, Keanu Vers, and Embrose Papier, all going on to represent the South Africa U20 team which recently did service at the IRB U20 Championship in Manchester.

This year will once again see the Coca-Cola® Hero of the Day awarded in recognition of the standout, game changing hero moment of each tournament match day.  2016 will be the third year the award will be up for grabs having already seen some of its previous winners go on to achieve big things. 

Embrose Papier, who received the award in 2015 for a brilliant game changing try, is a prime example of this. At the tender age 19 Embrose has shown immense potential to become one of the top players in the country. He advanced through the SA Rugby Youth Weeks U13 to U18 levels and featured in the SA Schools team in 2014 and 2015 before earning his call-up to the Junior Springbok squad. The Hoërskool Garsfontein matriculant represented the Vodacom Blue Bulls in the U19 provincial championship. Papier was also a member of the Youth Commonwealth Games SA 7s team that won gold in 2015.

Embrose Papier, in looking back at his Coca-Cola® Craven Week days, spoke of his pride in winning the award. “It was a great honour. I worked hard to make the team and paid special attention to the small details in my game to be the best I could be, and it paid off. Winning Coca-Cola® Hero of the Day certainly was a special reward for all the hard work,” he said.

Fetsi Mbele, Coca-Cola South Africa’s Senior Communications Manager: Brand Experience commented, “It is great to see players like Embrose Papier, who won the Coca-Cola® Hero of the Day award at the 2015 Coca-Cola® Craven Week furthering their careers in rugby. The Coca-Cola® Craven Week is Where Heroes Are Made and players like Embrose continue to illustrate this.  The Coca-Cola® Craven Week has the potential to kick start a future in the game for all its participants and we can’t wait to see what talent will be uncovered this year. ”   

Look out for the future heroes of South African rugby taking part at this year’s Coca-Cola® Craven Week from 10 – 16 July 2016.

Be part of the conversation on Twitter – follow @CocaCola_ZA or search #WhereHeroesAreMade

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Media Contact

Shawn Belluigi

Tel: 083 675 4338

Email: shawn@intunecom.co.za

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

COCA-COLA® U18 CRAVEN WEEK HERO TO DON GREEN AND GOLD

Blue Bulls scrumhalf, Embrose Papier, who was named the Coca-Cola® Hero of the Day for day 5 of the U18 Coca-Cola® Craven Week has been selected for the Coca-Cola® SA Schools team which will be taking on England, France, Wales and Italy later this month. 

The team, which is made up of twenty six players, was selected by a panel of national and SA Schools selectors following the conclusion of the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven® Week in Stellenbosch.

Embrose, who hails from Hoerskool Garsfontein, is one of four players to retain his place in the squad and was one of five prestigious daily Coca-Cola® Hero of the Day winners at the U18 Coca-Cola® Craven Week.

The Coca-Cola® Hero of the Day was awarded to a player who inspired or changed his team’s fortunes with a hero moment.  Embrose was selected for a standout run in the Blue Bull’s match against Boland, which lead to a try and inspired his team to a dominant win on the final day of the tournament.

As a result of his heroic play at the U18 Coca-Cola® Craven Week, Embrose will now don the green and gold of the Coca-Cola® SA Schools team in their upcoming international series. 

Fetsi Mbele Coca-Cola Africa’s Senior Communications Manager: Brand Experience commented, “Coca-Cola South is extremely proud to support the development of South Africa’s next rugby heroes through the sponsorships of the Coca-Cola® SA Schools team and the Coca-Cola® Youth Weeks.  The development of heroes such as Embrose is what the Coca-Cola® Youth Weeks are all about.  We at Coca-Cola have had the privilege of witnessing first-hand the success of the Coca-Cola® Youth Weeks and the incredible foundation they have created for schoolboy rugby in South Africa. The sponsorships of the Coca-Cola® SA Schools team and the Coca-Cola® Youth Weeks also signify the importance of living an active healthy lifestyle through participation in sport.  Playing sport, together with a balanced diet, may play an important role in maintaining a healthy way of life.  I look forward to following the progress of Embrose and his fellow graduates of the 2015 U18 Coca-Cola® Craven Week as they carve out a career for themselves in South African rugby”  

The Coca-Cola® SA Schools team will face Wales on 7 August at City Park Stadium in Cape Town, France on 11 August at Outeniqua Park in George and England on 15 August back at City Park Stadium in Cape Town.

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Media Contact

Shawn Belluigi

Tel: 083 675 4338

Email: shawn@intunecom.co.za

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. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our Company's portfolio features 16 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke®, Fanta®, Sprite®, Coca-Cola Zero®, Glaceau vitaminwater®, Powerade, Minute Maid®, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle.  Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks.  Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.9 billion servings a day.  With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates.  For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.

Western Province wins the 'unofficial final' of the 2014 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week

For the second year in succession Western Province (WP) beat the Blue Bulls 24 – 11 in the Under 16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo ‘unofficial’ final rugby match that took place at the Tshwane University of Technology today.

“We are all very excited with the win, but I have to say it has been a stressful two days,” said manager, Frikkie Coetzer.  “Our game against the Golden Lions was perhaps the hardest game of the tournament as they are physically strong and came at us with no respite.  But we managed to beat them.  Today’s game was perhaps not as physically challenging, but the Blue Bulls play a good tactical game.  We had to change our game plan to introduce a combination of both strength and tactics, which worked in our favour in the end.”

This win means that Western Province has completed a Coca-Cola Youth Rugby Week treble following the Western Province U13’s successfully defended their Under 13          Coca-Cola Craven Week title last week and the Under 18 Coca-Cola Academy Week that has just finished in Worcester, Western Cape.

WP was first to get on the score sheet as flyhalf Damian Willemse scored a try in the 17^th minute. Gianni Lombard converted to bring the lead to the 2013 Grant Khomo title holders 7 – 0.

Western Province wing Benjamin Momberg scored another try for Western Province two minutes later that Gianni Lombard converted and the score moved to 14 – 0 to Western Province.

The Blue Bulls got on the score sheet through a penalty from Ruan de Swardt and at the break WP led 14 – 3.

It looked like Blue Bulls were coming back into the game when Western Province conceded a penalty that Ruan De Swardt slotted to bring Western Province’s lead down to 8.

However Western Province was tight on defense and countered well off the Blue Bulls kicks. Gianni Lombard and the Western Province backline were slick and fluid in their play. WP constantly kept the ball in their possession making it difficult for the Bulls to attack.

Western Province 8^th man delivered a try for his team in the 37^th minute to extend his teams lead to 15 followed by Gianni Lombard’s conversion.

Western Province continued to press on relentlessly and were awarded with a try as Jade Fortune dotted down. The match heated up as the Bulls’ Gerald Lowe was sin binned, and Damian Willemse for WP followed him. The Bulls were finally awarded a try as Luke Fortuin scored with one minute left on the clock.

Western Province proved too strong for the Bulls team to win the U16 Grant Khomo Unofficial final 26 -11.

RESULTS:

Boland 10 vs EP 24

Zimbabwe 22  vs Namibia 34

Griquas 41 vs Border 0

KZN 34 vs Griffons 24

Blue Bulls XV 20  vs Valke  15

Border 27 vs Leopards 22

Golden Lions 22  vs Free State 27

Pumas 14  vs SWD 31

Griquas CD 12 vs Limpopo Blue Bulls 21

WP 24 vs Blue Bulls 11.

WESTERN PROVINCE EMERGE AS THE BEST TEAM AT THE COCA-COLA UNDER 16 GRANT KHOMO WEEK

Western Province are the unofficial South African under-16 rugby champions after defeating the Blue Bulls 22-15 in the last game of the Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week in Vanderbijlpark on Thursday.

As is the case in all the SARU Coca-Cola Youth Weeks, there is no winner of the festival, but everyone knows that the two top sides are matched in the week’s concluding fixture, with the winners of that game claiming the bragging rights.

In this case, Western Province thoroughly deserve the honour. They beat The Leopards 50-12 on day one and Eastern Province 34-22 in their second outing, and they entertained the crowd with an exciting brand of running rugby.

The final was a high quality affair, with the Bulls also producing exciting rugby. 

The Bulls started very well with their scrum-half, Embrose Papier, finding gaps around the rucks and mauls and putting the WP scrum under a lot of pressure and starving their exciting backline of possession.

The Bulls scored first with Warren Brits going over the line in the 9^th minute. The Bulls dominated the early stages and in the 19^th minute Hluma Zondani broke through to score their second try to put them 12-0 up.

Province were galvanised into action by this setback and scored soon after the restart through Moegamat Cassiem-February. They were back in the game and the Bulls started to make mistakes and WP started to reproduce some of their brilliance from the first two games . A try by Taigh Schoor in the dying minutes of the first half levelled the scores at 12-12.

The second half was a fierce tussle with both teams matching each other play for play and kick for kick. Eduard Fouche converted a penalty for the Bulls and that was matched by a penalty by Jondre Williams of WP.

An error allowed WP to free up their backs and they scored through Juandre Grobler, converted by Jondre Williams, to make it 22-15 in the end.

KwaZulu-Natal, Namibia and Border also ended up unbeaten in their three games. KwaZulu-Natal beat the Valke 33-19; Border notched up a 27-10 win over SWD; while Namibia beat Zimbabwe 33-22 in the traditional schools “international.

Eastern Province also finished the series on a high as they withstood a second-half fight back from the Golden Lions to win 29-10.

Results

Western Province 22 Blue Bulls 15, Border 27 SWD 10, Free State 16 Boland 14, Pumas 35 Griffons 7, Eastern Province 29 Golden Lions 10, Namibia 33 Zimbabwe 22, Leopards 106 Border Country 6, KwaZulu Natal 33 Valke 19, Griquas Country 21 Valke XV 18, Griquas 29 Limpopo Blue Bulls 27

GOLDEN LIONS FACE THE BLUE BULLS IN THE FINAL GAME IN THE COCA-COLA UNDER-18 CRAVEN WEEK

The Golden Lions will play in the main game of the Coca-Cola Craven Week for the second year in a row when they face the Blue Bulls in the final game of the 2012 week at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday (kickoff 1.40pm).

The Lions were beaten by Free State in last year’s final game in Kimberley.

The Bulls beat the Pumas 36-10 in their second game on Thursday to become one of just three sides, along with the Lions and the hosts, Eastern Province, to win two out of two going into the final day of the week.

There is no doubt that the two sides deserve the honour of playing in the unofficial final. The Lions beat Border on day one, and then ended the hopes of the highly-fancied KwaZulu-Natal side on day three.

The Blue Bulls were matched up against pre-tournament favourites, Western Province in their first outing, and beat them quite easily, 47-27.

They then coasted home 36-10 against the Pumas in Thursday’s late game, with most of their reserves on the field.

It’s going to be a massive forward battle on Saturday, and a thrilling encounter.

Eastern Province, as the hosts, and as reward for the two wins out of two, will play KwaZulu-Natal in the main curtain-raiser.

The Bulls scored six tries against the Pumas, via Arend Bannink (two), George Erasmus, Marquit September and Ryno Eksten. Eksteen was successful with a penalty and four conversions.

Willard Kotzenburg scored a try for the Pumas and Brendan Thomson kicked a penalty and a conversion.

In other action on the fourth day Western Province beat SWD 39-33 in a thriller.

The game was very close throughout, but Province drew clear in the last quarter, only for SWD to come right back at them, and WP were hanging on for the last minute or two.

There were 11 tries in the game – six from Province and five from SWD.

The Western Province tries came from Grant Hermanus, Jason Worral, Morne Nortje, Petrus Bothma, Ramone Samuels and Wesley Adonis. Worrall also kicked a penalty and three conversions.

Duhan Van der Merwe and Dewald Human scored two five pointers each for SWD and Leighton Eksteen got one try. Warrick Galant converted three of the tries and Human one.

“All Coca-Cola Youth Weeks, of which there are four, are aimed at identifying and nurturing talent within South Africa,” said Coca-Cola SA Marketing Asset Manager, Craig Van Niekerk.  “Seeing players progress through the various Coca-Cola Rugby Youth Weeks is amazing and we are proud to be the sponsor to make this transition possible.

Thursday’s Results

Griquas Country 38 Border Country 5, Limpopo 68 Zimbabwe 21, Griffons 33 EP Country 28, Western Province 39 SWD 33, Blue Bulls 36 SWD 10.

Saturday’s Fixtures

A Field – 9.10am SWD v Boland, 10.40am Western Province v Pumas, 12.10pm Eastern Province v KwaZulu-Natal, 1.40pm Golden Lions v Blue Bulls.

B Field – 9.10am Griquas v Griffons, 10.40am Border v Limpopo, 12.10pm Valke v Free State.

C Field – 9.10am Eastern Prvince Country v Leopards, 10.40am Namibia v Zimbabwe, 12.10pm Griquas v Border Country.