Last Chance to Impress: Blue Bulls to narrow down squad

The Blue Bulls’ selectors are still sifting through their talent pool as they prepare for the various national youth weeks around the country.
Their preliminary Craven Week-side will face their counterparts of the Valke on Tuesday on Loftus Verfeld’s B-field. The selectors have picked 24 players in their squad for this match, so they will at least still have to cut down one player before they announce their final squad for the Craven Week in Middleburg, Mpumalanga.
The 60th edition of the Craven Week will take place from 7 to 12 July.
The Bulls have included five players in their squad – Luan van der Berg (tighthead prop), Junaide Stuart (wing), Jeffrey Singo (loosehead prop), Daniel Malakiya (lock) and Leskin Samuels (outside centre) who also showcased their talent at last year’s tournament in Krugersdorp.
Overkruin’s outside centre, Waylon Oncke, who also played in Krugersdorp, will have to change the selectors’ minds from the Academy-side. The Academy-side will face Limpopo Blue Bulls Craven Week-side which will be a good test for Oncke.
The selectors have decided to keep Ruben Groenewald and Zirk Meyer as a halfback combination. Meyer was injured until recently, and Affies’ other scrumhalf, Fourie Roberts, could’ve easily made the squad. Meyer and Groenewald were the Blue Bulls’ halfback-pairing at last year’s Academy Week.
Menlopark’s Leskin Samuels and Dylan Stumke will continue their midfield partnership. Okuhle Hini (hooker) and Deon Botes (prop) are the other players who received promotions to the Craven Week-side.
The Bulls will like last year face their neighbours, the Golden Lions, on the opening day of the Craven Week. This match will be the main match on the opening day in Middleburg.
The teams:
Craven Week: 15 Junade Pasensie (Garsfontein), 14 Thabiso Simelane (St Alban’s College), 13 Leskin Samuels (Menlopark), 12 Dylan Stumke (Menlopark), 11 Junaide Stuart (Garsfontein), 10 Ruben Groenewald (Affies), 9 Zirk Meyer (Affies), 8 Stefan McDonald (Affies), 7 Elwin Janse van Vuuren (Affies), 6 Thabiso Mbembele (St Alban’s College), 5 Christiaan de Wet (Affies), 4 Daniel Malakiya (HeronBridge College), 3 Luan van den Berg (Garsfontein), 2 Bauke Swart (Affies), 1 Jeffrey Singo (Pretoria Boys’ High). Replacements: 16 Okuhle Hini (Overkruin), 17 Roal Kruger (Affies), 18 Deon Botes (Affies), 19 Akin Akingbola (Pretoria Boys’ High), 20 Luan Potgieter (Affies), 21 Marko Kok (Waterkloof), 22 Yuvraj George (Garsfontein), 23 Drewyn Baron (Garsfontein), 24 Lamond Baadjies (Affies).
10 Affies | 5 Garsfontein | 2 St Alban’s College | 2 Menlopark | 2 Pretoria Boys’ High | 1 Overkruin | 1 HeronBridge College | 1 Waterkloof
Academy Week: 15 Ronan Bastiaanse (Waterkloof), 14 Mendriano Abrahams (Menlopark), 13 Waylon Oncke (Overkruin), 12 Petrus Rautenbach (Affies), 11 Justin Julies (Zwartkop), 10 Tilon Baron (Zwartkop), 9 Derrick Kuhn (Garsfontein), 8 Henlo Jordaan (Affies), 7 JJ Fourie (Garsfontein), 6 Wandile Mbatla (St Alban’s College), 5 Martin van Niekerk (Affies), 4 Queenton Mncube (Pretoria Boys’ High), 3 Hannes Nagel (Affies), 2 Charl Els (Affies), 1 Stefan du Bruyn (Affies). Replacements: 16 Lindokuhle Nwande (HeronBridge College), 17 Eshile Mhlongo (HeronBridge College), 18 Morné Coetzer (Garsfontein), 19 B Ledwaba (Overkruin), 20 B Mashaba (Pretoria Boys’ High), 21 Estiaan Marx (Affies), 22 Khumo Manakana (Affies), 23 Nico Klein (Die Wilgers), 24 Justin Blom (Garsfontein), 25 Tyler Mason (Pretoria Boys’ High), 26 JP Pieterse (Garsfontein).
8 Affies | 5 Garsfontein | 3 Pretoria Boys’ High | 2 Zwartkop | 2 Overkruin | 2 HeronBridge College | 1 Waterkloof | 1 Menlopark | 1 Die Wilgers | 1 St Alban’s College
Grant Khomo: 15 Michael Bhuda (Oos-Moot), 14 Malobolo Ntando (Garsfontein), 13 Dandré Brink (Affies), 12 Rico du Plessis (Affies), 11 Lekgadimane Tsheesto (Pretoria Boys’ High), 10 Ruben Smith (Affies), 9 Nicholas Potgieter (Menlopark), 8 Caleb Pretorius (Affies), 7 Luhan Hattingh (Menlopark), 6 Kwetsima Dlamini (Pretoria Boys’ High), 5 Muller Alexander (Affies), 4 Ndima Mbala (Pretoria Boys’ High), 3 Liam de Jager (Affies), 2 Shawn Moabelo (Montana), 1 Ziaan Slabbert (Affies). Replacements: 16 Hendré Ehlers (Affies), 17 Honono Emmanuel (Pretoria Boys’ High), 18 Bakang Ramoshaba (Pretoria Boys’ High), 19 Keegan Fourie (Affies), 20 Duran Pieterse (Menlopark), 21 Ruan Flusk (Garsfontein), 22 Waylin Paper (Zwartkop), 23 Cassie Mtombele (Garsfontein), 24 Dean Wilbers (Garsfontein).
Blue Bulls u17: 15 Tyler Campher (Gerrit Maritz), 14 Brian Jacobs (Gerrit Maritz), 13 Kealan Cloete (Die Wilgers), 12 Meyer Pretorius (Waterkloof), 11 Neo Ledwaba (Garsfontein), 10 Joshua Gouws (Garsfontein), 9 Fourie Roberts (Affies), 8 T Boshoff (Menlopark), 7 T Mathloane (Zayo Academy), 6 Hugo Derksen (Waterkloof), 5 Jaap Stolp (Menloparj), 4 R Wilkin (Oos-Moot), 3 Morné Bissett (Affies), 2 Kwagga van der Vyfer (Garsfontein), 1 Thando Telelo (Oos-Moot). Replacements: 16 Rametsi Obakeng (St Alban’s College), 17 Robin Stassen (Midstream College), 18 Reando Fourie (Menlopark), 19 Jethro le Roux (Zwartkop), 20 Didintle Onyeari (Zayo Academy), 21 L Pullen (Cornwall Hill College), 22 Renaldo Klein (Rietondale), 23 Caleb Africa (Zayo Academy).
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