It is that time of the year, when it gets very difficult to secure the services of the best local matric schoolboy rugby players and keep them in the Eastern Province.
Some schools in Nelson Mandela Bay will finish off their traditional season this coming weekend, and that is usually when the bigger provinces zoom in on the available talent.
It is difficult for EP to compete with those provinces, and it is understandable that the top school players feel they must leave to develop their careers elsewhere.
Two of the biggest stars for EP and Grey High this year, Lavela Pongolo (centre/wing) and Likhona Sodlaka (lock), will join the Blue Bulls in Tshwane.
Pongolo was the co-captain of EP at this year’s u/18 Craven Week in Krugersdorp. Pongolo, who is also an excellent Sevens’ player, performed solidly at Craven Week. Sodlaka also had a good Craven Week and caught the eye with a brilliant performance for Grey against Grey College in Bloemfontein two weeks ago. More announcements of other talented players who will be leaving the Bay are expected any day now.
There is still plenty of rugby, especially Sevens’ rugby, left in the school season, but some Grade 12 learners are getting ready for the last school match of their career.
The Grey boys will have their last outing when they tackle Selborne College on Saturday. The match will be played on the Kolisi Field in Gqeberha.
Look out for a strong performance from the Grey and EP hooker, Jon Hobson. He had a fantastic season in which he scored 21 tries, two special ones against Grey College, in the Grey jersey.
Selborne better be ready if they want to stop Hobson at the back of those effective Grey driving mauls!
The EP u/17 Sevens squad will have their first training session tomorrow in preparation for the national tournament later this year. The players will get together at Andrew Rabie High in Gqeberha.
Primary schools are also getting into the Sevens mode, and 12 teams will be in action at the Tjaart 7s in Gqeberha on Saturday. The u/13s will compete in three pools. Pool A: Young Park, Altona, Parson’s Hill, Tjaart A. Pool B: Curro WB, Tjaart B, Bluewater Bay, Diaz. Pool C: Kabega, Bethelsdorp, Setlaars, Rowallan Park.
The u/13 Academy Tournament will resume in Gqeberha tomorrow when matches in the third round will be played. It should be two highly-contested matches when Charlo takes on Kabega at 14:30, and Newton Park kicks off against Verkenner at 15:30.
The preparation to get the EP u/15 squad ready for the Iqhawe Week has started.
Final trials were held at Booysens Park High in Gqeberha last week. The coaches have started to put their plans in place for the national week to be held at Queen’s High in Johannesburg from September 23 to 26. The Iqhawe Week started in 2013 and is South Africa’s premier development tournament for under /15 players. Many talented players from non-traditional rugby schools in Nelson Mandela Bay have made their mark previously.
U/19A Fixtures: Saturday, August 3
DF Malherbe v Andrew Rabie, Daniel Pienaar v Die Brandwag, Grey v Selborne College, Marlow v Framesby, Parel Vallei v Pearson, Graeme College v Muir College, Nico Malan v Punt, Despatch v Westering,
U/19A Results: July 27
Framesby 50, St Andrews College 10; Nico Malan 28, Brandwag 24; Muir 26, Despatch 17; Daniel Pienaar 24, Punt 10; Kirkwood 20, Union 19.
