Sharks Academy gives out five bursaries at the Kearsney College Easter Festival
A highly successful seventh Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival wrapped up yesterday (Monday) with the announcement of the five players to each receive bursaries to the Sharks Academy for 2015.
Valued at over R100 000 each, the recipients are prop Kenny van Niekerk and flyhalf Curtis Jonas, both from Glenwood, flank Adrian Heystek from Westville Boys’ High, fullback Justerino Davids from Dale College in King William’s Town and fullback Barend Smit from HTS Middelburg. This includes a contract with the Academy in 2015, accommodation and a tuition bursary with one of its education partners.
In announcing the awards Etienne Fynn, managing director of the Academy, said the great pool of talent this year had made it extremely difficult for the selectors to choose only three players, as originally planned; and they had therefore decided on awarding five bursaries.
“The standard is again consistently high with excellent match-ups at the festival. Academy coaches and selectors who have been to the other festivals taking place around the country this weekend have reported that the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival has an exceptionally high standard of participating teams; with sides being very competitive and evenly matched,” Fynn said.
At the end of the festival four teams remained unbeaten: Glenwood, HTS Middelburg, Grey College and Monument. Glenwood and Middelburg both won all three of their games played at the festival; whilst perennial powerhouses Grey and Monument won two and drew the game against each other.
The festival was well supported with capacity crowds who were able to enjoy a high standard of competitive rugby in good weather. It was a successful event for organisers and sponsors Standard Bank, Illovo Sugar South Africa, Nashua Durban and the Sharks Academy.
Adding to the status of the festival and to the thrill of players, international rugby referees Craig Joubert and Marius Jonker officiated at three games over the weekend. Joubert said it was always a delight to ref schoolboy games and to experience the wealth of talent coming through at this level of the game.
