Western Province pick their teams for the FNB Youth Weeks
There will be a lot of weight on the shoulders of the 23 players selected to represent Western Province during this year’s FNB Craven Week in July in Gqeberha.
The union’s side has been unbeaten in the tournament since 2018, over 18 matches. This is also a tournament record.
This year’s tournament will take place from 6 to 11 July on Grey High School’s Kolisi Field. Western Province will face the hosts, Eastern Province, on the first day of the tournament.
The WP-selectors selected three players, Ethan van Biljon (flyhalf), Juvan Burden (lock) and Achmat Behardien (flyhalf) who represented their side during last year’s edition in Middelburg as well. Van Biljon and Burden also represented the South African Schools A-side after the conclusion of last year’s Craven Week.
Paarl Gimnasium has the most representatives in the squad, with six players, while the Jade Brigade has five players in the team.
Scrumhalf, Mickyle Booise (Paarl Gimnasium), also made the SA Schools A-side, but represented Western Province’s second stringers at last year’s tournament. None of the three other players from the Western Province XV of 2025 who were available for selection made the flagship team.
Paarl Boys’ High’s scrumhalf, Liam de Villiers, will represent the XV again at the Craven Week, while Bernhard Schulze (lock) and Shellvon Mabooi (fullback) will be in action at the Academy Week in Kariega.
Three players who represented the Academy-side last year – Reuben Winter (flanker), Qiraan Hermans (prop) and Eathon Williams (flyhalf) will be representing the side once again this year. Two players who represented the union at the Grant Khomo Week (u16) last year in Pretoria – Werner de Bruin (Paul Roos Gimnasium) and Uzair Blanckenberg (prop) made the WP select for the Craven Week.
The teams:
Craven Week: 15 Liam Jacobs (Stellenberg), 14 Dirk Farmer (Paarl Boys’ High), 13 Tiaan Basson (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 12 Ethan Barker (Paarl Gimnasium), 11 Elijaron Geduld (Diocesan College), 10 Ethan van Biljon (Stellenberg), 9 Mickyle Booise (Paarl Gimnasium), 8 Hendré van Zyl (Paarl Gimnasium), 7 Linakho Mehlomakulu (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 6 Christiaan le Roux (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 5 Juvan Burden (Stellenberg), 4 Jean Dreyer (Paarl Gimnasium), 3 Solam Gegana (Wynberg Boys’ High), 2 Charles Whitehead (Paarl Gimnasium), 1 Uzair Blanckenberg (Stellenberg). Replacements: 16 Kwaza Gobingca (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 17 Jayden Steyl (Paarl Gimnasium), 18 Zak Steyn (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 19 Esa van der Schyff (Wynberg Boys’ High), 20 Werner de Bruin (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 21 Caleb Bell (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 22 Achmat Behardien (Wynberg Boys’ High), 23 JC Swart (Stellenberg).
6 Paarl Gimnasium | 5 Stellenberg | 4 Paul Roos Gimnasium | 3 Rondebosch Boys’ High | 3 Wynberg Boys’ High | 1 Paarl Boys’ High | 1 Diocesan College
Craven Week XV: 15 Kyle Snyers (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 14 Farrel-Leigh Dido (Hoërskool Durbanville), 13 Luca Orgill (SACS), 12 Albert Nel (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 11 Cadynn Samuels (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 10 Travis Pheiffer (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 9 Liam de Villiers (Paarl Boys’ High), 8 Yanos Molnar (Stellenberg), 7 Luhan Hattingh (Paarl Boys’ High), 6 Chris Nel (Paarl Boys’ High), 5 AD Faul (Paarl Boys’ High), 4 Sebastian Cilliers (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 3 Likhona Filtana (Milnerton), 2 Ridah Johnston (Wynberg Boys’ High), 1 Max Malan (Paarl Boys’ High). Replacements: 16 Naeem Mohammed (Wynberg Boys’ High), 17 JG van den Bergh (Paarl Gimnasium), 18 Deen Fortuin (SACS), 19 Henré Valentyn (Paarl Boys’ High), 20 Rauf Ahmed (Wynberg Boys’ High), 21 Luca Orgill (SACS), 22 Thomas Saunders (Paarl Gimnasium), 23 Dante Davids (Paarl Boys’ High).
Academy Week: 15 Shellvon Mabooi (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 14 Alex Sawyer (Bosmansdam), 13 Louwrens Rademeyer (Hoërskool Durbanville), 12 Kelebogile Nkwana (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 11 Aleit Stander (Boland Landbou), 10 Eathan Williams (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 9 Tristan Armitage (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 8 Kirwin November (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 7 Reuben Winter (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 6 Alvin Machinja (Wynberg Boys’ High), 5 Bernhardt Schulze (Paarl Gimnasium), 4 RJ Cunningham (SACS), 3 Ruben de Jager (Paarl Boys’ High), 2 Lehan Barnard (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 1 Boitumelo Mabohlo (Wynberg Boys’ High). Replacements: 16 JP Norton (Paarl Boys’ High), 17 Qiraan Hermans (SACS), 18 Sebastian Bekker (Paarl Gimnasium), 19 Dirk Hugo (Paarl Gimnasium), 20 Nico Lourens (Milnerton), 21 Daniel Arendse (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 22 Louis Koen (Paarl Gimnasium), 23 Caleb Clark (Diocesan College).
Grant Khomo Week: 15 Zeke Finck (Paarl Gimnasium), 14 Gesham Pietersen (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 13 Logan Linnen (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 12 JP Immelman (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 11 Dominique Brandt (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 10 King Carter Stoffels (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 9 Grant-Kay Witbooi (Paarl Gimnasium), 8 Gustav de Vries (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 7 Lian van Zyl (Paarl Gimnasium), 6 Robin Kabamba (Stellenberg), 5 Carel van Heerden (Paarl Gimnasium), 4 Rynardt Vosloo (Hoërskool Durbanville), 3 Eben Lategan (Paarl Gimnasium), 2 Fabio van Wyk (Wynberg Boys’ High), 1 Lehan Schafer (Paarl Boys’ High). Replacements: 16 Jeandré Treurnicht (Paarl Gimnasium), 17 AN Other, 18 Shalom Tshamalenga (Paarl Boys’ High), 19 Zarduz Coetzee (Hoërskool Durbanville), 20 Caleb Mentoor (Diocesan College), 21 James Holm (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 22 Raaid Davids (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 23 AN Other.
