Wet weather wreaked havoc with the Eastern Province schools rugby squads’ preparation for the upcoming Youth Weeks.
The loss of the Southern Coastal Tournament due to the recent heavy rains was a huge setback. It was supposed to have taken place in Oudtshoorn this past weekend.
This robbed the u/18 Craven Week side, the u/18 Academy players, and the u/16 Grant Khomo squad of getting some tough provincial matches under the belt.
Instead of getting match practice, the u/16 players had to return to hard work at their training camp to prepare for the Grant Khomo Week, which starts on Monday. They also had a practice match.
A positive aspect for EP is that the u/16 players will have home advantage in this year’s tournament.
Matches will be played at the fields of Grey High in Gqeberha on Monday June 17, Wednesday the 19th, and Friday the 21st.
Although the familiar playing conditions and the support of the home crowd will be welcomed by the EP boys, it also adds to the pressure to perform.
Grey boys form the core of the EP squad, with more than a third of the players coming from the host school.
EP will look to the captain, Johandré van Jaarsveld, and the other Grey boys, to lead the way.
Last year the EP team finished the week in Paarl unbeaten, and expectations to do well will be high again.
It is going to be a huge challenge against strong opposition, starting on Monday against the highly-rated Western Province on the Kolisi Field.
After Monday’s results, the fixtures for the next two rounds will be announced.
The tournament gives local schools’ rugby fans, and there are many of them in Nelson Mandela Bay, a chance to see the best u/16 players in the country in action. It should be a very entertaining tournament.
EP will have the honour of playing the main match on Friday, when the LSEN Weeks starts in Potchefstroom.
They will take on the Golden Lions, and the Bergsig players from Kariega hold the key to success.
There are 17 players of Bergsig in the EP squad of 23, and their interplay will be beneficial to the team.
The u/13 Craven Week starts on Monday in Pretoria and it is another very tough opening match for an EP team.
They play against the hosts, the Blue Bulls, while the u/13 Academy team will start their campaign against their Leopards counterparts.
After losing out on the matches in Oudtshoorn, the EP Craven Week and Academy sides will play against South Western Districts sides on Friday in Plettenberg Bay.
The u/18 Craven Week starts in Krugersdorp on Monday June 24, when EP is up against their East Cape neighbour, Border.
Grant Khomo Fixtures
Monday, June 17
- Kolisi Field
09:00: Pumas v Griquas. 10:00: Lions v Boland. 11:30: Free State v Sharks. 12:40: Blue Bulls v WP XV. 14:00: EP v WP.
- Pollock Field
09:00: Free State v Border CD. 10:20: Valke v Griffons. 11:30: Border v Zimbabwe. 12:40: Leopards v Limpopo BB. 14:00: SWD v Namibia.
