In two weeks’ time we will know which school rugby players will represent Eastern Province this year.
“The EP sides will be announced on Tuesday, 30 May,” the secretary of the EP High Schools Rugby Association, Neville Botha, confirmed.
Botha released the trial teams for the annual Meyer Sauerman Tournament taking place on May 26 and 27 at Volkskool High in Graaff-Reinet.
“Four matches will be played on each day, first two u/16 matches and then two u/18 matches,” Botha explained.
Four u/18 teams were named, as well as a set of reserves who will also get playing time in Graaff-Reinet to try and impress the selectors.
Selecting a provincial school team anywhere in the country is no easy task. The EP u/18 convenor of selectors, Patdro Somerset, and his panel will have their work cut out to select the best possible squad.
Shortly after the announcement of the squad on the 30th, head coach Elric van Vuuren of Despatch and his team will start preparing the boys for Craven Week.
The Craven Week will this year be hosted by Outeniqua High in George from July 3 till 8.
The u/18 trial teams:
Heinrich Leonard XV: Kian Rademeyer (Pearson), Hein Terblanche (Framesby), Sean Vermaak (Framesby), Abongile Golela (Graeme College), AC Mnandi (Graeme College), Hannes Kleynhans (Nico Malan), Sipho Nonyela (Kingswood College), Burrie van Heerden, Dempers Meyer, Aiden de Villiers, Leonard Booysen, MC Strydom (all Marlow), Tadiwa Chikutiro (Kingswood College), Lyle Meintjies (Muir), Joshua Bands (Grey).
Elvandré Sias XV: Remmy Heymans (Brandwag), U Tsaka (Muir), Aiden Wilkenson (Grey), Dillion Brent (Otto du Plessis), Gerrit Bekker (Woodridge), De Wet Fourie (Daniel Pienaar), A de Jager (Volkskool), Gerhardus Venter (Woodridge), A Ntsula (Grey), Dominic Malgas (Nico Malan), R Jansen (Michausdal), N Mboniswa (Muir), D Loxton (Pearson), Ethan George, Jemaine Dampies (both Brandwag).
Chesray Tobie XV: A Swanepoel (Otto du Plessis), Nicholas Hughes (Pearson), Z Nkonko (Gill), L Sodlaka (Grey), Tyrise Bouwers (Bergsig), Conrad Botha (Marlow), Johan van Zyl (Framesby), Jan Theo van Tonder (Volkskool), Apiah Ndzengu (Kingswood College), Logan Muller (Framesby), Keegan Titus, O Setoesha (both Grey), Josiah Weideman (Marlow), S Brawen, Likhona Kepe (both Kingswood College).
Joel Swarts XV: P Pitse (Kingswood College), E Matteus (Otto du Plessis), Zibabalwa Booi (Ndzondolelo), Francois van der Ryst (Marlow), Jaco Pretoruis (Framesby), Tapiwe Zanda (Kingswood College), Batho Hlekani (Graeme College), M Mgcina (Aliwal-North), Virgil Grootboom (Daniel Pienaar), Praise Matsila (Kingswood College), Luvuyo Ngwentle (Graeme College), Lemeur Kramer (Westering), E Faltein (Bergsig), Morne Geyser (Otto du Plessis), Kian van Wyk (Cradock).
Reserves (who will participate in trials):
Ntsika Myalato, Lunathi Njara (both Pearson), Nicholas Wessels (Framesby), Amazing Verihwe (Kingswood), JR Bova (Marlow), A Mali (Graeme College), Olivier Myat-Taylor (SAC), Mark Brombacher (Grey), W Bob (Woodridge), T Strydom (DF Malherbe), Denilo Jordaan (Port Alfred), Vincent McCleod (Otto du Plessis), Lucrane Miggels (Brandwag), C Friscen (Pearson), Ethan Smit (Framesby).
The welcome rain in Nelson Mandela Bay led to some fixtures for this past weekend being cancelled. There was some action in the cold and wet conditions though and we saw some good victories for Grey, Kingswood and Marlow.
Teams might again face some wet conditions this coming Saturday. Coaches and players will no doubt work on a low risk game this week, to be ready if the fields are wet and muddy.
Results
Grey 19, St Andrews College 0;
Kingswood 18, Pearson 0;
Marlow 25, Nico Malan 15;
Bergsig 25, Andrew Rabie 3.
Fixtures
Today
Gelvan v Chapman, David Livingstone v Booysen Park, Patterson v Bertram, Sanctor v Arcadia, Chatty v Bonzai, Ncedo v Masiphathisani, Ndyebo v Mfesani, Soqayisa v James Jolobe, Vulumzi v Douglas Mbopa, Coselelani v Cingani.
Saturday
John Walton v St Colmcille, St Andrew’s College v Hudson Park, Queen’s College v Grey High, Muir College v Pearson, Bonzai v Ndonelelo, Marlow v Framesby, Bergsig v Brandwag, Knysna v Cillie, Port Rex v Kingswood, Graeme College v Nico Malan, DF Malherbe v Cradock, Andrew Rabie v Despatch.
