Tempo of youth weeks rising
The annual youth weeks are set to rise a notch on Monday as the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week and the Academy Week begin in Oudtshoorn and Vanderbijlpark respectively.
The U16 Grant Khomo Week will be hosted at the Bridgton Sports Grounds in Oudtshoorn, while the Academy Week will be held at the Isak Steyl Stadium in Vanderbijlpark, with both tournaments running from Monday to Thursday.
This follows the Under-13 Craven Week in White River and the LSEN Week in Worcester last week.
Given the fact that several Springboks have progressed through the South African ranks from these tournaments, and with the U16 Grant Khomo Week marking the first opportunity at age-group level for the top players to be drawn into the South African Rugby Union's Elite Player Development system, the competition is expected to be intense in the next few days.
Springboks who participated in the U16 Grant Khomo Week include Trevor Nyakane, Siya Kolisi, Nizaam Carr, Jan Serfontein and Handré Pollard – while Willie le Roux, Teboho Mohoje, Francois Hougaard and Lourens Adriaanse, as well as Springbok Sevens star Seabelo Senatla have come through the Academy Week ranks.
The Griffons will meet Boland and Border CD will take on the Leopards respectively in the opening matches at the U16 Grant Khomo Week on Monday, while hosts the SWD Eagles take on the Pumas in the final match of the day.
Western Province, who emerged as the top team last season, meanwhile, will battle it out with the Free State in their opening match.
In Vanderbijlpark the Pumas and Boland, and Border CD and the Leopards respectively will go head-to-head in the opening match, while hosts, the Red Falcons will take on Eastern Province CD and the Blue Falcons meet Namibia in their opening clashes.
These competitions will be followed by the flagship event of the youth weeks, the U18 Craven Week at Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch from July 13 to 18.
U16 Grant Khomo Week day-one fixtures, July 6:
A Field:
09.00 – Griffons v Boland
10.30 – KwaZulu-Natal v Eastern Province
12.00 – Blue Bulls v Golden Lions
13.30 – Western Province v Free State
16.00 – SWD Eagles v Pumas
B Field:
09.00 – Border CD v Leopards
10.30 – Griquas v Zimbabwe
12.00 – Griquas CD v Limpopo Blue Bulls
13.30 – SWD Eagles XV v Border
16.00 – Namibia v Falcons
Academy Week day-one fixtures, July 6:
A Field:
08.45 – Pumas v Boland
10.05 – Border v Eastern Province
11.25 – Blue Bulls v KwaZulu-Natal
12.45 – Lions v Western Province
14.45 – Blue Falcons v Namibia
16.05 – Rooi Falcons v Eastern Province CD
B Field:
08.45 – Border CD v Leopards
10.00 – SA LSEN v Griquas CD
11.15 – KwaZulu-Natal CD v Griffons CD
12.30 – Griquas v Pumas CD
13.45 – Free State v SWD
15.30 – Limpopo Blue Bulls v Griffons
Source: SARU
