SA Schools XV in History
Two South African Schools rugby teams are due to be announced soon, naming the players who are to play against Argentina, England, France and Wales next month. It is not the first time that selectors have chosen two teams after Craven Week.
The SA Schools side was first chosen in 1974, against the wishes of Danie Craven who wanted Craven Week to be a festival and not trials matches. That team beat Scottish Schools 26-9 at Ellis Park and went on to tour Italy and France. Since then a South African Schools side has been chosen each year.
Later a quota system was introduced along race lines. The concept of quotas in schools rugby started with Danie Craven’s idea of a Feeder system, which started in 1986 and was applied to schools in 1988 when a Project Tournament was first held in Stellenbosch. The teams were mixed 50-50 for teams of 18 players, except for the Western Province team which was mixed 6-6-6.
The Project tournament produced a team for Craven Week and some of its players went on to play for South African Schools – Lee Feurer, Dawie Senekal, Chubby Chabana and Errol Fynn who went on to become a Springbok.
The SA Schools side mostly played internally – against University or Defence Force teams. In 1987 it first played against the equivalent of the modern SA Academy side. It was sponsored by SA Nampak XV and called the SA Nampak XV Schools XV, chosen on a 50-50 basis. The selectors were Ian Kirkpatrick and Dougie Dyers.
In 1989 the SA Nampak XV team beat SA Schools at King’s Park in Durban and were close to doing so again in 1990, 1991 and 1992.
Heinrich Fuls became a Springbok in 1992, three years after playing for the SA Nampak XV XV.
With the politically acceptable unification of rugby, the Feeder System was stopped and Craven Week became for merit teams from each province from 1993, thus producing the whitest Craven Week since 1979!
The Project Tournament was revived and called the SA Academy Week. Then an SA Academy team was chosen to play the SA Schools side.
It was a match which could be remarkably tight. In 2000, for example, the SA Academy side beat the Schools side 23-20. The SA Academy was captained by Matt Stevens of Kearsney who has gone on to prop for England. In the SA Schools side was Jacques Cronjé of HTS John Vorster who played for South Africa.
SA Schools Results and International Players
**This list is incomplete. It would be great if it could be completed. If anybody has any missing information, it could be sent to paul@sportsmedia365.com, where it will be gratefully received and changes/additions made.
1974
SA Schools vs Scotland, 26-9
Tour
SA Schools vs Richard Greenwood XV in Rome, 22-15
SA Schools vs Intercontinentale in Frascati, 34-0
SA Schools vs Reggio Calabria, 56-19
SA Schools vs Italsider in Naples, 70-0
SA Schools vs CUS Genova, 58-4
SA Schools vs Nice & District, 102-6
SA Schools vs Armagnac-Bigorre Under 23, 24-3
SA Schools vs PUC Under-23, 36-4
SA Schools vs Flanders, 38-10
Springbok
SA Schools: Of that team Nick Mallett became a Springbok and achieved other fame.
1975
SA Schools vs Natal Under-20, 16-19
SA Schools vs SADF Under-19, 36-6
SA Schools vs 1974 SA Schools, 14-4
Springboks
SA Schools: Danie Gerber, David Smith, Nick Mallett
1976
SA Schools vs SAU Under-19, 20-28
Springboks
SA Schools: Danie Gerber, David Smith, De Villiers Visser
1977
Springboks
SA Schools: Danie Gerber
1978
Springboks
SA Schools: Carel du Plessis
1979
SA Schools vs SA Universities Under-19, 17-25
Springboks
SA Schools: Jaco Reinach
1980
SA Schools vs SA Universities Under-19, lost
Springboks
SA Schools: Jaco Reinach.
1981
SA Schools vs SADF Under-19, won
Springboks
SA Schools: Kobus Burger, Helgard Müller, Wahl Bartmann, Rudolf Straeuli
1982
SA Schools vs SADF Under-19 at Ellis Park on 24 July 1982
Springbok
SA Schools: Helgard Müller
1983
SA Schools vs Northern Transvaal Defence Force, 22-27 at Loftus
1983-84
Under-18 tour to Wales
SA Schools vs Bridgend-Aberavon Youth, 10-9
SA Schools vs Mid-Wales Youth in Brecon, 20-9
SA Schools vs Gwent Youth in Montmouth, 7-13
SA Schools vs West Glamorgan Youth at Pontardullais, 15-6
SA Schools vs West Wales Youth in Whitland, 12-13
SA Schools vs Welsh Youth in Llanelli, 9-6
Springboks: Hannes Strydom
1984
SA Schools vs SA Universities Under-19, 14-18
Springboks
SA Schools: Joel Stransky
1985
SADF Under-19, 13-17
1986
SA Schools vs SAU Under-19, 12-22
Springboks
SA Schools: Jeremy Thompson, Andries Truscott
1987
SA Schools vs Felbridge Juniors (English Bulldogs), 10-29
Springboks
SA Schools: James Small, Ruben Kruger, Chris Rossouw, Pieter Müller, Brendan Venter
1988
SA Schools vs South West Africa Territorial Army Under-19, 28-6
SA Schools vs Transvaal Unions, 29-13
Springboks
SA Schools: Pieter Hendriks, Ruben Kruger, Mornay Visser, Pieter Müller
1989
SA Schools vs Transvaal Unions, 32-21
SA Schools vs SA Nampak XV, 14-28 in Durban
Springboks
SA Schools: Naka Drotske
Ireland
SA Schools: Deon O’Cuinneagain
SA Nampak XV: Heinrich Fuls, Etienne Fynn
1990
SA Schools vs Transvaal Unions, 30-21
SA Schools vs SA Nampak XV, 19-22 at Newlands
Springboks
SA Schools: Etienne Fynn, Hentie Martens, James Dalton
SA Nampak XV: Etienne Fynn, Braam Els
Ireland
SA Nampak XV: Deon O’Cuinneagain
1991
SA Schools vs SA Nampak XV, 23-21
Springboks
SA Schools: Chad Alcock, Ollie le Roux, Justin Swart
France
SA Schools: Stephen Hall
SA Nampak XV: Ollie le Roux
1992
SA Schools vs SA Nampak XV, 15-13
Springboks
SA Schools: Percy Montgomery, Joe Gillingham, Robbie Kempson
SA Nampak XV: Corné Krige
1993
SA Schools vs SA Academy 40-14
Sppringboks: Louis Koen, David von Hoesslin, Corné Krige, Percy Montgomery, Hendrik Gerber
1994
SA Schools vs SA Academy 60-13
Sprinbgboks
SA Schools: Louis Koen, Bob Skinstad, Hendrik Gerber
SA Academy: Norman Jordaan
1995
SA Schools vs SA Academy
Springbok
SA Schools: Pieter Dixon
SA Academy: Victor Matfield
1996
SA Schools vs Scotland, won in Mossel Bay
Springboks: John Smit, Shawn Sowerby, Bolla Conradie, Gcobani Bobo
1997
SA Schools vs SA Academy, won
Springboks
SA Schools: Joe van Niekerk, Bolla Conradie, Conrad Jantjies
SA Academy: Lawrence Sephaka, Gcobani Bobo, Wayne Julies
1998
SA Schools vs SA Academy
Springboks
SA Schools: Joe van Niekerk, CJ van der Linde, Adrian Jacobs, Gary Botha
SA Academy: Gurthrö Steenkamp
1999
SA Schools vs SA Academy 18-11
Springboks
SA Schools: Jean de Villiers, Pedrie Wannenberg, Gary Botha
SA Academy: Enrico Januarie
Australia
SA Schools: Clyde Rathbone
2000
SA Schools vs SA Academy, 20-23
Springboks:
SA Schools: Enrico Januarie, Jacques Cronjé
SA Academy: Luke Watson
England
SA Academy: Matt Stevens
2001
SA Schools vs France, 36-15 and 23-23
Springboks
SA Schools: Luke Watson, Derick Hougaard, Bismark du Plessis
2002
SA Schools vs France, 12-3
SA Schools vs Wales, 49-0
Springboks
SA Schools: Bismark du Plessis, Peter Grant, Earl Rose, Chilliboy Ralepelle, Ruan Pienaar
France
SA Academy: Anthonie Claassen
2003
SA Schools vs SA Academy, 27-24
Springboks
SA Schools: Chilliboy Ralepelle, Jano Vermaak, Adriaan Strauss
SA Academy: Hilton Lobberts, Ashley Johnson
Ireland
SA Schools: Richardt Strauss
Romania
SA Schools: Jodie Rose
2004
SA Schools vs SA Academy, 26-25
Springboks
SA Schools: Ashley Johnson, Heinrich Brüssouw, Hilton Lobberts
2005
SA Schools vs France, 52-18
SA Schools vs SA Academy, 24-30
2006
SA Schools vs Italy, 39-13
2007
SA Schools vs SA Academy, 50-15
Springboks
SA Schools: Patrick Lambie, Rudy Paige
2008
SA Schools vs SA Academy, 19-41
Springboks
SA Schools: Siya Kolisi, Elton Jantjies, Francois Venter, Patrick Lambie
Ireland & B&I Lions
SA Schools: CJ Stander
2009
SA Schools vs Italy, 86-3
SA Schools vs England, 13-45
Springboks
SA Sschools: Frans Malherbe, Siya Kolisi, Bongi Mbonambi, Scarra Ntubeni, Nizaam Carr
2010
SA Schools vs Namibia Under-19, 92-21
Springboks
SA Schools: Johan Goossen, Sikhumbuso Notshe, Steven Kitshoff
Scotland
SA Schools: Allan Dell
2011
SA Schools vs France, 21-14
Springboks
SA Schools: Jan Serfontein, Sikhumbuso Notshe
2012
SA Schools vs France, 17-7
SA Schools vs Wales, 24-16
SA Schools vs England, 36-29
Springboks
SA Schools: Jesse Kriel, Handré Pollard, Warrick Gelant, Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx, Dan du Preez, Jan-Luc du Preez
2013
SA Schools vs England, 19-14
SA Schools vs France, 17-13
SA Schools vs Wales, 14-13
Springboks
SA Schools: Warrick Gelant, RG Snyman, Dan du Preez, Jean-Luc du Preez, Thomas du Toit
2014
SA Schools vs France, 28-13
SA Schools vs Wales, 40-15
SA Schools vs England, 22-30
Springboks
SA Schools: Curwin Bosch
2015
SA Schools vs Wales, 42-11
SA Schools vs France, 12-5
SA Schools vs England, 23-16
Springboks
SA Schools: Curwin Bosch, Damian Willemse, Embrose Papier
2016
SA Schools vs Wales, 23-17
SA Schools vs France, 42-3
SA Schools vs England, 13-12
Springboks
SA Schools: Damian Willemse
2017
SA Schools vs Wales, 28-30
SA Schools vs France, 8-13
SA Schools vs England, 22-52
2018
SA Schools vs France, 21-28
SA Schools vs Wales 43-40
SA Schools vs England 41-22
2019
Friday, 9 August 2019 at Paul Roos Gymnasium, Stellenbosch
13.00: SA Schools A vs France Under-18
14.30: England Under-18 vs Argentina Under-18
16.00: SA Schools vs Wales Under-18
Tuesday, 13 August 2019 at Paarl Gymnasium
13.00: SA Schools A vs Wales Under-18
14.30: SA Schools vs Argentina Under-18
16.00: England Under-18 vs France Under-18
Saturday, 17 August 2019 at Hugenote High School, Wellington
12.00: SA Schools A vs Argentina Under-18
13.30: France Under-18 vs Wales Under-18
15.00: SA Schools vs England Under-18
