The defending champions of the annual interprovincial sevens tournament, Free Statewill once again be the favorites to walk away with honors at this year’s tournament in Bethlehem.
The matches will be played at Voortrekker and streamed live SuperSport schools (www.supersportschools.com).
Free State will be confronted Southwestern Districts in the opening match on Friday in a Pool A match. Limpopo blue bulls And Namibia are also in Group A.
The Free State team, mainly consisting of players from Gray Universitywill be a force to be reckoned with. Gray College was crowned Champion of champions of the Toyota High School Sevens Series last week. The Free Staters defeated the Sharks 15-14 in last year’s interprovincial final.
Two players from the defending champions to look out for are Ethan Adams And Junior Titoti. The latter scored a crucial try during the Free Staters final last year.
By 2022, Eastern Province were champions, while the Sharks won the trophy in 2019.
The hosts, the Griffinswill face the Sharks in their opening game. The Purple man-eaters have a good record in sevens because they have produced Blitzbokke-like Cecil Africa, Hofman Maritz, Seabelo Senatla And Branco du Preezjust to name a few.
However, the Griffons will have to make do without players from their top school, Welcome Gimnasium. The Gimmies decided to play in the Heidelberg leg of the Toyota High School Sevens Series, which took place on the same weekend as the Griffons’ trials.
The fact that Western Province, the Valke And Border decided not to send a team to Bethlehem is a truly sad day for sevens rugby in those three regions.
Because Sevens Rugby is part of the Olympic Games it is alarming that these unions are not offering the schoolboys in their system the opportunity to showcase their talent at the highest level available to schoolboys in South Africa.
Group C will probably be the toughest group Golden LionsEastern Province, Cougars and Free State B will lock horns. The Pumas have produced Blitzbok heroes Kwagga Smith And Werner Cook in recent years.
The final will be played on Saturday.
The swimming pools:
Swimming pool A: Free State, South Western Districts, Limpopo Blue Bulls, Namibia.
Swimming pool B: Sharks, Griffons, Griqualand West, TBC.
Swimming pool C: Golden Lions, Eastern Province, Cougars, Free State B.
Swimming pool D: Boland, Blue Bulls, Griffons B, Leopards.
The fixtures | Day 1
08:00 – South Western Districts vs. Free State; 08:20 – Limpopo Blue Bulls vs Namibia; 08:40 – Griffons vs Sharks; 09:00 – Griqualand West vs TBC; 09:20 – Eastern Province vs. Golden Lions; 09:40 – Cougars versus Free State B; 10:00 – Blue Bulls vs Boland; 10:20 – Griffons B vs Leopards; 10:40 – Free State vs Limpopo; 11:00 – Namibia vs South Western Districts; 11:20 – Sharks vs. Griqualand West; 11:40 – Griffons vs TB; 12:00 – Golden Lions vs. Cougars; 12:20 – Free State B versus Eastern Province; 12:40 – Boland versus Griffons B; 1:00 PM – Leopards vs. Blue Bulls; 13:20 – Free State vs Namibia; 13:40 – South Western Districts vs Limpopo Blue Bulls; 2:00 PM – Sharks vs TB; 2:20 PM – Griffons vs Griqualand West; 2:40 PM – Golden Lions versus Free State B; 3:00 PM – Eastern Province vs. Cougars; 3:20 PM – Boland vs Leopards; 3:40 PM – Blue Bulls vs Griffons B.
Hannes Nienaber reported on school rugby in South Africa for eleven years for Volksblad, Beeld and Rapport. He also created the largest school rugby website in South Africa – School of Rugby – in 2007. This eventually morphed into Supersport Schools Plus. He still milks cows occasionally.
SuperSport Schools Plus
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