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Celimpilo Gumede and Diego Appollis will add international experience to the SA Rugby Under-18 Sevens Academy squad for the Capricorn Windhoek International 7s on 9 and 10 March, where coach Marius Schoeman’s team will look to defend their title.

The 12-member squad includes five players who featured in the 2017 Coca-Cola Craven Week in Johannesburg, while 10 of the players have Under-17 Interprovincial Sevens experience. A 13th player, Stefan Smit – also with U17 Sevens experience – will travel with the squad as a reserve.

The tournament will feature six teams, namely the SA Rugby U18 Sevens Academy, Namibia, Germany, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

The team will depart for Namibia two days before the tournament kicks off, and while Schoeman was under no illusions about the challenge ahead, he had faith in his charges to make their presence felt.

“We will only have one training session before the tournament, which could place us under a bit of pressure,” said Schoeman.

“But this competition forms an important part of our preparation for the African Youth Games, which will serve as qualifiers for the Youth Olympic Games in October this year, so our focus will be on gelling as a unit from the outset and giving our best on the field.”

Schoeman was pleased with the quality of his squad and said: “There is some great schoolboy talent out there, and I always look forward to engaging with these players from such a young age.

“A few players from last season’s SA U18 squad – Muller du Plessis, Angelo Davids and Henk Cilliers – have already made the step-up to the SA Rugby Sevens Academy team and were part of the team that won two tournaments in South America in January, despite only finishing school two months ago. So this tournament is a great platform for them to progress to the senior Sevens system in future.

“That said, we will continue to keep an eye on other to-performing players for the tournaments later in the year, so we encourage the players outside this group to continue working hard to play their way into contention for selection later in the season.”

SA U18 squad for the Capricorn Windhoek International 7s tournament (in alphabetical order):

Ethinique Adams
Diego Appollis
Ross Bruade
Christie Grobbelaar
Celimpilo Gumede
Kobus Hatting
Albertus Horn
Dawid Kellerman
Muzi Manyike
Ofentse Maubane
Tiaan Pretorius
William Rose
Stefan Smit (travelling reserve)

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

Cape Town-based Rondebosch Boys High and St Albans College from Pretoria have qualified to represent the Cobras and Titans at the Coca-Cola Schools T20 Challenge National Finals in March.

Rondebosch took on Outeniqua High School and Paul Roos Gymnasium in the Cobras Coca-Cola Schools T20 Challenge Franchise Finals at their home ground on Saturday, 23 January 2018.

Outeniqua Paul Roos were no match for a well drilled Rondebosch team who had stand out performances by Reese Scheepers with the ball, Justin Broad and Quinton Oordt with the bat, and their wicket keeper Ethan Nates who made 3 stumpings and 2 runouts.

St Albans College were crowned the Titans franchise champions after beating Marais Viljoen High School.

Marais Viljoen won the toss and decided to bat first. The opening partnership of Neil Bothma (33 off 13 balls) and Liam Murphy (30 off 16 balls) got them off to a fast start. At one stage they had 62 runs off 5 overs. St Albans did not let the fast start get to them and started taking wickets at short intervals.

Marais Viljoen only managed to add another 74 runs in the next 15 over to post 136/7. Like Marais Viljoen, St Albans openers got them off to a good start and chased down 137 to win in in 15.4 overs with the loss of only 3 wickets.

During the two franchise finals, four players were selected to be part of the Coca-Cola T20 All-Star Team to take on the Cricket South Africa Development team at national finals.

The new addition of the Coca-Cola Schools T20 Challenge is aimed at spreading the talent search net wider and will see a team of cricket experts attend all franchise finals in search of outstanding players in the teams that do not qualify for the national finals.

Outeniqua’s all-rounder, Matthew Thorn’s and Paul Roos’ batsman, Rudi Klaasen were selected during the Cobras Franchise Finals. Thorn’s performance with bat and ball and Klaasen’s batting display throughout the day impressed the Coca-Cola T20 All-Star selectors, earning them a spot in the team.

“I have mixed emotions today, on the one hand I am very happy that I was picked for the All-Star team but on the other hand I would have loved it if my school had qualified for the National Finals. It is now up to me to represent my school in a curtain-raiser at the Coca-Cola Schools T20 Challenge Finals,” said Matthew Thorn.

During the Titans Franchise Finals, Neil Bothma and Khaya Nyamathe from Marais Viljoen were selected for the Coca-Cola T20 All-Star team.

“It is a real honour to be picked to play in the Coca-Cola T20All-Star team. I am disappointed that we lost today but I am happy that cricket won the day,” said Khaya Nyamathe.

Neil Bothma, Khaya Nyamathe, Matthew Thorn and Rudi Klaasen join Mason Zacharea and Reeza Alexander, Matthew Montgomery and Simon Holmes in the Coca-Cola T20 All-Star team.

St Alban’s College’s 1st cricket team has won the final of the Titans franchise in the National Coke a Cola Schools T20 competition and will now represent the Titans at the National Tournament being held in Pretoria from 15 – 17 March at the University of Pretoria. St Alban’s College beat Marais Viljoen from Easterns in the final on Sunday at the Irene Country Club. St Alban’s lost the toss and fielded first after Marais Viljoen got off to a flying start scoring 44 for 0 after 4 overs. The St Alban’s blowers stuck to their task and soon reduced Marais Viljoen to 65 for 3, some tight bowling followed and St Alban’s were able to restrict Maris Viljoen to 136 for 7 in their 20 overs. Rein Hulme was the pick of the bowlers taking 3 wickets for 8 runs in his 4 overs.

St Alban’s College openers Chris Williamson and Ross Whitelaw got St Alban’s off to a rollicking start with an opening stand of 70 in just 6 overs before Williamson was brilliantly caught at cover off the bowling of Liam Murphy for 37 off just 24 balls. Whitelaw and Farrell fell in quick secession to see St Alban’s 76 for 3 after 8 overs. Musa Twala and Rein Hulme then added 60 for the 4th wicket scoring the winning runs in 15.4 overs. Hulme ended the game with a huge six over cover to end 37 not out off 25 balls and Twala ended on 18 not out of 22 balls.
Road to the final.

St Alban’s beat Cornwall Hill in the Northerns semi-final by 6 wickets before beating Garsfontein in the Northerns Final. The Northerns final went down to the wire after a tied match resulted in a super over being needed to separate the two teams. Garsfontein scored 9 in their super over. St Alban’s needed four to win off the last ball and the inform Chris Williamson hit the last ball of the game for six to progress to the Titans semi-final. The Titans semi-final was played in Phalaborwa against Limpopo winners Hoérskool Ben Vorster where St Albans ran out winners by 18 Runs to advance to the Titans final.

Summarized scores of the Northerns semi-final and final, Titans semi-final and Titans final.

Semi final vs Cornwall

Cornwall batted first and scored 113 runs, all out in 19.3 overs

Best bowling performance: Jordan Landberg: 3 wickets for 21 runs in 3.3 overs
: Rein Hulme: 2 wickets for 14 runs in 4 overs
: Aidan Ridgway: 3 wickets for 26 runs in 3 overs

St Alban’s scored 114 runs for 4 wickets in 15.1 overs
Best batting performance: Chris Williamson: 38 runs off 29 balls
: Rein Hulme: 27 runs off 24 balls
Result: St Alban’s won by 6 wickets

Final vs HS Garsfontein

St Alban’s batted first and scored 126 runs, all out in 20 overs
Best batting performance: Rein Hulme: 22 runs off 26 balls

HS Garsfontein scored 126 runs for 7 wickets in 20 overs
Best bowling performance: Tristan Farrell: 2 wickets for 12 runs of 4 overs
Result: Match tied

Super Over

HS Garsfontein scored 9 runs in their 1 over. St Alban’s reached the target in their 1 overs with Chris Williamson clearing the boundary with a six.

Schools T20 Titans Semi Final vs Ben Vorster

St Alban’s batted first and scored 156 runs for 5 wickets in 20 overs
Best batting performance: Chris Williamson: 62 runs off 55 balls
: Musa Twala: 61 runs off 45 balls

Ben Vorster scored 138 runs for 9 wickets in 20 overs
Best bowling performance: Jordan Landsberg: 4 wickets for 22 runs in 4 overs
St Albans won by 18 runs

Schools T20 Titans Final vs Marais Viljoen

Marais Viljoen batted first and scored 136 runs for 7 wickets in 20 overs
Best bowling performance: Rein Hulme: 3 wickets for 8 runs in 4 overs

St Alban’s scored 137 runs for 3 wickets in 15.4 overs
Best batting performance: Chris Williamson: 37 runs off 24 balls
: Rein Hulme 37 runs off 36 balls (not out)

St Albans won by 7 wickets.

Coca-Cola South Africa U19 and ICC world XI all-rounder, Gerald Coetzee, led his team to victory as the Bloemfontein-based Saint Andrews defeated Northern Cape High School to secure a spot in Coca-Cola Schools T20 National Finals.

St. Andrews made it to the franchise finals after defeating their rivals, Grey College, last week. St. Andrews played Northern Cape High at Diamond Oval, Kimberley on Friday 23 February where they won and will therefore represent the central franchise, Knights, at Coca-Cola Schools T20 National Finals.

St. Andrews won the toss and elected to bat first. After losing an early wicket of Henre Koekemoer, Gerald Coetzee went on to the crease to join Garnett Tarr. Their partnership of 123 runs from 87 balls ( 10×4, 6×5) gave the bowlers and fielders a hard time on the field.

Northern Cape High finally had a breakthrough when Jaun Mpofu bowled Gerald Coetzee out for 71 runs from 50 balls (7×4, 4×6). Shortly after Gerald’s fall Garnett was dismissed by Zacharea Mason for 53 runs from 39 balls (4×4, 1×6).

Pheko Moletsane also came to the show and was unbeaten at the end of the innings for 32* from 13 balls (4×4, 1×6). St. Andrews set a target of 189 for Northen Cape High to chase.

The hosts started on a good foot as they were 98/3, but things took a sour turn when they lost 3 wickets to Gerald Coetzee’s last over (consisting of 2 runouts and a caught behind wicket) thereby taking them to 103/6.

Reeza Alexander of Northern Cape High did not give up without a fight as he managed to score 58 from 51 balls for his team. Northern Cape High ended their innings on 139/9. Saint Andrews won by 48 runs and will therefore represent Knights at Coca-Cola Schools T20 National Finals.

Die Rosestad se rugbyondersteuners kan hulle gereed maak vir nog ‘n opwindende Fichardtpark Sportdag. Die sportdag word van vanjaar af deur McDonalds geborg en nie minder as 43 skolerugby-wedstryde sal op die grootste sportdag in Suid-Afrika beslis word. 

Jaarliks neem meer as 50 skole aan die sportdag op die rugbyvelde, netbalbane, gholfbaan, tennisbane, hokkiebane en op die skaakbord teen mekaar deel. Skole kom vanuit drie van die land se nege provinsies – die Vrystaat, Noord-Kaap en Oos-Kaap.

Dit is vanjaar die 17de keer wat die sportdag aangebied sal word. Die sportdag het in 2002 ontstaan en groei elke jaar tot nog ‘n groter fees van sport.

Die bepalings is: 

McDonalds Fichardtpark A-veld

08:00 – o.19A – Hoërskool Bloemfontein vs De Aar
09:10 – o.19A – President Steyn vs Riebeeckstad
10:20 – o.19A – Sand du Plessis vs Aliwal-Noord
11:30 – o.19A – Landboudal (Jacobsdal) vs St Andrews (Bloem)
12:40 – o.19A – Hoërskool Upington vs Jim Fouche
13:50 – o.19A – Marlow Landbou vs Welkom Gimnasium
15:00 – o.19A – Louis Botha vs Noord-Kaap
16:10 – o.19A – Fichardtpark vs AHS Kroonstad

McDonalds Fichardtpark B-veld 

08:00 – o.19B – Jim Fouche o.19B vs Marlow Landbou o.19B 
09:10 – o.19B – Landboudal o.19B vs Welkom Gimnasium o.19B
10:20 – o.19B –Louis Botha o.19B vs Noord-Kaap o.19B
11:30 – o.19A – Staatspresident Swart (Brandfort) vs HTS Welkom
12:40 – o.16A – Zastron o.16A vs Hoerskool Retief (Kestell) o.16A
13:50 – o.19 – Twizza Fichardtpark o.19B vs Cathcart High
15:00 – o.19C – Landboudal o.19C vs Jim Fouche o.19C
16:10 – o.19A – Zastron vs Hoerskool Retief (Kestell)

Martie du Plessis A-veld 

08:00 – o.15A – Louis Botha o.15A vs Noord-Kaap o.15A
09:10 – o.15A – De Aar vs St Andrews
10:20 – o.16A – Twizza Fichardtpark vs AHS Kroonstad
11:30 – o.16A – Marlow Landbou vs Welkom Gimnasium
12:40 – o.16A – Landboudal vs Riebeeckstad
13:50 – o.16A – Sand du Plessis vs Aliwal-Noord
15:00 – o.16 – St Andrews o.16A vs Jim Fouche o.16B

Martie du Plessis B-veld

08:00 – o.15A – Hoerskool Upington vs Jim Fouche
09:10 – o.16A – Louis Botha vs Noord-Kaap
10:20 – o.15A – Marlow Landbou vs Welkom Gimnasium
11:30 – o.14A – Twizza Fichardtpark vs AHS Kroonstad
12:40 – o.15A – Twizza Fichardtpark vs AHS Kroonstad
13:50 – o.15A – Sand du Plessis vs Aliwal-Noord
15:00 – o.14A – St Andrews vs Aliwal-Noord

Sand du Plessis Primere Skool A-veld

08:00 – o.14A – President Steyn vs Brandfort
09:10 – o.16A – Hoerskool Bloemfontein vs President Steyn
10:20 – o.14A – Jim Fouche vs Hoerskool Upington
11:30 – o.14A – Welkom Gimnasium vs Marlow Landbou
12:40 – o.16A – Brandfort vs HTS Welkom
13:50 – o.15A – Landboudal vs HTS Welkom
15:00 – o.14A – Landboudal vs HTS Welkom

Sand du Plessis Primere Skool B-veld

09:10 – o.14A – Hoerskool Bloemfontein vs Zastron
10:20 – o.14A – Louis Botha vs Noord-Kaap
11:30 – o.15B – Twizza Fichardtpark vs Jim Fouche
12:40 – o.19 – Twizza Fichardtpark o.19C vs Sand du Plessis o.19B 
13:50 – o.14 – Twizza Fichardtpark o.14B vs Welkom Gimnasium o.14A

Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux was pleased with the quality of the first SA Under-20 training camp, which concluded after four productive days of intense training in Stellenbosch on Friday.

The Junior Springbok training squad gathered on Tuesday, and they were put through their paces with a series of skills and high-tempo conditioning sessions, which set the tone for what lies ahead as they build toward the World Rugby U20 Championship in France from 30 May to 17 June.

“I am pleased with the first camp, it certainly was a productive four days,” said Roux.

“We saw exactly what we wanted to see, and I think this is a very exciting group of youngsters. The main goals were to get to know the players and their personalities, and for them to get used to our structures and the way we want to play the game, and I think we succeeded in that.”

Roux was particularly pleased about the atmosphere at first camp: “The players are excited and there is a nice vibe and energy amongst them, so hopefully we can carry that over into the next camp.”

The squad will gather in Stellenbosch on Tuesday, 6 March, for the second four-day training camp, with the last being from 27 to 30 March. This will be followed by a two-week training camp in Stellenbosch from 10 to 25 April, which will feature two matches against World Rugby U20 Championship pool opponents, Georgia.

The squad will then travel to the UK from 30 April to 12 May where they will take on Scotland, Wales and England, before completing their preparations in Stellenbosch at their U20 Championship holding camp.

The SA U20’s have been drawn in Pool C with Georgia, Ireland and France for international spectacle.

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

Die eerste krieketspan van Paul Roos Gimnasium is een stap nader daaraan om vir die eerste keer ooit vir die Coca-Cola Nasionale T20-kampioenskap te kwalifiseer. Die span van Stellenbosch het gister met die Hoër Jongenskool Paarl in die eindstryd om die Boland-titel met 12 lopies afgereken.

Paul Roos sal nou teen Rondebosch Boys’ High en die Hoërskool Outeniqua sake uitspook om as die Cobras se kampioen gekroon te word. Die Cobras se kampioen sal van 16 tot 18 Maart aan die eindronde van die Coca-Cola Nasionale T20-kampioenskap in Pretoria teen die ander ses franchises se kampioene sake om die nasionale titel uitspook. Die Cobras se eindronde vind Saterdag plaas.

Paul Roos het gister die loot gewen en gekies om eerste te kolf. Die span het 132/2 in sy toegelate 20 boulbeurte aangeteken danksy ‘n onoorwonne vyftigtal deur Ruan Terblanche (55*, 50b). Hy het goeie ondersteuning van Rudi Claassen (29, 29b), Ruben Senekal (20, 17b) en Francois Joubert (20, 27b) ontvang.

Kieran Williams (2/17) het die beste met die bal in die hand vir Boishaai in sy vier boulbeurte gevaar.

Boishaai is tot 120/9 beperk met Anderson Lombard (33) en Juan Burger (20) wat die meeste weerstand gebied het. Anele Matya (1/13) en Stephan Maree (1/20) het die druk met hul boulwerk op Boishaai geplaas.

Hilton College van Pietermaritzburg is die enigste skool wat reeds hul plek in die eindronde van die nasionale toernooi bespreek het. Hilton College het laas in 2015 as die Dolphins se kampioen aan die toernooi deelgeneem.

St Andrews van Bloemfontein en die Hoërskool Noord-Kaap van Kimberley sal mekaar Vrydag in die eindstryd van die Knights-streek pak. Hoërskool Rustenburg het reeds sy plek in die Lions-eindstryd bespreek. Gauteng se kampioen word Vrydag bepaal met die halfeindstryde asook eindstryd van die Johnny Waite-uitklopreeks wat dan sal plaasvind.

Die Titans se eindstryd sal Sondag beslis word. St Alban’s College van Pretoria het reeds sy plek in die eindstryd met ‘n sege oor Limpopo se kampioen, Ben Vorster van Tzaneen, bespreek. Oostelikes se eindstryd tussen EG Jansen van Boksburg en Marais Viljoen van Alberton moet nog beslis word. Die wenner van die stryd sal dan ook nog in die Titans-halfeindstryd voor Sondag teen die Mpumalanga-kampioen, Cambridge Academy, te staan moet kom.

Selborne College van Oos-Londen is Grens se kampioen, terwyl die Oostelike Provinsie se kampioen nog bepaal moet word.

Die Hoërskool Fichardtpark is besig om sy vere vir sy jaarlikse sportdag, die grootste skole sportdag in Suid-Afrika, reg te skud. Die sportdag sal van vanjaar af as die McDonalds Sportdag bekend staan.  

Jaarliks neem meer as 50 skole aan die sportdag op die rugbyvelde, netbalbane, gholfbaan, tennisbane, hokkiebane en op die skaakbord teen mekaar deel. Skole kom vanuit drie van die land se nege provinsies – die Vrystaat, Noord-Kaap en Oos-Kaap. 

Die eerste rugbyspan van die Hoërskool Fichardtpark sal in die hoofwedstryd van die dag teen die Afrikaanse Hoërskool Kroonstad (Rooiskool) te staan kom. 

Fichies het verlede jaar vir Wesvalia met 18-13 in die hoofwedstryd verslaan.

Die dou sal 08:00 reeds van die hoofveld deur Hoërskool Bloemfontein en De Aar gespeel word. Die wedstryd tussen Welkom Gimnasium en Marlow Landbou beloof om ook een van die hoogtepunte van die dag te wees.

Louis Botha en Noord-Kaap het verlede jaar ook op die sportdag kragte gemeet en vanjaar se herontmoeting beloof ewe fisiek te wees. 

Dit is vanjaar die 17de keer wat die sportdag aangebied sal word. Die sportdag het in 2002 ontstaan en groei elke jaar tot nog ‘n groter fees van sport. 

Die bepalings vir die o.19A-spanne is: 

A-veld

08:00 – Hoërskool Bloemfontein vs De Aar
09:10 – President Steyn vs Riebeeckstad
10:20 – Sand du Plessis vs Aliwal-Noord
11:30 – Landboudal (Jacobsdal) vs St Andrews (Bloem)
12:40 – Hoërskool Upington vs Jim Fouche
13:50 – Marlow Landbou vs Welkom Gimnasium
15:00 – Louis Botha vs Noord-Kaap
16:10 – Fichardtpark vs AHS Kroonstad

B-veld

11:30 – Hoërskool Staatspresident Swart (Brandfort) vs HTS Welkom
13:50 – Cathcart High vs Fichardtpark II
16:10 – Hoërskool Retief (Kestell) vs Zastron

The only difference between Welkom Gimnasium and Pionier of Vryheid was a last-gasp try by Gimmies’ hooker, Martley Bayman, after the siren in their seoson opener during the Sarel Cilliers Rugby Day in Glencoe. Bayman scored from a rolling maul to give Gimmies a 24-20 victory. 

Pionier led by 12-10 at the break, but just couldn’t manage to hold on for a memorable victory. Gimmies No.8, Keke Morabe, was named man-of-the-match for his efforts during the game. He also scored one of his side’s four tries. 

For Pionier their captain and flyhalf, Christiaan Zietsman, and winger Tommy Abrams played extremely well for their side. In Pionier’s pack of forwards – Louis Theron (prop), Wildre van der Berg (lock) and Hardus van der Merwe (flank) also played well. Theron was a force with the ball in hand.

The hosts, Sarel Cilliers, was suppose to play against HTS Carel de Wet from Vanderbijlpark in the main match of the day, but due to their withdrawal from the day the match was rescheduled to be against Springs Boys’ High.

Antoher cancellation on Friday saw Sarel Cilliers and Greytown High meet each other for the second time in 2018. The two schools already met each other in a pre-season friendly with Sarel Cilliers coming out on top by 40-8.

Sarel Cilliers was once again victorious today by beating Greytown by 43-3. Outside centre, Sifiso Gumede, scored a hat-trick of tries as his side run rampant. 

Scorers: 

Sarel Cilliers (Glencoe) 43 – Tries: Sifiso Gumede (3), Menzi Mabaso, Sibuyile Khambule, Sthembiso Mgabi. Conversions: Prince (4). Greytown High 3.

Welkom Gimnasium 24 (10) – Tries: Keke Morabe, Martley Bayman, Georgen Kiewiet, Marno April. Conversions: FC du Plessis (2). Pionier 20 (12) – Tries: Tommie Abrams, Armand Olsen, SW Craig. Conversion: Christiaan Zietsman. Penalty: Zietsman.

Other Results: 

Ferrum 24, Voortrekker (Pietermaritzburg) 5; Dundee 22, Ixopo 3; Newcastle 22, Linpark 0; Hoërskool Vryheid 33, King Edward (Kokstad) 8; Vryheid Landbou 36, KZN Ontwikkeling 5; Pongola Akademie 27, Welkom Gimnasium II 26; Barbarians XV 31, Amajuba 7.