Diminishing Craven Week for many

The vanishing provinces

In 1991 there were 22 rugby provinces in South Africa. Then came unity and the number of players grew. In 1997 the number of provinces was reduced to 14. This has affected the schools as well.

The vanished provinces were North Western Cape, Stellaland, Far North, Lowveld, Eastern Free State, Northern Natal, North Eastern Cape and Vaal Triangle.

In 1991 there were 30 teams at Craven Week, including the SA Project team, the Western Province League and Boland League teams and at Sports Council team, Free State Country, a Transvaal XV, a Border XV and SA Federation Country. There were 20 players to a team, 600 players in all.

In 1992 there were 22 teams, a reduction of eight teams. Out went the SA Project team, the Western Province League and Boland League teams and at Sports Council team, Free State Country, a Transvaal XV, a Border XV and SA Federation Country. They were regarded as ethnic teams and so there was to be just one from each province, and the teams would have no quotas, all merit teams. The result was a pretty pale Craven Week certainly the palest since 1979. Again there were 20 players per team – 440 players in all, 160 fewer than the year before even though unity was producing a greater number of players.

In 1993 the Craven Week was back to 30 teams each of 20 players, back to 600 players. In addition to the 22 provinces there were teams called South Eastern Transvaal XV, District teams for Northern Transvaal, Western Province, Natal, Orange Free State, Eastern province and Transvaal and a team called Transkei.

There were 30 teams again in 1994 but, inevitably, not without tinkering. There were the 22 provinces plus Transkei and Academy teams from Orange Free State, SA Schools, Natal, Western Province, Transvaal, Eastern province and Northern Transvaal. But still 600 players.

In 1995 there were 32 teams with the inclusion of Namibia and Zimbabwe, whom we shall leave out of future reckonings as we shall speak only of South African teams. It was not quite the same set-up as the year before – heaven forbid.  This time there was Transkei again (beaten 105-5 by Boland Academy) and Academy teams from Boland, Border, SARFU, Natal, Eastern province, South Western Districts and Western Province.

This was the year when the CEO of SARFU, Edward Griffiths, announced that there would be from then on quotas at Craven Week – three black players in each merit team.

In 1996 the number of provinces was reduced from 22 to 13 but the 33rd Craven Week still had 30 teams, just slightly changed – the 22 provinces plus two Western Province Academy sides, plus one Academy side each from Border, Boland, SARSA, Natal, Eastern Province and South Western Districts.

In 1997 Craven Week had its most teams up till then – 34 of whom 32 were South African teams. The 22 provinces were there, some with name changes. Western Transvaal to North West, Eastern Transvaal to Northern Free State Country Districts, Lowveld to Mpumalanga Lowveld, Vaal Triangle to Gauteng South Falcons, Stellaland to North West Districts, North Eastern Cape to Eastern Province Country Districts, Eastern Transvaal to Falcons, North Western Cape to Griqualand West Country Districts, Northern Natal to Natal Country Districts and Far North to Northern Province, all of which probably had some deep meaning. Then there were the Academy sides of Free State, KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Province, Golden Lions, South Western Districts, Boland, Border and Western Province. In addition there were Border Country Districts, the SARSA team.

In 1998 there were 36 teams, 34 from South Africa. The additional teams were the Falcons Academy and a team representing South African Special Schools who acquitted themselves well, beating Border Country Districts.

Pruning started in 1999. The Falcons, Free State and the Golden Lions each lost a team and the Special Schools were not there. Oh, and there were name changes.

In 2000 there were again 30 sides, much the same except for names. There were now 22 players per team, 660 in all.

In 2001 the pruning shears really got busy,. There were 20 teams of Under-18 players at the Craven Week – 18 teams from South Africa. There was just one from each province plus four regional teams corresponding with the Super 12 franchises – East Coast, Northern Central and Western Cape. There were 22 players per team. That meant that players attending Craven Week had dropped from 660 to 396!

As a matter of interest players from those regional sides who have since made good are Thebang Molefe and Earl Rose. The next year Davon Raubenheimer and Ismaeel Dollie were there. They all represented South Africa with great success later on.

In 2002 things were the same.

In 2003 there were changes again. Out went the regional teams and in came Limpopo Blue Bulls, the old Far North, and Border Country Districts, Transkei by another name. That mean that there were just 16 South African teams – 352 players.

That, roughly, is how things were in 2004 and 2005.

From 660 to 352 – somebody must have lost out.

Let's look at the "vanished" unions – North Western Cape, North Eastern Cape, Eastern Free State, Stellaland, Lowveld, Vaal Triangle and Northern Natal. Let's look at them in 1996 and how those schools are represented in 2005.

North West Cape

In 2005 North Western Cape was a part of Griqualand West. They still get a look in.

In 1996, the following schools represented North Western Cape, player numbers in brackets:  Duineveld (8), Upington (5), Namaqualand (3), Nababeep (1), Carlton van Heerden (2), M Oosthuizen (1) = 20

In 2005, the following was the representation from the area in the Griqua side: Upington (3), Kalahari (2) = 5

North Eastern Cape

North Eastern Cape has been parcelled out partly to Eastern Province, partly to Border.

In 1996, the following schools represented North Eastern Cape, player numbers in brackets: Marlow (4), Gill (5), Volkskool Graaff-Reinet (3), Cradock High (1), Winterberg (2), Thabalethu (1),  Adelaide Gim (1), Burgersdorp (1), Aliwal North (1), Asherville (1) = 20

In 2005, the following was the representation from the area in the Eastern Province side: 0

In 2005, the following was the representation from the area in the Border side: Aliwal North (1) = 1
   
Vaal Triangle

Vaal Triangle is now a part of Falcons. They are still at Craven Week.

In 1996, the following schools represented Vaal Triangle, player numbers in brackets: HTS Sasol (6), HTS Vereeniging (3), Dr Malan (1), Transvalia (1), Hoërskool Sasol (1), HTS Carel de Wet (4), Ngopoleng (1), Vaal High (1), Rusttervaal (1), Vanderbijlpark (1) = 20

In 2005, the following was the representation from the area in the Falcons side: HTS Vereeniging (1), General Smuts (1), Riverside (1) = 3

Lowveld

Lowveld is now a part of Mpumalanga and well represented in the Mpumalanga side.

In 1996, the following was the representation in the Lowveld side: Nelspruit (5), Rob Ferreira (9), Lydenburg (1), Barberton (1), Matsulu (2), Bergvlam (1), Cyril Clark (1) = 20

In 2005, the following was the representation from the area in the Mpumalanga side:  Rob Ferreira (1), Nelspruit (7), Upland College (1), Sitfolotile (1) = 10

Eastern Free State

Eastern Free State is now a part of the Griffons, formerly Northern Free State.

In 1996, the following schools represented Eastern Free State, player numbers in brackets: Wilgerivier (5), Excelsior (1), Vrede (3), Ficksburg (4), Voortrekker (2), Harrismith (1), Unicorn (1), Bakenpark (1), Witteberg (2) = 20

In 2005, the following was the representation from the area in the Griffons side: 0

Stellaland

Stellaland belongs to the Leopards.

In 1996, the following schools represented Stellaland, player numbers in brackets: Wolmaransstad (8), Lichtenburg (3), Vryburg (3), Koster (1), Zeerust (3), Mmabatho (1), Darville (1) = 20

In 2005, the following was the representation from the are in the Leopards  side: Lichtenburg (1), Vryburg (2), Koster (1) = 4

Northern Natal

Northern Natal is now just a part of KwaZulu Natal.

In 1996, the following schools represented Northern Natal, player numbers in brackets: Ferrum (3), Newcastle (4), Vryheid (7), Dundee (1), Ladysmith (2), Sarel Cilliers of Glencoe (1), Durnacol (2) = 20

In 2005, the following was the representation from the are in the KwaZulu Natal side: 0