Publications
Partners
Cape Town - The SA Schools squad has been named following the completion of this year's Craven Week.
Western Province, who beat the Sharks 47-8 in the unofficial 'final' in Paarl last weekend, have 10 of the 30 players in the squad.
Border, who also finished the Craven Week unbeaten, have six players, the Sharks four, Free State three, the Golden Lions and Blue Bulls two apiece and the Griffons, Pumas and Boland one each.
Notable inclusions are Brendan Venter, who is the son of former Springbok centre of the same name, while the Sharks’ Rynhardt Jonker, the son of referee Marius Jonker, also cracked the nod.
The SA Schools side will take part in the annual Aon U18 International Series, which will be hosted in the Western Cape in August.
The newly-named series will feature three rounds of matches between the SA Schools team, England, France and Wales, from August 10-18 at three high schools, Boland Landbou, Stellenberg and SACS.
England and France will get the tournament underway at Boland Landbou in Paarl on Friday, August 10, with the SA Schools team - which will be coached by Sean Erasmus - meeting Wales in their opening game.
Erasmus’ charges will meet France in the second round at Stellenberg in Durbanville on Tuesday, August 14, with Wales taking on England.
The tournament will conclude in at SACS in Newlands on Saturday, August 18, with the SA Schools team battling it out with England, and France meeting Wales.
Banele Mthenjane (prop), Adrian Alberts (lock) and Celimpilo Gumede (No 8) will add valuable experience for the upcoming series after being named in the squad for the second successive year.
“I am very happy with the quality of the players in the squad,” said Erasmus.
“All of the players performed well at Craven Week, and they showed that they can play an exciting brand of rugby. I was particularly impressed with the resilience and character they showed during the week and I am very excited to work with them.
“The experience and leadership that the players such as Adrian, Celimpilo and Banele will bring is also good as they will set the pace and intensity at training.
SA Schools squad:
Forwards (18)
Jacobus Agenbag (prop), Free State/Grey College
Adrian Alberts (lock), Western Province/Paarl Boys High
Dewald Donald (prop), Blue Bulls/Affies
Tristan Dullisear (flank), Golden Lions/Monument
Jacques Goosen (hooker), Border/Selborne College
Celimpilo Gumede (No 8), Sharks/Durban High School
Hanru Jacobs (prop), Western Province/Paul Roos Gymnasium
Jean-Jacques Kotze (hooker), Western Province/Paul Roos Gymnasium
De Wet Marais (flank), Free State/Grey College
Mihlali Mgolodela (flank), Western Province/Rondebosch Boys High
Keketso Morabe (No 8), Griffons/Welkom Gimnasium
Banele Mthenjane (prop), Pumas/Nelspruit
Lunga Ncube (lock), Sharks/Glenwood
Evan Roos (No 8), Western Province/Paarl Boys High
Sibusiso Sangweni (lock), Sharks/Kearsney College
Jarrod Taylor (flank), Border/Selborne College
Uzile Tele (flank), Border/Hudson Park High
Emile van Heerden (lock), Western Province XV/Paarl Boys High
Backs (12)
Lionel April (flyhalf), Boland/Hermanus High
Thomas Bursey (scrumhalf), Border/Selborne College
Jurich Claasens (scrumhalf), Blue Bulls/Garsfontein
Darren Hendricks (fullback), Western Province/Boland Landbou
Stravino Jacobs (wing), Western Province/Paarl Gymnasium
Rynhardt Jonker (centre), Sharks/Glenwood
Muzilikazi Manyike (centre), Golden Lions/Jeppe Boys High
Juan Mostert (flyhalf), Western Province/Paul Roos Gymnasium
Brendan Venter (centre), Western Province/Paul Roos Gymnasium
Wyclef Vlitoor (wing), Free State/Grey College
Sibabalwe Xamlashe (fullback), Border/Selborne College
Mnombo Zwelindaba (centre), Border/Selborne College
Aon U18 International Series fixtures:
Friday, August 10 (at Boland Landbou)
14:15 - England vs France
16:00 - SA Schools vs Wales
Tuesday, August 14 (at Stellenberg)
14:15 - Wales vs England
16:00 - SA Schools vs France
Saturday, August 18 (at SACS)
12:15 - France vs Wales
14:05 - SA Schools vs England
