Blue Bulls selectors will have answers after clash with Golden Lions
The Blue Bulls u18 selectors still have some questions to be answered before they announce their final squad for the Stadio Craven Week in Krugersdorp next month.
The selectors will however have most of these questions answered on Tuesday when they face the Golden Lions in a warm-up match at Loftus Versfeld’s B-field in Pretoria.
The selectors have announced a provisional squad of 26 players which includes injured players like scrumhalf, Brooklyn Newman (Garsfontein).
Newman was one of five players who represented the Bulls during last year’s edition of the Craven Week in George. The Bulls reached the main match for a third successive time last year.
The other experienced campaigners are Janco Purchase (Affies, centre), Ethan van Wyk (Garsfontein, prop), Ofentse Moeng (Pretoria Boys’ High, lock) and Luann Olivier (Garsfontein, flanker).
Purchase also made the South African Schools’ side in 2023. His form for his school side has been showing an upward curve. He will be one of the Bulls’ key players in Krugersdorp.
Olivier represented the SA u18 sevens side at the Commonwealth Youth Games last year. He has played at inside centre as well as flanker for his school side during the season.
Another player who might be sure of a place in the final squad due to his versatility is Affies’ Hendré Schoeman. He will start against the Golden Lions at scrumhalf but also played at outside centre for his school side.
The selectors still have to cut three players from their squad before the annual Noordvaal Bondedag. This year’s Bondedag will be hosted in Modimolle.
Affies with ten players have the biggest representation within the squad. Two schools, Zayo Academy and HeronBridge College, might have their first Craven Week players in Devough Bantom and Daniel Malakita respectively.
The teams:
Craven Week: 15 Junaide Pasensie (Garsfontein), 14 Dewron Aford (Oos-Moot), 13 Leskin Samuels (Menlopark), 12 Janco Purchase (Affies), 11 Junaide Stewart (Garsfontein), 10 Ruben Pienaar (Affies), 9 Hendré Schoeman (Affies), 8 Marko Kok (Waterkloof), 7 Albert Smit (Affies), 6 Katlego Shebo (Pretoria Boys’ High), 5 JD Hattingh (Affies), 4 James Schnetler (Garsfontein), 3 Ruan Smuts (Affies), 2 Thapelo Mphela (Pretoria Boys’ High), 1 Ethan van Wyk (Garsfontein). Replacements: 16 Stefan Pretorius (Garsfontein), 17 Werner Vrey (Affies), 18 Ofentse Moeng (Pretoria Boys’ High), 19 Daniel Malakiya (HeronBridge College), 20 Luann Olivier (Garsfontein), 21 Zirk Meyer (Affies), 22 Devough Bantom (Zayo Academy), 23 Malcolm George (Waterkloof), 24 Ruan Lippold (Affies), 25 Ethan van Dyk (Affies), 26 Brooklyn Newman (Garsfontein).
