Van Zyl to officiate the main match at the 59th Craven Week
KRUGERSDORP. – The honour of officiating the main match of this year’s Stadio Craven Week will fall onto the shoulders of Eon van Zyl.
Van Zyl, a member of the Griffons Referee Association, who is also a member of the national panel will be the man in the middle when Western Province and Free State lock horns to be crowned unofficial champions of the 59th Craven Week.
He officiated the Varsity Shield final between Tukkies and Varsity College earlier this year. So he has more than enough experience to handle the pressures of such a big occasion.
Western Province will be aiming to bag their fifth unofficial title, while also securing their 15th consecutive victory at the Craven Week.
This will be a new record for the tournament which started back in 1964.
The previous referee from the Griffons who handled the main match was AJ Jacobs in 2015 when Western Province recorded a record 95-0 victory over Eastern Province in Stellenbosch.
Jacobs will be officiating at the Olympic Games later this year in Paris.
Last year Ben Connor from Wales became the first overseas referee to blow his whistle in the main match of the prestigious tournament.
The URC’s head of referees, Tappe Henning, once again brought over a couple of overseas referees to gain experience from the Craven Week.
This year Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland), Alex Frasson (Italy) and Rob McDowell (Scotland) all added their names to Craven Week folklore.
Referees in charge of the main match of the Stadio Craven Week through the years:
| Year | Referee | Union |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Eon van Zyl | Griffons |
| 2023 | Ben Connor | Wales |
| 2022 | Hanru van Rooyen | Leopards |
| 2019 | Griffin Colby | Free State |
| 2018 | Jaco Kotze | Free State |
| 2017 | Stephan Germishuys | Blue Bulls |
| 2016 | Ruhan Meiring | South Western Districts |
| 2015 | AJ Jacobs | Griffons |
| 2014 | Oregopotse Rametsi | Leopards |
| 2013 | Lihan Pretorius | Valke |
| 2012 | Jaco Kotze | Free State |
| 2011 | Lusanda Jam | Border |
| 2010 | Marius van der Westhuizen | Western Province |
| 2009 | Archie Sehlako | KwaZulu-Natal |
| 2008 | Jason Jaftha | Western Province |
| 2007 | Petri Bosch | Griqualand West |
| 2006 | Marc van Zyl | |
| 2005 | Francois Veldsman | Boland |
| 2004 | Allister van Wyk | |
| 2003 | Linston Manuels | Boland |
| 2002 | Marius Jonker | |
| 2001 | Brad Dickson | Golden Lions |
| 1998 | Carl Spangenberg | |
| 1992 | Albert Adams | |
| 1987 | Freek Burger |
