Elmo’s kids can repeat 2015 success

THE Western Province Craven Week selectors have done their job, and it’s now up to the players to do their part.

Kearsney College will host the 53rd edition of the schools rugby tournament, which starts on July 11.

WP president Thelo Wakefield is confident the class of 2016 will deliver the goods.

“It is my pleasure to welcome all of these talented young players into the WP fold, and I am looking forward to seeing what they can produce on the field in the various Youth Weeks,” Wakefield said. “While the athletes all play for various schools and clubs, they are now unified as WP players.”

The WP squad includes eight players from Paarl Boys’ High, the unofficial No 1 schools team in the country. Boishaai are unbeaten in 36 games since the start of 2015.

In total, 18 players from the Boland region are in the 23-man WP squad. The balance of coach Elmo Wolfaardt’s side is made up of personnel from the southern and northern suburbs of Cape Town.

Province have a good chance of repeating their 2015 success. “I feel we have a great chances of progressing to the final game,” said Wolfaardt.

“The selectors have supplied me with a solid squad; we have a strong pack who will lay the foundation for our talented, pacy backs to work off and exhibit their silky skills.

“I was more than happy with the two wins against Eastern Province and South Western Districts last week. These games gave the selectors one final chance to get their picks right. ern Cape Sports School), Theo Boshoff (Paarl Gym), Heinrich Brendel (Captain, Boland Landbou), Zac Burger (Paarl Gym), Angelo Davids (Stellenberg), Brendan de Kock (Brackenfell), Sehan Du Toit (Paarl Gym), Vian Fourie (Paarl Boys), Matthew Grobler (Rondebosch Boys), Francke Horn (Paarl Boys), Urgene Johannes (Paarl Boys), Labeeb Kannemeyer (Wynberg Boys), Ian Ketwanga (Parklands), Raymond Nel (Paarl Gym), Sebastian Prentice (Bishops), Bulelani Salie (Western Cape Sports School), Janlu Steenkamp (Boland Landbou), Aydon Topley (Paul Roos), Wian van Niekerk (Paarl Gym), Daniel Wessels (Paarl Gym), Ronan Witten (Brackenfell), Lwando Zinto (Violets). Head coach: Clinton van Rensburg (Rondebosch Boys) Assistant coach: Schuur High) Team manager: Pieter Janse van Rensburg (Gardens Commercial) Ebrahim Moerat (Groote

“We face a tough opening fixture against our neighbours Boland,” he added.

“Boland will come at us hard up front and try and upset us. But as long as we look after our first-phase ball and keep to the game plan, we should end up on the right side of the result.”

Boishaai’s Salmaan Moerat will captain the WP team as one of four players, along with Khanya Ncusane, Manuel Rass and Damian Willemse, who were members of the all-conquering 2015 team.