Coca-Cola Youth Weeks step up a gear
The Coca-Cola Youth Weeks are expected to switch into a higher gear on Monday as the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week and Under-18 Academy Week players receive the opportunity to make their presence felt.
The Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week will be hosted at the Isak Steyl Stadium in Vanderbijlpark, while Durban’s Glenwood High plays host to the Academy Week.
With these Youth Weeks playing a vital role in grooming players for senior provincial and national rugby in future, the tempo and competitiveness between the sides is expected to be intense.
One could sense the focused attitude among the Under-16 teams, in particular, as they arrived in Vanderbijlpark on Sunday ready to stamp their authority.
Western Province, who dominated the Grant Khomo Week last season with Eastern Province, will feature in the opening match of this year’s tournament against the Leopards at 9H00. This will mark the beginning of an action-packed day of rugby featuring 20 teams, including Namibia and Zimbabwe.
The other big clashes are expected to be the Blue Bulls lining up against Eastern Province, Free State taking on Border and the Golden Lions going up against the Valke.
Namibia and Zimbabwe, meanwhile, also face tough afternoon clashes against Griquas and Griquas Country Districts respectively.
The Academy Week also features a string of intriguing clashes on the opening day, including the Golden Lions meeting South Western Districts, the Blue Bulls battling it out with Boland, and hosts KwaZulu-Natal, lining up against the Leopards.
Western Province, who also emerged as one of the top teams in the Academy Week last year, will take on the Red Valke. With the union’s Under-13 team emerging as the only unbeaten side in the Coca-Cola Under-13 Craven Week at Warmbad Hoȅrskool in Bela-Bela last week, their senior counterparts will be determined to build on their impressive performances last season as they look to continue their dominance in youth rugby.
Coca-Cola Under-16 Grant Khomo Week fixtures:
9H00 Western Province 50 vs NW Leopards 12
9H00 KwaZulu-Natal 16 vs Limpopo Blue Bulls 12
10H30 Blue Bulls 30 vs Eastern Province 26
10H30 SWD Eagles 21 vs Griffons 10
12H00 Free State 13 vs Border 15
12H00 Border CD 3 vs Valke XV 28
13H30 Boland 17 vs Pumas 10
13H30 Griquas CD 12 vs Zimbabwe 15
16H00 Valke 20 vs Golden Lions 29
16H00 Griquas 9 vs Namibia 13
Coca-Cola Under-18 Academy Week fixtures:
08H00 Blue Falcons 5 vs Eastern Province 66
08H00 Limpopo Blue Bulls 19 vs Border 21
09H20 Golden Lions 33 vs SWD Eagles 38
09H20 Namibia 53 vs SA LSEN 0
10H40 Pumas 26 vs Free State Cheetahs 22
10H40 Griquas 25 vs Griffons CD 39
12H00 Red Valke 0 vs Western Province 93
12H00 KZN XV 34 vs Griquas CD 0
13H20 Blue Bulls 12 vs Boland 13
13H20 NW Leopards CD 38 vs Border CD 0
15H00 KwaZulu-Natal 54 vs NW Leopards 20
15H00 KwaZulu-Natal CD 36 vs Pumas CD 22
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