Glenwood ‘rule’ in KZN Craven Week side

THIS year’s Coca-Cola Under-18 Craven Week returns to Johannesburg at last after a break of 11 years.

The country’s week-long premier schools inter-provincial tournament is set to run from July 17-22 concurrently with the Under-18 Academy Week based at St Stithian’s College in Randburg.

The Under-13 Craven Week and Under-16 Grant Khomo Week will be hosted by Grey College in Bloemfontein from July 10-14.

The KwaZulu-Natal squad takes to the field on the second day of Craven Week when they are pitted against the mighty Blue Bulls. Pride of place on the first day falls to Western Province who take on the Pumas and the Golden Lions clash with Border.

Western Province must start as the pre-tournament favourites bidding for a place in the final day’s showpiece match for a third consecutive year and a possible third year in a row as the Coca-Cola Craven Week champions.

Free State, who have a reputation of being one of the powerhouses at Craven Week, are drawn against Boland in their opening match on the first day of the tournament with the prospect of playing the winners of the match between South Western Districts and Eastern Province in their second encounter if they beat Boland.

Of the 46 boys chosen to represent the two KwaZulu-Natal Under-18 teams for this year’s Craven Week and Academy Week, 19 are from Glenwood Boys High School which is a strong indication of the high standard of rugby played at the school.

The school dominates the Craven Week side with 13 boys in the squad of 23 along with five from Durban High School, three from Maritzburg College and one each from Kearsney College and Michaelhouse.

Glenwood have another six players represented in the KZN Academy Week side.

Hilton College have eight players in the Academy week side followed by Glenwood and DHS with four each, Kearsney and Maritzburg College with two each and Michaelhouse with one.

KwaZulu-Natal Craven Week Squad: 15 De Wet Truter (Glenwood), 14 Morné van Rensburg (Glenwood), 13 Conan le Fleur (Glenwood), 12 Rynard Jonker (Glenwood), 11 Cham Zondeki (DHS), 10 Dylan Pretorius (Glenwood), 9 Sanele Nohamba (DHS), 8 Phendulani Buthelezi (DHS), 7 Dylan Richardson (Kearsney), 6 Dylan Kruger (Glenwood), 5 JJ van der Mescht (Glenwood), 4 Edward Laubscher (Glenwood), 3 Keynan Knox (Michaelhouse), 2 Fezokuhle Mbatha (Maritzburg College), 1 Jordan Clarke (Glenwood), 16 Jacques Thyssen (Glenwood), 17 Thabiso Mdeltshe (Glenwood), 18 Brendon Schwultz (Glenwood), 19 Celimpilo Gumede (DHS), 20 Nthuthko Mchunu (Maritzburg College), 21 Jaden Hendrickse (Glenwood), 22 Njabulo Mjara (Maritzburg College), 23 Lwandile Menze (DHS). KwaZulu-Natal Academy Week Squad: 15 AN Other, 14 Luthando Buthelezi (DHS), 13 Chipo Mupeso (Hilton), 12 R Atwell (Glenwood), 11 Tonderai Ndzuzo (DHS), 10 Joe Jonas (Glenwood), 9 Graham Curtis (Hilton), 8 George Luzolo (Glenwood),7 Sibu Sangweni (Kearsney), 6 Vaughn Williams (Hilton), 5 Oliver Culvert-Evers (Michaelhouse), 4 Lunga Ncube (Glenwood), 3 Henty Beukes (Hilton), 2 Timothy Densham (Hilton), 1 Phelelani Zuma (Maritzburg College), 16 Jacques Thyssen (Glenwood), 17 Sean Barnes (DHS), 18 Sephekahle Dube (Maritzburg College), 19 Kamvelihle Fatyela (DHS). 20 Andrew James (Hilton), 21 Nick Winskill (Hilton), 22 James Sutherland (Kearsney), 23 Fadzai Mushonga (Hilton) Coca-Cola Craven Week fixtures: Day 1 (Monday) July 17: Griffons v Griquas CD; Limpopo Blue Bulls v Border CD; Free State v Boland; Western Province v Pumas; Golden Lions v Border

Day 2 (Tuesday) July 18: Valke v Namibia; Leopards v Zimbabwe; Griquas v EPCD; SW Districts v Eastern Province; Blue Bulls v KwaZulu-Natal Days 3-6 (July 19-22) to be announced