The LSEN and U/13 squads will be the first players to represent Eastern Province (EP) at the upcoming national youth rugby tournaments.
This year, the U/18 LSEN (learners with special education needs) Week takes place in Bethal, Mpumalanga, from June 27 to July 2.
The EP u/13s don’t have to travel that far. They stay in the Eastern Cape for their week, which is from June 30 to July 4, at Selborne College in East London.
Coach JD Esterhuizen won’t have to work too much on combinations and interplay as most in the LSEN group of 22 players are from Bergsig in Kariega.
Bergsig has 16 players in the squad. The Gqeberha school, Westview (4), has the second-best representation.
There is one player, Mynhardt Hattingh, from another Gqeberha school, Cape Recife, in the group.
With Border not at the week, EP included Liza Tetani, a player from Baysville in East London.
The EP boys are expected to be very competitive at the week. Bergsig has produced solid performances against strong opposition this year, which is an indication that EP will be up for the task.
The LSEN Week is always a crowd favourite, with running rugby the name of the game. In this regard, EP certainly has the speed and skill to match the other provinces.
What might be a challenge is the expected cold conditions. Bethal should be much colder than the East Cape visitors are used to at this time of the year.
Twelve schools are represented in the u/13 squad of 23 players.
Jeffreys Bay and Albertyn have four players each in the group, followed by Grey with three.
Sunridge, Gill College and Paul Sauer all have two players each going to East London.
The schools with one representative each are Westering, Union, Port Alfred, Woodridge, Kabega and Hankey.
It will be a very tough start at the tournament for the EP boys. They take on the mighty Western Province (WP) in their first match.
The Blue Bulls and WP are considered the top u/13 sides in the country. It will be an enormous challenge, but also a huge opportunity, for the EP players to show what they can do against strong opposition.
The U/13 Academy side also has a difficult opener. They play against the Southwestern Districts.
All the other EP squads are also hard at work in preparation for the respective upcoming events.
The U/18 Craven Week team suffered a setback. The loose head prop from Grey High, Daniel Naude, had to be replaced.
“He had an accident on his motorbike. He’s been replaced in the squad by Janu Janse van Rensburg (Nico Malan),” confirmed the secretary of the EP High Schools Rugby Association, Fenner Barnard.
EP teams
LSEN: Ayema Mbatyo, André Barnard, Luciano Byneveldt, Kaydon Kerspuy, Shaundré Pienaar, TeJaen van der Berg, Gavin Amoed, Zaynodeen Bennie, Valentino Leeuskieter, Domonic Fleurs, Uvern Adams, Lloydin Prins, Clark Lourens, Rajh Felix, Elario Forbes, Eldridge van Dyk (all Bergsig), Nimai Geel, Jordan de Rocks, Rylen Hawkins, Stanley Lucas (all Westview), Liza Tetani (Baysville), Mynhardt Hattingh (Cape Recife).
Coaching team: JD Esterhuizen (head coach), Jeandré Schoultz (assistant), Malan Marais (manager), Fernando Uithaler (technical analyst).
U/13 Craven Week: Janiko Havenga (Sunridge), Lwandile Wakashe (Port Alfred), Bulelani Norman, Ethan Penny (both Grey), Lukhona Bulmbo (Union), Siyambonga Mila (Albertyn), Jayquin Billet (Jeffreys Bay), Aqhama Macembe (Woodridge), Jampane Witbooi (Paul Sauer), Warren Grootboom (Jeffreys Bay), Eric Goedhals (Grey), Keagan Wessels (Westering), Christiaan Westscott (Jeffreys Bay), Shawaldo Uithaler (Albertyn), Jayden Snyers (Gill), Gezario Petrus (Hankey), Morné Ross (Sunridge), Musa Mdongwane (Kabega), Ruben Lotter (Gill), Ethan Hartzenberg (Jeffreys Bay), Herschelle Petrus, Jahmal Pietersen (both Albertyn), Taswin Marree (Paul Sauer).
Academy U/13: Christiaan Slabbert (Sunridge), Keeno Osborne (Muir), Gio Esau (McLachlan), Clivian Buys (Kabega), Elrique Smith, Marques Luiters (both Jeffreys Bay), Elgero Mbaxa (WG Olivier), Luviwe Ndika (Fort Beaufort), Jamie Heugh (Kleinskool), Lunje Yekani (Lorraine), Caden Barendse (Charlo), Wilhelm Bredell (Stulting), Nathen van der Merwe (Clarendon), Divandre Vosloo, Franco du Toit (both Sunridge), Hardus de Ridder (Gamtoosvallei), Jack Toring (Albertyn), Monwabisi Nistinge (Diaz), Clayton Erasmus (Kruisfontein), Silibonile Plaatjie (Ntaba Maria), Cameron Zothe (Jeffreys Bay), Imbo Tana (Kenton-on-Sea), Wesley Tait (Verkenner).
