South African Schools team surprises
Hardly a Golden Lion in sight
The South African Schools selectors have named the South African Schools and the South African Academy sides. The Golden Lions who gave by some way the best performances of the Craven week have just one player in the SA Schools side – Giant Nkosi of St Stithians.
Back in the team from last year are scrumhalf Marlon Lewis and hooker Edgar Marutlulle. Giant Nkosi and Hendrik Roodt have moved up from the Academy side in 2004 to the SA Schools side this year.
Kirwan Frieslaar and Ruan Boshoff are in the Academy side for the second year running.
There are several players who must be considered unfortunate not to have got the nod – including Jaco Colyn, the South Western Districts scrumhalf, Lisle Clark, the Border hooker, Byron Godfrey, the Golden Lions fullback, Ignus Prinsloo, the South Western Districts inside centre, Alex Hattingh, the Border wing, Willem Stapelberg, the Pumas' big wing, big and fast Ghaliel Markus of the Godlen Lions, and Johan Janse van Rensburg, the Golden Lions flank. In fact the Golden Lions' success was in no small measure thanks to their loose trio – Janse van Rensburg, Johan van Deventer and Justin Wheeler.
By way of consolation for those who missed out, it may be worth noting that PJ Vermeulen has been chosen this year. He missed both teams in 2004 but in April this year was chosen for the South Africa Under-19 team which won the World Championship.
In 2004 the SA Academy beat SA Schools 35-26.
The SA Schools team and the SA Academy team, squads of 22 players each, are both selected subject to 11-11 quotas.
South African Schools: Zander de Kock (Falcons), Divan Kapp (Pumas), Joseph Oosthuizen (Free State), Hendrik Roodt (Leopards), Giant Nkosi (Golden Lions), Conraad Britz (South Western Districts), Pieter Meyer (Blue Bulls), Dewald Potgieter (Eastern Province) (captain), Marlon Lewis (Eastern Province), André Smith (Western Province), Rowan Walters (Griquas), Stefan Watermeyer (Blue Bulls), PJ Vermeulen (Griquas), Christopher Juries (Eastern Province), Christopher Micklewood (KwaZulu Natal), Edgar Marutlulle (Leopards), Riacco Ellerd (Griquas), Hans-Jurie Moolman (Pumas), Vincent Gwavu (Eastern Province), Mandilakhe Tile (Border), Morné Jooste (Western Province), Aubrey McDonald (Eastern Province).
SA Schools Academy: Henri-Willem Eedveldt (Blue Bulls), Michael Lockyear (Western Province), Frik Kirsten (Blue Bulls), Marnus van Huysteen (Golden Lions), Mnutsi Mabeta (Blue Bulls), Johan van Deventer (Golden Lions) (captain), Kirwan Frieslaar (Eastern Province), Okkie Kruger (Blue Bulls), Grant Paulse (Boland), Burton Francis (Leopards), Charlton Prinsloo (South Western Districts), JJ Pienaar (Golden Lions), Senzo Sibiya (KwaZulu Natal), Wynand Willis (Blue Bulls), Johan Jackson (Leopards), Adrian Lodewyk (South Western Districts), Charl du Plessis (Golden Lions), Blake Wuth (KwaZulu Natal), Cameron Peverett (Western Province), Ruan Boshoff (Pumas), Marvin Christians (Western Province).
Players by Province:
Blue Bulls: Pieter Meyer, Stefan Watermeyer, Henri-Willem Eedveldt, Mnutsi Mabeta, Okkie Kruger, Wynand Willis, Frik Kirsten
Boland: Grant Paulse
Border: Mandilakhe Tile
Eastern Province: Dewald Potgieter, Christopher Juries, Vincent Gwavu, Aubrey McDonald, Marlon Lewis, Kirwan Frieslaar
Free State: Joseph Oosthuizen
Falcons: Zander de Kock
Golden Lions: Giant Nkosi, Johan van Deventer, Charl du Plessis, JJ Pienaar, Marnus van Huysteen
Griquas: PJ Vermeulen, Riacco Ellerd, Rowan Walters
KwaZulu Natal: Christopher Micklewood, Senzo Sibiya, Blake Wuth
Leopards: Hendrik Roodt, Edgar Marutlulle, Burton Francis, Johan Jackson
Mpumalanga: Divan Kapp, Hans-Jurie Moolman, Ruan Boshoff
South Western Districts: Conraad Britz, Charlton Prinsloo, Adrian Lodewyk
Western Province: André Smith, Michael Lockyear, Cameron Peverett, Marvin Christians, Morné Jooste
Players by School:
Affies: Henri-Willem Eedveldt, Frik Kirsten, Ockie Kruger
Bastion: JJ Pienaar
Bertram: Marlon Lewis
Bishops: Marvin Christians
Bridgton: Charlton Prinsloo
Dale: Mandilakhe Tile
Daniël Pienaar: Dewald Potgieter, Vincent Gwavu
Empangeni: Senzo Sibiya
Ermelo: Hans-Jurie Moolman
Florida: Marnus van Huysteen
Grey College: Joseph Oosthuizen
Grey High: Kirwan Frieslaar
HTS Middelburg: Divan Kapp
HTS Vereeniging: Zander de Kock
Jacobsdal: Riacco Ellerd
Kingswood: Christopher Juries
Lichtenburg: Hendrik Roodt
Maritzburg College: Blake Wuth
Monument: Johan van Deventer, Charl du Plessis
Morestêr: Adrian Lodewyk
Nelspruit: Ruan Boshoff
New Orleans: Grant Paulse
Noord-Kaap: PJ Vermeulen
Oakdale: Conraad Britz
Paarl Gim: André Smith
Paul Roos: Michael Lockyear, Cameron Peverett
Potchefstroom Boys' High: Edgar Marutlulle
Pretoria Boys High: Mnutsi Mabeta
PUK Institute: Burton Francis
Rustenburg: Johan Jackson
St Stithians: Giant Nkosi
The Settlers: Morné Jooste
Upington: Rowan Walters
Waterkloof: Pieter Meyer, Stefan Watermeyer, Wynand Willis
Westville: Christopher Micklewood
Winterberg: Aubrey McDonald
