Paarl Boys' High head for Japan
This year South Africa's representative at the Sanix Rugby Youth Invitational tournament will be Paarl Boys' High.
Paarl Boys' High are always one of South Africa's top schools. Last year they ended 6th on the FNB Top 20, lower than they usually are. This is the second tournament they have attended, ending third in 2011 with a team that was not their full 1st XV.
The Sanix Tournament was started in 2000 and is played annually in Fukuoka on Kyushu Island during the Golden Week which starts at the end of April.
For the last four years New Zealand schools have won, Hamilton Boys' High on two of those four years, and they are again at the Sanix this year.
South African schools have won it in the past – Glenwood, Boland Landbou and Grey College. When Glenwood won it in 2008, their coach was Sean Erasmus. This year he will be coaching the Boys' High side.
In 2013 there were 16 teams taking part, most of them from Japan. Daniël Pienaar was the South African representative and ended fourth. Apart from Japan, there were teams from South Africa, New Zealand, England, Australia, France, Canada, Korea and Russia. St Kentigern was the winner.
Each year New Zealand sends its champion school and last year Hamilton Boys' High beat St Kentigern's 12-10 to win the title and so they will be at the Sanix again
Last year Australia's representative was St Joseph's Nudgee of Brisbane. This year it will be another Christian Brothers' foundation, St Edmund's of Canberra who always have a strong side but this year are expecting a special side. St Edmund's is the old school of George Gregan, Matt Giteau, the three Fainga'a brothers, Matt Pini and Robbie Coleman. They are bound to be a strong side. This will the second time St Edmund's will have been to the Sanix. The last time was in 2003 when they ended ninth when Rotorua Boys' High won.
In South Africa SA Rugby Union makes the offer to schools. If they accept they have to find the fare there and back.
