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Author: hnienaber

  • @lantic 7’s off to a promising start in Bloemfontein

    @lantic 7’s off to a promising start in Bloemfontein

    In the first match of the Free State leg of the @lantic 7’s in at Jim Fouche in Bloemfontein the hosts were upsetted 12-36 by Voortrekker from Bethlehem. Voortrekker’s Cravenweek fullback, Hoffman Maritz, showcased his talent during this match. Maritz also played brilliantly in his team’s other two victories on the opening day of the competition.

    Boela Abrahams’ team of the Harmony Sportacademy also showed that they could play the game of sevens. They outclassed Sentraal 84-0, Rocklands 59-0 and Heatherdale 70-0 in their Pool C matches. Abrahams and Christiano Swartz was their teams star performers.

    Linden High won Pool B beating Bloemfontein High, Paul Erasmus and Batho on the way. Louis Botha won Pool D beating Jim Fouche B 19-12, Ficksburg 47-5 and Petunia 49-0.

    Results on Friday:

    A-field

    Jim Fouche A 12,  Voortrekker 36
    Harrismith 58,  Thaba Nchu 0
    Harmony Sportacademy 84,  Sentraal 0
    Heatherdale 26,  Rocklands 12
    Jim Fouche A 73,  Thaba Nchu 0
    Harrismith 5,  Voortrekker 51
    Linden 50,  Batho 0 
    Paul Erasmus 10,  Bloemfontein High 38
    Jim Fouche A 27,  Harrismith 0
    Sentraal 56,  Rocklands 0
    Voortrekker 56,  Thaba Nchu 0 
    Harmony Sportacademy 70, Heaherdale 0 

    B-field 

    Linden 40, Bloemfontein High 15
    Paul Erasmus 22,  Batho 15
    Louis Botha 19,  Jim Fouche B 12
    Ficksburg 33,  Petunia 0
    Harmony Sportacademy 59,  Rocklands 0
    Heatherdale 19,  Sentraal 22
    Louis Botha 49,  Petunia 0
    Ficksburg 21,  Jim Fouche B 24
    Bloemfontein High 51,  Batho 0
    Jim Fouche B 39,  Petunia 7
    Linden 45, Paul Erasmus 5 
    Louis Botha 47,  Ficksburg 5 

    By Hannes Nienaber
     

  • Swanepoel leave Grey College after 12 years as coach

    Swanepoel leave Grey College after 12 years as coach

    After Jaco Swanepoel coached Grey College’s first team for twelve years he decided to move on. He was appointed to coach the University of the Free State’s first team, the Shimlas, from next year. He grabbed the job in front of nine other coaches who applied for the job.

    “I accepted it as a full time job and won’t be coaching at Grey anymore,” said Swanepoel about his move. He was involved an amazing thirty years at Grey College in Bloemfontein as a pupil and teacher. “It is definitely difficult to leave Grey behind. I have walked a long way with the school,” said Swanepoel.

    Shimlas has been coached by former Griqua-centre, Waksie Prinsloo and Dougie Heymans this year. Prinsloo will still coach the varsity’s sevens team after coaching them to the title of the Melrose-sevens.

    It is not difficult to see why Shimlas’ management decided on Swanepoel. He coached more than 50 provincial players in his twelve years at Grey College of which seven became Springboks. The seven Springboks are Gerrie Britz, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Frans Steyn, Ruan Pienaar, Wian du Preez and CJ van der Linde. Of which only Britz and Du Preez wasn’t part of th3e victorious Spirngboks which won the William Webb Ellis trophy at the World Cup in France earlier this year.

    Grey College was seldom on the loosing side with Swanepoel as coach. Only a few school coaches can compare with him on school rugby level. He can play a huge role in the academy which was started by the University of the Free State and the Free State Rugby Union. Swanepoel also coached the Free State’s Cravenweek team with success.

    “There are a few job opportunities as a professional coach and I would say that I am now a professional coach. I am very excited about this opportunity,” said Swanepoel. He also played one match for the Shimlas before getting injured after Piet Bester, former Free State and Griqua prop, fell on him. He was a promising young wing before he decided to hang up his boots. He represented the South African school’s team in 1986. He also played for the University of the Free State’s under 20’s and Irawas.

    By Hannes Nienaber

  • @lantic sevens team victorious in Dubai

    @lantic sevens team victorious in Dubai

    The @lantic sevens team won the Dubai 7’s International Division when they defeated Lenograd from Russia 47-0 in the final of the tournament. It is an excellent achievement for the school boy’s from South Africa. They played against senior sides at the tournament. They are invited to take part again in the tournament in 2008.
     
    They also beat Dubai Rugby (52-5) in the semi-final, Limm (42-0) in the quarterfinal, Teheran (78-0), Vauxhall (45-7) and the national side of India (52-5) on their way to be crowned champions. They scored 324 points conceding only 17 in the tournament.       
     
    The team that represented the @lantic team were: Gerrit van den Heever (Affies), GD Kotze (Volkskool Heidelberg), Joubert Engelbrecht (Upington High), Brian Shabangu (Glenwood),  Abednego Mamushi (Middelburg High), Enrico Ackers (Outeniqua High), Hoffman Maritz (Voortrekker Bethlehem), Pierre Lombard (Waterkloof), Justin McKay (Excelsior High) and Glen Mafumo (Ben Vorster High).
     
    The team was assembled from the player of the tournament from the ten tournaments held throughout South Africa by @lantic during the year. The tournaments were held in Pretoria (Affies), Vereeniging (Monument), Upington (Upington High), Durban (Sharks Academy), Middelburg (Ermelo High), Polokwane (Ben Vorster High), Klerksdorp (Middelburg High), Bloemfontein (Harmony Sportsacademy) and George (Outeniqua).
     
  • Campese to coach at Northwood

    Campese to coach at Northwood

    Legendary Australian winger, David Campese, is appointed as the director of coaching at Northwood. He will assist the school’s coaches as well as helping the first team.

    Campese will be paid partly by parents and supporter of the school. Campese helped with the coaching of the Sharks in the Super 14. The Sharks reached the final of the tournament and their backline play was of the best in the competition. He also helped earlier this year with the coaching at Shimlas (University of the Free State’s first team).

    Campese held the record for the most test tries untill recently when he was surpassed by the Japanese wing, Duisake Ohata.

     

     

  • Claassen big winner at Harmony Sportacdemy’s prize giving

    The Harmony Sportacademy held their annual prize giving at Diggers Inn in Welkom last night. The chairman of the board of the Sportacademy, Danie Bosman, described the 2007 season as the best in the short history of the Harmony Sportacademy. The Sportacademy was started in 2003.
     “I believe that the Harmony Sportacademy is one of the best kept secrets in South African school sports. We have 22 guys contracted to eight of the fourteen South African unions at this moment. Of which nine is senior and 13 is junior contracts,” said Bosman.  The Harmony Sportacademy does some ground breaking work for rugby development. SA Rugby could come and learn quite a few things from the guys running the academy. They also learn the guys life skills, which is very important in developing future rugby stars.
    Harmony Sportacademy played 20 matches in 2007 and won 16 of this matches. They won Volksblad and Kovsies regional championship for medium schools and the @lantic sevens tournament of the Free State. Justin Claassen were selected to represent the South African Academy side after some exhilarating performances during the Coca Cola U18 Cravenweek held in Stellenbosch.
    Cecil Afrika and Boela Abrahams both represented the Griffons senior side in the ABSA Currie Cup’s First Division. Both of them were matriculants this year. Abrahams was named Player of the Year, while Claassen as crowned Sportsman of the Year at the prize giving.
  • Pietersen Coca Cola Cravenweek Player of the Year

    Pietersen Coca Cola Cravenweek Player of the Year

    Wilton Pietersen, fullback of the Konica Minolta Free State team, to the 44 th Coca Cola Cravenweek in Stellenbosch has been named Coca Cola Cravenweek Player of the Year at SA Rugby’s Annual Awards ceremony.
    Pietersen whom represented SWD in last year’s week didn’t make the SA School’s or SA Academy side after this year’s Coca Cola Cravenweek. He was however selected for the SA Academy after the completion of last year’s week. His exclusion from the SA School’s side came as a shock to many.
    He thoroughly deserves this accolade which was presented to him in Sandton in Johannesburg tonight. He also played for the Free State’s provincial under 19’s in the national competition this year. He studies as the University of the Free State. Definitely a name to remember in the near future.
    Honours
    Outeniqua High (2005-06)
    SWD Cravenweek U18 (2005-06)
    Konica Minolta Free State Cravenweek (2007)
    SA Academy U18 (2006)
    SWD U19 (2006)
    Free State U19 (2007)
    South Africa U19 (2007)
    By Hannes Nienaber
  • Grey College five old-scholars in victorious Bok-squad

    Grey College five old-scholars in victorious Bok-squad

    Grey College in Bloemfontein became the first school in the world to have five players in a World Cup winning side when the South Africa won the William Webb Ellis trophy for the second time this year. This year’s tournament was held in France.
     
    South Africa defeated England 15-6 in the final of the tournament played at St. Denis. They would have equaled the record held by Auckland Grammer of New Zealand who had four players taking part in the 1987 tournament. The All Blacks won the tournament in 1987 on their home turf. But Jannie du Plessis was brought in by Springbok coach, Jake White, in the place of the injured prop, BJ Botha.
     
    Du Plessis which is a doctor by occupation was busy with a caesarian when he was called by Peter Jooste, convener of the selection committee that he was needed in France.  
     
    Ruan Pienaar (scrumhalf), Bismarck du Plessis (hooker), Frans Steyn (utility back) and CJ van der Linde (prop) were the other boys from Grey College in the victorious South African team. Bismarck and Jannie are brothers with the lather being the oldest.
     
    They mad history earlier this year when played next to Van der Linde in the front row in a test for the Springboks. It was the first time a solitary school was represented in the starting front row of a test for South Africa.      
     
  • Vorster re-elected as chairman of Free State school’s rugby

    Vorster re-elected as chairman of Free State school’s rugby

    Johan Vorster has been re-elected as chairman of the Free State High Schools association during the general meeting at Sentraal in Bloemfontein. Jimmy Jimlongwe and Gonval Store will be the vice-presidents for the term. Deon van Wyk is also re-elected as game secretary.

    Vorster mentioned is his overview of the 2007-season that it’s a huge privilege to read it to the meeting.

    This season was one of the best yet in the history of Free State school’s rugby. The Coca Cola Cravenweek team were undefeated at the 44 th week held at the Markotter-stadium in Stellenbosch. They also won the main match of the week against Western Province with a record victory. They came out 52-3 victors in the match.

    Five players of the team were selected to represent the SA School’s side at the end of the week. A further four players were selected to play for the SA Academy side. The Free State Kiewiete also won their tournament. The team which is captained by Jan Frik Ludeke (flyhalf) defeated Diamantstreek (20-17) in the final of the VKB Invitational-week in Reitz.

    Grey College had a magnificent team this year. Some people believe that this side of 2007 is the best ever school’s side in the country. Staatspresident Swart High of Brandfort won the Kovsie-championship’s Irawa-league.

    To find the right league system for the Free State is still a problem of the association. The association will hopefully find a solution for this problem for the season of 2008. School’s rugby in the province could only get stronger if the association find a successful league system.

    In 2008 no players with a matric certificate will be allowed to take part in the under 18 Coca Cola Cravenweek.

    Two players with matric certificates was part of the Free State team to the week in Stellenbosch.Wilton Pietersen (University of the Free State) and Beast Ndwandwa (Central University of Technology) who was still under 18 in 2007.

    Next year’s national weeks will be held at the following centers:

    Grant Khomo-week – Pumas

    Akademie-week – SWD

    Cravenweek – Blue Bulls

    LSOB Nasionale-week o.16 en o.18 – Western Province

  • @lantic 7’s moves to Western Cape

    @lantic 7’s moves to Western Cape

    The nineth tournament of the @lantic 7’s series moves to HS Outeniqua in George on Saturday, 20 October.  The player of the tournament will be invited to attend a training camp with the national 7’s team at the end of the year and will also be part of a youth team to tour Dubai at the end of November.  Saturday’s first match starts at 08:30 with the Cup final being played at 16:30.  According to sportpromoter, Willem Strauss the quality of play at the tournaments has surprised everyone involved.  "Springbok 7’s coach, Paul Treu has already identified several talented players who could even play in his national 7’s team in the future."  It is also encouraging to see the so called smaller schools compete with the top schools said Strauss.  The dramatic improvement of skill levels of the players participating in the @lantic 7’s series is also very noticable according to Strauss .

    The participating teams this Saturday are: Outeniqua HS, HS Oudtshoorn, Bridgton HS, HS Punt, George HS, Pacaltsdorp, Parkdene HS, Albert Meyburgh, Langeberg HS, HS Uniondale and Kairos HS.
    The winners of the first eight @lantic tournaments are:
    Pretoria – Affies
    Vereeniging – Monument
    Upington – Upington Hoërskool
    Durban – Sharks Academy
    Middelburg – Ermelo Hoërskool
    Polokwane – Hoërskool Ben Vorster

    Klerksdorp – Hoërskool Midelburg
    Bloemfontein – Harmony Sports Academy

     
    The players of the @lantic tournaments are:
     
    Pretoria – Gerrit van den Heever (Affies)
    Vereeniging – GD Kotzee (Volkskool Heidelberg)
    Upington – Joubert Engelbrecht (HS Upington)
    Durban – Brian Shabangu (Glenwood)
    Middelburg – Abednego Mamushi (Middelburg Hoërskool)
    Polokwane – Glen Mafumo (Hoërskool Ben Vorster)

    Klerksdorp – Pierre Lombard (Hoërskool Waterkloof)
    Bloemfontein – Hoffman Maritz (Voortrekker Bethlehem)

  • @lantic 7’s moves to Free State

    @lantic 7’s moves to Free State

    The eighth tournament of the @lantic 7’s series moves to HS Jim Fouche in Bloemfontein on Friday, 12 October.  The player of the tournament will be invited to attend a training camp with the national 7’s team at the end of the year and will also be part of a youth team to tour Dubai at the end of November.  Friday’s first match starts at 14:00 with the play-offs taking place on Saturday from 08:00.  

    According to sportpromoter, Willem Strauss the quality of play at the tournaments has surprised everyone involved.  "Springbok 7’s coach, Paul Treu has already identified several talented players who could even play in his national 7’s team in the future."  It is also encouraging to see the so called smaller schools compete with the top schools said Strauss.  The dramatic improvement of skill levels of the players participating in the @lantic 7’s series is also very noticable according to Strauss .

    The participating teams this Saturday are: Jim Fouche, Bartho Youth Club, Thaba Nchu Youth Club, Petunia HS, HS Linden, HS Ficksburg, Harrismith HS, Heatherdale HS, Louis Botha HTS, Voortrekker Bethlehem, HS Bloemfontein, Paul Erasmus HS,  Harmony Sport Academy and HS Sentraal.
     
    The winners of the first seven @lantic tournaments are: 

    Pretoria – Affies
    Vereeniging – Monument
    Upington – Upington Hoërskool
    Durban – Sharks Academy
    Middelburg – Ermelo Hoërskool
    Polokwane – Hoërskool Ben Vorster
    Klerksdorp – Hoërskool Middelburg
     
    The players of the @lantic tournaments are: 
    Pretoria – Gerrit van den Heever (Affies)
    Vereeniging – GD Kotzee (Volkskool Heidelberg)
    Upington – Joubert Engelbrecht (HS Upington)
    Durban – Brian Shabangu (Glenwood)
    Middelburg – Abednego Mamushi (Middelburg Hoërskool)
    Polokwane – Glen Mafumo (Hoërskool Ben Vorster)
    Klerksdorp – Pierre Lombaard (Hoërskool Waterkloof)