Blue Bulls for Craven Week

Three schools dominate

Pretoria has three top schools - Affies, Pretoria Boys High and Waterkloof, schools whose rugby teams are world class. Not surprisingly their players dominated the Craven Week and Academy Week teams.

Gerrit-Jan van Velze, the Affies eighthman,  captains a side which, surely, will be the most experienced at Craven Week.  No fewer than eight players were in last year's Craven Week side, and last year's side was a good one. In addition they have gained a player who was at Craven Week last year  but for a different province.

Those back are Frik Kirsten , Tendai Chikukwa, Gerrit-Jan van Velze, Omphile Morothodi, Divan Kotze, Stefan Watermeyer , Wynand Willis and  Trevor Tokwane. The player from another province is Aubrey McDonald who played for Eastern Province when he was at school at Winterberg before being attracted to the Klofies. In addition Henry Bandjies, an outstanding hooker, was brought from the Academy Week for the last match at Craven Week but did not get off the bench.

Two of those players played in the SA Schools side last year and another two in the SA Academy side which beat the Schools side.

The two who played for SA Schools were centre Stefan Watermeyer and fast utility back Aubrey McDonald. Those in last year's Academy side were prop Frik Kirsten and wing Wynand Willis.

Waterkloof have 11 of their first team in the two sides, Affies seven and Pretoria Boys High four.

Blue Bulls Craven Week team: Corné Fourie (Waterkloof), Henry Bandjies (Pretoria Boys High), Frik Kirsten (Affies), Devon Oosthuizen (John Vorster), Cornell Hess (Affies), Marnus Schoeman (Waterkloof), Tendai Chikukwa (Pretoria Boys High), Gerrit-Jan van Velze (Affies) (captain), Danie Faasen (Affies), Francois Brummer (Waterkloof), Omphile Morothodi (Pretoria Boys High), Divan Kotze (Waterkloof), Stefan Watermeyer (Waterkloof) (vice-captain), Wynand Willis (Waterkloof), Aubrey Mcdonald (Waterkloof), Trevor Tokwane (Affies), Alfred Wauts (Zwartkop), Jaco Bekker (Waterkloof), Geo Botha (Waterkloof), Yondela Stampu (St Alban's), Simphiwe Ntinkulu (Affies), Thabo Matau (Waterkloof).

Coaches: Paul Anthony (Pretoria Boys High), Dave du Plessis (Eldoraigne).

Blue Bulls Academy Week team: Troy Maswanganye (CR Swart), Dolf Kruger (Waterkloof) (vice-captain), Martin Dreyer (Wondeboom), Trevor Maswanganye (CR Swart), Wessel Kruger (Eldoraigne), Leshego Molapo (St Alban's), Tsepo Tjale (Langenhoven), Robin Coetzee (Eldoraigne), Danny Botha (Eldoraigne), Neil Jacobs (Affies) (captain), Klogy Kotadi (Pretoria Boys High), Ruan Jacobs (Affies), Felix Godlo (Akasia), Khangelani Mbekela (Clapham), Gerhard van den Heever (Affies), Rhinus Mulder (Wondeboom), Henning Liebenberg (Oos-Moot), Erik Pieterse (Eldoraigne), Musi Baartjies (St Alban's), Lionell van Rooyen (FH Odendaal), Augusto Carlos (Voortrekkerhoogte), Jerome Temm (Gerrit Maritz).

Coaches: Johan du Toit (Eldoraigne), Jan-Hendrik Hattingh (Eldoraigne)