Five players to watch at the St John’s Easter Festival
The 22nd St John’s College Easter Festival proudly sponsored by Standard Bank will kick-off on Thursday in Johannesburg. School of Rugby takes a look at the five players we believe are the ones to look out for during this festival of rugby.
There will be more than five players in action during the Easter Festival that will be strong contenders to make one of the two SA Schools’ sides that will be chosen after the Coca-Cola Craven Week that will be hosted later during the year at St Stithian’s College in Johannesburg.
The match not to be missed at the St John’s College Easter Festival is the main match on Monday between Paarl Boys’ High and Affies from Pretoria. Boishaai lost their first match in three years and after racking up 41 consecutive victories against Christchurch Boys’ High (36-38) on their recent tour through New Zealand.
Boishaai ended Affies’ hopes for an unbeaten season last year during Wildeklawer with a 29-25 victory in which their fullback, Gianni Lombaard, scored all their points. This match was one of the top matches during the 2016 schoolboy season. Affies will however be without their outside centre, Marnus Potgieter, due to injury for this re-match.
The main match of the second day between Helpmekaar and Paul Roos Gimnasium also promises to be a highlight of the festival.
Affies have two sons of former Springboks in their squad in Wiehan Bezuidenhout (prop) and Ruben Meiring (wing). Bezuidenhout is the son of former Bok-prop Christo Bezuidenhout, while Meiring’s father in the former Bok-centre FA Meiring. Paul Roos also has a former Springboks’ son in their midst in Brendan Venter. Venter is like his father, Brendan, also a centre. Brendan sr. was recently added to the Springbok management team and also held the position as defence coach of Italy’s national team during this year’s Six Nations.
Here are our five players to watch:
Francke Horn (Paarl Boys’ High)
Paarl Boys’ High’s captain and No. 8, Francke Horn, was without a doubt the standout player during last year’s Coca-Cola Academy Week in Durban. Horn got a call-up to represent the South African Schools’ A-side after his performances at the week. Horn scored five tries in Western Province’s three matches at the Academy Week which included a hat-trick against South Western Districts on the opening day of the tournament.
Horn’s father, Francois, represented the Boland and still holds the record for the most points in a season with the 355 points he scored for the Wine Farmers during the 1996 season. Francois Horn played fullback for Boland.
Francke Horn stands 1.88m tall and weighs a burly 93kg. He is an excellent ball carrier and leader.
Mark Snyman (Helpmekaar)
Snyman also represent the SA Schools’ A-side in 2016 and will be a strong contender to wear the number six jumper for the SA Schools’ side this year. Snyman is a terrier at the breakdown and also a factor with the ball in hand.
Snyman represents his school’s athletics team in the 200m sprint as well as in the shotput which emphasises the power and speed that is packed in his 1.80m and 91kg frame.
Snyman is also captaining Helpies and boasts with the extraordinary achievement of having received the man-of-the-match award in each of the Beeldtrofee finals his team has won from u14 until u16. He was also part of the SA Schools’ sevens side which won an international tournament in Windhoek earlier this year.
James Combrinck (Affies)
Combrinck is the anchor to Affies’ scrum for 2016 and if his performances in his side’s first couple of matches is anything to go by he will be a strong contender for a place in the South African Schools’ side after the Craven Week in Johannesburg later this year.
Combrinck is also a strong ball carrier and very mobile for his 109kg frame.
Stephan van der Bank (Nelspruit)
Nerves of Steel. That is one of the Nelspruit Rhinos’ flyhalf, Van der Bank, main attributes. Van der Bank has a trusty boot and have kicked his team to numerous victories since making his debut for the First XV.
Van der Bank slotted a penalty from more than 50 meters out in the quarterfinal of the Tuks Series this year against Eldoraigne to book his side a place in the semi-final of this prestigious competition. Last year he also held his nerve as he slotted the decisive penalty against EG Jansen in the semi-final of the same competition.
Van der Bank represented the Pumas at last year’s Coca-Cola Craven Week in Durban.
Abner van Reenen (Paarl Boys’ High)
Van Reenen represented the SA Schools’ A-side in 2016, but won’t be able to upgrade that jersey to a SA Schools one in 2017. Van Reenen will celebrate his 19th birthday on 30 July this year. He is an exciting player with the ball in hand and played an integral part in Garsfontein’s success in the Beeld Trophy in 2015 and 2016. Garsies won the Macro Schools competition in both these years. Van Reenen can also easily move to the midfield if needed. Van Reenen moved to Boishaai to complete his matric after signing a junior contract with Western Province.
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