Fast Bowler Search Hits Polokwane

The search for South Africa’s next great fast bowler continued when the Audi Q5 Fast Track visited Pietersburg High School.  The initiative, which is led by Audi, Cricket South Africa (CSA) and former Proteas quick and development guru, Mfuneko Ngam, is the first designed to utilise state-of-the-art technology to unearth the hidden gems of South African fast blowing.  It is currently taking place around the country and today identified a number of talented local young bowlers who will now be given the chance to prove themselves in front of CSA’s development structures.  

Lead talent scout Mfuneko Ngam, commented, “The Audi Q5 Fast Track has so far been a resounding success and Polokwane was no different.  I have been very impressed by the level of talent we have uncovered so far.  We are very excited at the prospect of one of these young bowlers following in the footsteps of the great Proteas bowlers who came before them.”

On the day, local bowlers between the ages of 15 and 18 were given the opportunity to showcase their talent in front of a powerful development team.  Bowlers were given the chance to illustrate their skills in the nets with the most promising selected to have their bowling measured on the Audi Bowling Lab - a set-up which utilises state-of-the-art PitchVision technology to instantly analyse a bowler’s performance by comparing pace, line, length, deviation and bounce to that of a current Proteas bowler.

Ngam and his team, which included CSA representatives and local coaches, utilised the scoring system of the Audi Bowling Lab to select the talented boys and girls who will now be put in front of CSA development structures.  The standout bowlers on the day were Abigail Mantjane, 17 from Mokopane who impressed all in attendance with her consistent line and length and Gerhardus Fourie from Louis Trichardt who, at 15, is consistently hitting the 130km/h mark with his bowling.  

Trevor Hill, Head of Audi South Africa, concluded, “Today continued our search for standout fast bowlers and Limpopo Province did not disappoint.  As Progressive Partner to the Proteas, Audi is proud to be able to take our partnership with CSA to the next level by driving progress in a development space.  The prospect of potentially uncovering the next Ntini or Ngam, together with CSA, is something we are not only excited by but which we are striving towards.”

For more information on the Audi Q5 Fast Track go to https://nowiscalling.co.za/fast-track.

Benny's Sports Academy through to the Danone Nations Cup National finals

After years of participating in the under-12 Danone Nations Cup soccer tournament, Benny’s Sports Development and Academy from the Vhembe District, Makhado, Polokwane, will be participating in the national finals of the competition for the first time.

They won this honour after beating Mahupje Primary 1 – 0 in a thrilling provincial final match that took place at Hoerskool Noorderland in Polokwane over the weekend.

“We came into the tournament this year with a new team comprising players that started at the school this year,” said coach, Mr Mbishi Mokwena. “I also only started at the school this year and I am excited to have managed to reach this level of the tournament so quickly.  The school management did not expect the team to win and viewed this year as a learning experience, but deep in my heart I know I would lead the boys to victory.”

Mokwena admitted that it was not an easy win.  “The pitch was muddy due to the rain the previous night and the boys were finding it difficult to maintain ball possession but we persevered and won despite the conditions.”

The first three games of the day saw Benny’s draw with each opponent going on to win two of the three on penalties.   “We did not manage to score enough goals and this is an area I will be working on leading up to the nationals.  We don’t know what to expect but we do know that every team will be doing their best to win the trip to Morocco to compete in the world finals in October.”

Mokwena credits the whole team for the win, the captain, Dakalo Mukwevho in particular as he lead the team beautifully.  “Dakalo lifted the spirit of the boys when they drew the first three games.  He decided to call the boys to a meeting where he gave them a little motivational talk which worked wonders and they rose to the occasion.”

The coach believes that his team was the strongest on the day and will be attending the nationals with a fighting spirit and a winning attitude.  He will be working hard with the boys for the next couple of months which will include watching videos of past world finals.  “But at the national finals I will allow the boys to show off their flare and skills on their own.  I know they can do it.”

North West hosts the next provincial final at the Matlosana Stadium in Klerksdorp on 25 April.  The national finals will be held at Reiger Park, Boksburg, Gauteng on 27 June.

Limpopo Results:

Mmamakwa Primary 1 (2) vs Benny's Sports & Academy 1 (3)

Rammupudu Primary 0 vs  Mahupje Primary 1

Megoring Primary 1 vs Mmamakwa Primary 0

Benny's Sports & Academy 0 (2) vs Rammupudu Primary 0 (3)

Mahupje Primary 0 (3) vs Megoring Primary 0 (4)

Mmamakwa Primary 1 (3) vs Rammupudu Primary 1 (2)

Benny's Sports & Academy 0 (3) vs  Mahupje Primary 0 (1)

Rammupudu Primary 2 vs Megoring Primary 0

Mahupje Primary 1 vs Mmamakwa Primary 0

Megoring Primary 1 vs Benny's Sports & Academy 2

FINAL

Mahupje Primary 0 vs Benny's Sports & Academy 1

About Danone

Danone Southern Africa is part of the Danone Group, one of the fastest-growing food companies in the world.  Danone is present in over 120 countries across all continents. With 160 plants and around 100,000 employees, the Danone Group is the number one worldwide for Fresh Dairy Products. Danone’s mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible.

One of the core values of the Danone Nations Cup tournament is to encourage young people to believe in their dreams. Through this initiative Danone offers a sporting event that reaches out to and inspires millions of children all over the world

Capricorn High School competes for outside gym

Capricorn High School, Polokwane, Limpopo was one of the schools that competed in the Coca-Cola® 30 Minute Heroes Challenge, a competition introduced to schools participating in the Coca-Cola® T20 schools Cricket Challenge and aimed at getting learners to participate in physical activity. 

The concept encourages as many learners as possible to complete a five drill circuit within a 30 minute period. The scores will only be made public once all schools have completed their challenge.  The school that completes the most circuits in the allotted time frame stands a chance to win a prize of an outdoor gym to the value of two hundred thousand rand, which will be installed at the winning school.

“What a fantastic set-up! The Coca-Cola® 30 Minute Heroes Challenge intrigued many learners who originally were not interested in getting involved,” said Kobus De Meyer, Head of Sport.  “The activities were so challenging and enjoyable that the cricket boys asked me if they could use them as pre-season fitness drills.” 

“Our aim was to create a fun and exciting atmosphere and encourage all learners to participate.  The camaraderie was excellent with everyone encouraging and supporting one another.  Many of them flew through the drills and even managed to go again whereas others struggled a bit with the target throwing,” said De Meyer.

Capricorn High School has been knocked out of the Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge by Pietersburg High School. “We have a new team on board this year and we are currently in a building process. I am sure we will return stronger next season.  This tournament is such an excellent initiative which every cricketer wants to play in.”

The five drills in the Coca-Cola 30 Minute Heroes Challenge include:

1.    Shuttle runs between 6 beacons, moving a cricket ball from one   beacon to the next.

2.    Target Throwing at a set of wickets.

3.    Skipping with a skipping rope.

4.    Catching balls off a rebound board.

5.    Weaving in and out of 10 slalom poles.

The Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge is about making heroes,” explains Fetsi Mbele, Coca-Cola® South Africa Marketing Assets Manager. “This grass roots tournament is where heroes are unearthed and then progress through to the Coca-Cola® Khaya Majola Cricket Week, an annual tournament, sponsored by Coca-Cola South Africa for over 30 years. It has to date produced over 200 Proteas players.”

“Through our Coca-Cola® T20 30 Minute Hero Challenge we are encouraging all scholars in the country to adopt a physically active lifestyle that will become a lifelong practice,” said Mbele. 

Armad Pansegrouw is a hero at Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Cricket Challenge

Opening batsman, Armad Pansegrouw of Pietersburg High School, Polokwane, has been recognised as an outstanding achiever in the Coca-Cola® T20 School Challenge, for the 92 runs he made in his side’s victory over Seshego Development School. 

Coca-Cola® South Africa and Cricket South Africa (CSA) grant this honour to players who excel in the competition and they are awarded a special commemorative cap and a certificate marking the occasion.

Armad, who also excels in hockey and athletics, is only 16 years old and now in Grade 11.  He has been described by cricket organiser, Linki Roodt as a steady and reliable batsman who is of great value to the team. “Armad is passionate about cricket and never misses a practice session, which is turning him into an excellent cricketer who should go far in the sport.”

Pieterburg High School has played four Coca-Cola® T20 School Challenge matches, winning two.  They beat Seshego Development by 146 runs and Capricorn High School by 9 wickets. They still have a couple of games to play in their region before competing in the Regional finals.

The Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge is about making heroes, explains Fetsi Mbele, Coca-Cola South Africa Marketing Assets Manager. “This grass roots tournament is where heroes are unearthed and then progress through to the Coca-Cola® Khaya Majola Cricket Week, an annual tournament, sponsored by Coca-Cola South Africa for over 30 years. It has to date produced over 200 Proteas players.”

Excitement builds for the Limpopo KFC Mini-Cricket Festival

The Limpopo Cricket Union will be hosting a KFC Mini-Cricket Festival at the Polokwane Club on Saturday 12^th October with the aim of encouraging more and more kids to get active. Starting at 09:00, a morning of cricketing fun will see a variety of boys and girls from all over the region getting active together.

Differently-abled kids will also be included in the festival, but greater emphasis will be placed on hand-eye coordination, ball catching skills and the basics of the game.

KFC Mini-Cricket has over 100 000 kids actively participating in the programme around the country, with dedicated volunteer coaches sharing their passion for cricket, by helping these youngsters get the most out of the game from an early age.

“The Limpopo  region has an abundance of talent spread far and wide, so it’s important that we host this KFC Mini-Cricket Festival to bring kids and coaches from various backgrounds together to really enjoy the benefits of getting active”, says Lauren Turnbull, Sponsorships Manager of KFC South Africa.

Also attending the Limpopo KFC Mini-Cricket Festival will be local provincial. With so many players currently playing in the various domestic franchises having taken up the game at KFC Mini-Cricket level, it is only fitting that they are present to give needed guidance and inspiration to the kids on the day.

The kids attending the festival will also get the chance to audition to become KFC Mini-Cricket Ambassadors. Not only will this provide them with the opportunity of the provincial players, but successful participants will stand a chance to get active at the KFC T20 Internationals and Ram Slam T20 Challenge by participating in activities such as: the coin toss, taking the field as player escorts and acting as ball boys and girls on the boundaries at the matches.

There is an exciting 2013/14 KFC Mini-Cricket Season ahead of cricket with the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs the Proteas Tour. Seven lucky competition winners, selected through a USSD Competition that started on the 8th of September and ended on the 8^th October will get to play a KFC Mini-Cricket game against the Proteas!

The KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs the Proteas Tour was launched in September with the Proteas, captained by AB De Villiers, beating the KFC Mini-Cricket kids by 15 runs. 

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 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.

Dawie Theron sees a lot of talent at the Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week

In the highly competitive world of age group rugby, with an international under-20 tournament every year, it’s vital that all available junior talent is spotted and that the players with the potential to play at higher levels are brought into the system and developed in the right way.

That’s the view of SA under-20 head coach, Dawie Theron, who is in Polokwane this week at the Coca-Cola under-18 Craven Week running his expert eye over the players in action.

“It’s very important for us to be at all the Coca-Cola Youth Weeks to ensure that every player who has the potential is noted and that no-one slips through the cracks,” he said. “SA Rugby has been doing a great job in tracking players from the under-13  Coca-Cola Craven Week, through the Grant Khomo Week and into the under-18 Academy and Craven Weeks.”

“It’s through our involvement, and by using the opportunities provided by the Coca-Cola Youth Weeks, that we have been able to identify the likes of Handre Polalrd at an early age, and have been able to track his progress all the way to the SA under-20 team.”

Theron has had an opportunity to talk to all the players in Polokwane and he said he stressed to them that the pathway to the top has been shortened in recent times. “They need to realise that, for those who want it, and who are prepared to work hard, the next step is not very far away,” he said.

“Players like Siya Kolisi, Johan Goosen and Arno Botha were at this week just the other day, and they have played for the Springboks. That’s the motivation for the players. It’s up to us to identify them and then to work hard on their development.”

Theron is pleased with what he has seen in Polokwane so far this week. “We have had some high-scoring games, and some may say that indicates poor defences, but I believe the spirit in which the referees handle these games should take some credit for that. They are trying to keep the game going all the time and that will lead to more tries.”

He also believes the new scrumming laws have led to fewer scrum resets, and fewer penalties, and that means the ball is in play more, which will also result in more tries.


“That we have seen quite a few prop forwards run with the ball this week shows that they are spending less time with their faces in the grass, which has contributed to more open, attractive rugby.”

The Golden Lions and Free State set the standard on the second day of the Coca-Cola Under-18 Craven Week

2013 The Golden Lions and Free State beat SWD and Easter Province, respectively on the second day of the Coca-Cola Craven Week in Polokwane on Tuesday  and in the process have likely set themselves up for what will be a semifinal in all but name on Thursday.

Although the Craven Week is not supposed to be knockout tournament, the race for the tournament’s only prize – a spot in Saturday’s final game of the week is fought between the big guns and the winners of Monday’s late games – The Blue Bulls and Western Province -  meet on Wednesday, with the winners there probably going through to play the winners of the Free State v Lions clash in Saturday’s main game.

There were plenty of points scored on the second day of play, with one game drawn and several high-scoring thrillers.

The drawn game was a 37-all thriller between the Valke and Griffons, while the Golden Lions and SWD scored seven tries between them as the Lions ran out 34-27 winners.

The fortunes of the two sides fluctuated throughout the game – the Lions were well in control in the beginning, while SWD looked like they were going to win early in the second half.

In the end it was solid defense and the good goal-kicking of flyhalf Erwin Harris that saw them home.

EP put up a brave fight against, they led at half time and looked capable of winning it, but they faded in the last quarter as the big Free State forwards took control, helping their side to a 32-21 win.

Eastern Province Country Districts beat the Northwest Leopards 35-10 in the early game, and Griquas Country Districts were too strong for Border Country Districts, beating them 51-0.

Tuesday’s Results

Eastern Province CD 35 Leopards 10

Griquas CD 51 Border CD 0

Valke 37 Griffons 37

Golden Lions 34 SWD 27

Free State 32 E Province 21

Wednesday’s Fixtures

09:30  Namibia v Griquas

11:00  Limpopo Blue Bulls v Zimbabwe

12:30  Boland v Border

14:00  KwaZulu-Natal v Pumas

15:30  Blue Bulls v Western Province

Thursday's Fixtures

09:30  Leopards vs Border CD

11:00  Valke vs Griquas CD

12:30  Griffons vs Eastern Province CD

14:00  Eastern Province vs South Western Districs

15:30  Free State vs Lions