Free State dominate SA Schools
Free State – unsurprisingly – dominated the South African Schools team which was announced at the end of the Craven Week in Welkom on Saturday afternoon.
The team will be captained by the Free State captain William Small-Smith and includes 11 players that competed in the final game between Free State and WP.
There is only one player back from last year’s SA Schools side – Andile Jho, the inside centre in the disappointing Border side.
Small-Smith will partner Jho in the midfield.
Jho, Craig Barry, Small-Smith and Johan Goosen were in last year’s South African Under-18 side which is chosen by different selectors.
The back three include the exciting Western Province duo of fullback Craig Barry and Jean-Paul Lewis.
They will be joined by Boland speedster Leroy Bitterhout, who scored a hat trick of tries during his side’s 49-23 victory over Kwazulu Natal on Saturday.
Free State Cheetahs flyhalf Johan Goosen, who scored 22 points during his side’s victory over WP, was also named in the team.
Goosen was also a member of SARU’s Under-18 High Performance squad in 2009.
There are six players from Grey College in the side, four from Paul Roos and three from Affies.
The South African Schools team for 2010: 15 Craig Barry (Paul Roos, Western Province), 14 Jean-Paul Lewis (Paul Roos, Western Province), 13 William Small-Smith (Grey College, Free State – captain), 12 Andile Jho (Dale, Border), 11 Leroy Bitterhout (Klein Nederburg, Boland), 10 Johan Goosen (Grey College, Free State), 9 Rudi van Rooyen (Affies, Blue Bulls), 8 Nardus van der Walt (Affies, Blue Bulls), 7 Sikhumbuzo Notshe (Wynberg Boys’ High, Western Province), 6 Khaya Majola (Westville, KwaZulu Natal), 5 Ruan Botha (Jeugland, Valke), 4 Ruan Venter (Monument, Golden Lions), 3 Allan Dell (Queen’s, Border), 2 Jason Thomas (Muir, Eastern Province), 1 Steven Kitshoff (Paul Roos, Western Province).
Replacements: 16 Anrich Bitzi (Grey College, Free State), 17 Neethling Fouché (Grey College, Free State), 18 Schalk van Heerden (Affies, Blue Bulls), 19 Wiaan Liebenberg (Drostdy, Boland), 20 Kevin Luiters (Grey College, Free State), 21 Paul Jordaan (Grey College, Free State), 22 Tshotsho Mbovane (Paul Roos, Western Province).
Coaches: AJ Mercuur (Boland), Janse van der Ryst (Griquas Country Districts)
