Youth Weeks Throwback - Whiteley

This year will be the 53rd year since its inception that the best schoolboy players will gather at the respective tournaments - which have produced over 260 Springboks - and continue to be the arena where heroes are made.

Each week leading up to the Coca-Cola Youth Weeks, we're going to tip our hat to a Springbok player whose career took off at one of these highly esteemed competitions. By highlighting his career, we'll be touching on the impact, support and experience gained during his school years.

The Coca-Cola Youth Weeks starts in July with the U-13 Coca-Cola Craven Week and U-16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week from July 4-8 at Paarl Gymnasium. The U18 Coca-Cola Craven and Academy Weeks will run from July 11-16 at Kearsney College in Durban.

Warren Whiteley

Warren Whiteley, a KwaZulu-Natal local, is making serious waves in South African rugby as he has been an inspirational captain of the Lions in the last few Super Rugby seasons.

Whiteley was selected for the KwaZulu-Natal Coca-Cola Craven Week side in 2005 and since then, has established himself as one of the hardest working loose forwards in the country.

He officially broke through in 2014, making his Springbok debut against Australia in Perth. He also came home with a Commonwealth Games gold medal as he was part of the South African Sevens squad that same year.

A leader both on and off the field, he will most certainly play a big role in Springbok rugby for many years to come.