Youth Weeks: What you need to know as provincial rugby fever grips SA

The Citizen

2 days ago

Youth Weeks: What you need to know as provincial rugby fever grips SA
The FNB Youth Weeks have never been just tournaments. They are platforms where dreams take shape and potential is given a path.
These are the words of SA Rugby president Mark Alexander, who spoke to Caxton Local Media ahead of the start of the series of rugby tournaments.
'From the FNB U18 Craven Week through to the FNB U16 Grant Khomo and Academy weeks, they have served as engines of opportunity and inclusion, developing talent while also contributing to nation-building. These gatherings offer young athletes exposure, mentorship and competition, but more than that, they cultivate character, discipline and a sense of belonging to something larger than themselves.'
Here's what you need to know about the tournaments, which kick off on Monday.
FNB U16 and U18 Girls Weeks
Venue: Queens High School in Bezuidenhout Valley, Johannesburg
Hosts: Golden Lions Rugby Union
Alexander says the evolution of these girls' weeks has been nothing short of nation-shifting. 'They are instruments of progress, opening rugby's gates wider than ever before. Girls now have structured, high-profile avenues to express and elevate their talent – platforms that were unimaginable not long ago. This isn't just about athletic development; it's about transforming perceptions and normalising girls' rugby as a proud, powerful part of our national sporting fabric,' he adds.
According to Bedfordview and Edenvale News, Queens High School is expected to be a hive of excitement as families, learners and supporters gather to back the rising stars of the game.
Fixtures:
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FNB U16 Grant Khomo Week
Venue: St. Alban's College in Lynnwood Glen, Pretoria
Hosts: Blue Bulls Rugby Union (BBRU)
BBRU president Willem Strauss tells Caxton that it is an honour to be hosting the FNB U16 Grant Khomo Week. 'It is part of the pipeline and ecosystem of our rugby. It starts at the U13 Craven Week, then Grant Khomo and the U18 [youth weeks] before eventually senior rugby. It is, therefore, an important part of our pipeline and we look forward to great rugby at St Alban's.'
According to Pretoria Rekord, this year marks only the second time in the tournament's 22-year history that it will be hosted in Pretoria. The previous time was in 2014, when it was hosted at the Tshwane University of Technology sports grounds in Pretoria West.
View the programme here.
The newspaper states that St Alban's College has already produced two Springboks: Double Rugby World Cup winner Bongi Mbonambi and former Bulls lock Jason Jenkins, who currently plays for the Sharks.
In addition to other first-class facilities that suit a tournament like this perfectly, the school boasts two well-maintained rugby fields, on which the tournament's matches will be played.
Fixtures:
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Academy Week
Venue: Middelburg Hoërskool (MHS) in Middelburg, Mpumalanga
Hosts: Pumas Rugby Union
According to the Middelburg Observer, MHS received confirmation last August that it would be the host, and preparations have been underway ever since.
To ensure the fields are in top condition, MHS has employed additional workers to maintain them, with the A field – where some of the Academy Week's fixtures will be played on the final day (July 11) – being covered nightly to protect it from frost.
The school has completed several upgrades, including improvements to the dressing rooms, ablution facilities, hostels, gymnasium and pavilion. A new cafeteria has been constructed to cater to the influx of players and supporters, and a new scoreboard has been installed on the B field.
Fixtures:
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FNB U18 Craven Week
Venue: Middelburg Hoërskool (MHS) in Middelburg, Mpumalanga
Hosts: Pumas Rugby Union
Middelburg Observer reports that MHS, affectionately known as Middies, will be hosting the FNB U18 Craven Week for the second time in the school's history.
'It's a big honour and achievement to be selected to host Craven Week. It places Middelburg Hoërskool on the map as an institution that holds itself to a high standard in sport and organisation,' says vice-principal Dave Osborn.
He adds that the investments made in preparation for both Craven Week and Academy Week will have lasting benefits for the school's sporting infrastructure and overall development. 'The school's learners will benefit from the valuable exposure to top-level rugby, which serves as motivation for younger players to work harder and strive towards becoming part of future teams.'
Fixtures:
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Remember that all the action from the abovementioned tournaments can be watched live on SuperSport Schools.
Youth Weeks
Two other notable Youth Weeks: The U18 LSEN [Learners with Special Education Needs] Week and the U13 Craven Week will also be played. The LSEN Week will be held at Hoërskool Hoogenhout in Bethal, Mpumalanga, from tomorrow, while the U13 Craven Week takes place at Selborne College in East London from Monday.
Alexander says that by investing in these tournaments, SA Rugby is not just growing a sport, it's rewriting a narrative.
'One that says rugby excellence knows no gender and that the next icon of the game could just as easily emerge from a girls' scrum on a windswept pitch in Gqeberha as from any traditional stronghold. It's a cultural shift that will echo into classrooms, homes, communities and, eventually, into packed stadiums both here and abroad.
'We still have work ahead. But these FNB Youth Weeks, especially for young girls, are a bold and necessary step toward a future where rugby reflects the full spirit of our nation – diverse, determined and united.'
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