Grant Khomo kicks off
The Grant Khomo Week for Under-16 provincial teams kicks off at Izak Steyl Stadium in Vanderbijlpark Park on Monday, 1 July 2013.
The Week, first held in 2003, was named for a great South African sportsman, Grant Khomo, the first captain the African Springboks when they played their first Test in 1950.
Khomo from Mokopane (formerly Potgietersrus) in Limpopo, had not played rugby when he went to Fort Hare. He was an athlete, a tennis player and a soccer player, but at Fort Hare the Xhosa played rugby, and so he joined in. His studies over he went back to the Transvaal and became their captain. And then he became captain of the first African team that first played a Test, against the SA Coloured team in Port Elizabeth on 7 October 1950, a match won 14-3 by Khomo's team.
He also captained the SA Africans against the SA Coloureds and was the national African tennis champion.
After his playing days Khomo stayed in rugby and was the president of the SA African Rugby Board.
The teams at the 2013 tournament are Blue Bulls, Boland, Border, Border Country Districts, Eastern Province, Free State, Golden Lions, Griffons, Griqualand West, Griqualand West Country Districts, KwaZulu Natal, Leopards, Limpopo, Namibia, Mpumalanga, South Western Districts, Valke, Valke XV, Western Province, Zimbabwe,
The fixtures are set in advance for the first day. After that the teams are matched as closely as possible.
Western Province kick off the week as they were the outstanding side in 2012.
Fixtures for Monday 1 July 2013
A Field
Western Province vs Leopards
Blue Bulls vs Eastern Province
Free State vs Border
Boland vs Mpumalanga
Valke vs Golden Lions
B Field
KwaZulu Natal vs Limpopo
South Western Districts vs Griffons
Border Country Districts vs Valke XV
Griqualand West Country Districts vs Zimbabwe
Griqualand West vs Namibia,
Teams
We shall add to them as they become available.
Blue Bulls Grant Khomo Week team: Tiny Mukhari (Pretoria Boys High), Viaan Mong (Affies) (captain), Chergin Fillies (Waterkloof), Ruben van Heerden (Affies), Juan Basson (Affies), Khwezi Mafu (Southdowns), Dylan Robinson (Waterkloof), Eduan Lubbe (Affies), Enro se Papier (Garsfontein), Eddie Fouche (Affies), Daylin le Roux (Garsfontein), Chad Sias (Die Wilger), Wayne van der Bank (Garsfontein), Clayton Africa (Garsfontein), Shakeel Fredericks (Garsfontein), Bees Ferreira (Garsfontein), Ruan Liebenberg (Menlopark), Stephano Matthyse (Garsfontein), Warren Brits (Garsfontein), Ryno Lourens (Affies), Stedman Gans (Waterkloof), Hluma Zondani (Southdowns)
Western Province Grant Khomo Week team: 15. R Muller (Bellville), 14. C February (Paarl Boys' High), 13. E du Preez (Paarl Gim), 12. T Schoor (Paarl Gim), 11. K Abrahams (Paarl Gim), 10. G Lourens (Paarl Gim), 9. J Williams (Boland Landbou), 8. G Marais (Paarl Gim), 7. J Paarwater (Bishops), 6. J Visser (Paarl Gim), 5. D Schwartz (Paarl Boys' High), 4. R de Villiers (Paarl Boys' High), 3. O Theart (Paarl Gim), 2. C Tyler (SACS), 1. A Adams (Rondebosch), 16. S Farmer (Tygerberg), 17. B Smith (Boland Landbou), 18. MZ Davids (Rondebosch), 19. D van Tonder (Paul Roos), 20. G Kirstein (Paarl Boys' High), 21. J Grobler (Paarl Boys' High), 22. M Jones (Paarl Boys' High)
Referees: Wilko Esterhuyzen (Blue Bulls), Pieter Maritz (Blue Bulls), Denis Mpiti (Border), Sajkkie Meyer (Free State), Enrico van Rooyen (Griffons), Andrre Goliath (SWD), Jaco Pretorius (Valke), Terence Westcott (Blue Bulls), Adriaan Jacobs (Griffons)
