GQEBERHA. – Western Province will aim to extend their unbeaten FNB u18 Craven Week record to 19 consecutive victories in the main match of the opening day against the hosts, Eastern Province, here. This year’s tournament is hosted on Grey High School’s Kolisi Field.
Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com) as well as on SuperSport.
Since the last Craven Week was held in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) in 2012, Western Province only lost twice. Their last defeat at the tournament on the final day of the 2017-edition in Johannesburg against the Free State (33-54) and in 2014 in Middelburg against South Western Districts (27-47).
WP also lost in their first match in Port Elizabeth in 2012 when the eventual unofficial champions of that year, the Blue Bulls, ousted them by 47-27.
The team from the Western Cape will start their full bench against Eastern Province par Charles Whitehead (hooker) and Christian le Roux (flanker). All players within a squad must have played 70 minutes of rugby by the end of the fourth day of the tournament.
If WP win this opening encounter they are most likely to face the Sharks day three. This could prove to be their toughest test in the Friendly City.
The national schools’ selectors will keep a keen eye on the midfield battle between Eastern Province’s captain, Erin Nelson, and Western Province’s Tiaan Basson. Nelson represented the SA Schools’ A-side at outside centre last year and will be vying for an upgrade in 2026.
In the main curtain raiser on the opening day, South Western Districts, will face the Sharks at 13:00. The Ostrich Farmers bended the knee with 21-27 against Western Province in last year’s unofficial final in Middelburg.
They are captained by Jacobus de Villiers, the younger brother of South Africa’s newest Springbok Paul de Villiers. If you think Paul is as hard as nails, then you need to tune in and watch Jacobus in an exiting match-up against Sharks eighthman, Jamie Wimble.
Free State will face the Limpopo Blue Bulls for the first time since 1994. Back in 1994, the latter was still known as Far North.
The Free Staters won that clash by 20-14. This year’s encounter could see them win by a much bigger margin. The favourites must however not expect the Limpopo Blue Bulls to just throw in the towel front the start.
The team from the north’s captain and tighthead prop, Stephan Jansen van Rensburg, as well as the hooker, Ziahn Lombaard, could provide the spark that could see the Free Staters work hard for a victory.
In the opening match of this year’s event the Leopards will be led onto the field by Evan van Heerden as they take on Boland at 09:30. Van Heerden will be playing lock like his Springbok grandfather, Moaner van Heerden, who boasts 17 test caps.
His father, Wikus van Heerden, also represtented the Springboks in 14 tests and was part of the Springboks who won the World Cup in 2007.
Entry to the FNB u18 Craven Week will be free for all school children, as long as they are dressed in school uniform or school tracksuits.
The fixtures:
Monday, 6 July 2026
09:30 – Boland vs Leopards; 11:15 – Free State vs Limpopo Blue Bulls; 13:00 – Sharks vs South Western Districts; 15:30 – Western Province vs Eastern Province.
The teams:
Boland vs Leopards at 09:30 on the Kolisi Field in Gqeberha:
Boland: 15 Anwill Jacobs, 14 Chris-will du Toit, 13 Willvino Paultin, 12 Jano van Deventer, 11 Darren Makeza, 10 Jaydan van Niekerk, 9 Wernard de Villiers, 8 Simamkele Lahlekile, 19 Heinrich Redelinghuys, 6 Werno Ramsauer (captain), 5 Nieken Lubbe, 4 JL Matthee, 3 Reece Matthee, 16 Jaydrian van Staden, 17 Anzio Brinkhuis. Replacements: 2 JP Lotriet, 1 Christoff Filmalter, 18 Tyrone Lefa Modipa, 7 Joniel Claasen, 20 Jaden Stewart, 21 Dihego Braaf, 22 Brent Leigh Exstraal, 23 Braydon Joseph.
Leopards: 15 Aydan Willemse, 14 Karabelo Kgamanyana, 13 Simphiwe Nero, 12 Wian du Preez, 11 Elzeno Schalkwyk, 10 Ricardo Enos, 21 Rellston Wilson, 8 De Wet Grobler, 7 Ruben van Heerden, 6 Karabelo Maseka, 19 Lefa Maloma, 4 Evan van Heerden (captain), 3 Jayden Minnie, 2 Fanie Linde, 17 Tlholego Maape. Replacements: 16 Dandre Graham, 1 AB Brink, 18 Nicolas Dreyer, 5 Tiaan de Kock, 20 Tydiane Williams, 9 Shayloh Cox, 22 Marques Jantjies, 23 Junaid Stevens.
Referee: Stiaan Marx
Free State vs Limpopo Blue Bulls at 11:15 on the Kolisi Field in Gqeberha:
Free State: 15 Lamla Mgedezi, 23 Unathi Ntuli, 13 Eddie Mabena, 12 Ruan Roux, 11 Guiteau Petrus, 22 Zachary Walbrugh, 21 Andrew Wessels, 8 Niel Du Randt, 4 Alexi Tyropolis (captain), 20 Josh Nelson, 5 Siyabonga Bulwane, 19 Desmond Udenzeeze, 18 Lwazi Mcandi, 16 AJ Hendriks, 17 Frans-Paul Troskie. Replacements: 2 Xander de Beer, 1 Hennie Bredenhann, 3 Johan Willem Coetzee, 7 Prestan Bennet, 6 Henru Erasmus, 9 Jonathan Drysdale, 10 Samson Lackay, 14 Kingsley Pule.
Limpopo Blue Bulls: 15 Lehlogonolo Letlabola, 14 Ronnel Komana, 13 Juan Dreyer, 12 Edwin Matola, 11 Graham Rooza, 10 Juan Randall, 9 Curtis Cloete, 8 Mogau Matemotsa, 7 Liam van der Bank, 6 Andru de Beer, 5 Ludke Pienaar, 4 Brent Vorster, 3 Stephan Jansen van Rensburg (captain), 2 Ziahn Lombaard, 17 Kristen Swanepoel. Replacements: 16 Limi-Lu Heswick, 1 Dewan Windell, 18 Randy Magabe, 19 Rhandzo Malatji, 20 Puki Mpiti, 21 Leeroy Alexander, 22 Mahlatse Kekana, 23 Risuna Mngoni.
Referee: Luvuoyo Maceba.
Sharks vs South Western Districts at 13:00 on the Kolisi Field in Gqeberha:
Sharks: 15 Luxolo Sonkononkono, 14 Amo Mataboge, 13 Nathan Aneke, 12 Alex Jankowitz, 11 Anesu Kuzonyei, 10 Daniel Miskey, 21 Dominic du Toit, 8 Jamie Wimble, 19 Tristan Parkinson, 6 Zander Muller, 5 Andrew Schnell, 4 Lwandile Mlaba (captain), 3 Nicolas Salamousas, 2 Theo Boshoff, 1 Aphelele Chamane. Replacements: 16 Iglesias Bruiners, 17 Clement Makelele, 18 Priden Sibiya, 7 Zion Smith, 20 Nhlanhla Ndlovu, 9 Ludi van der Walt, 22 Olwethu Kosani, 23 Lwazi Mbebe.
South Western Districts: 15 Darnell Delport, 14 Nathan Gordon, 13 Myburgh Eksteen, 12 Jade Lothering, 11 Heiliano Beukes, 10 Caleb Williams, 9 Fagon Hendricks, 8 Jacobus de Villiers (captain), 7 Andreas Gouws, 6 Bernard Badenhorst, 5 Lincoln Zietsman, 4 Ruan Groenewald, 18 A-Jay Julies, 16 Keaton Olivier, 1 Kyle Burger. Replacements: 2 Adrian Smith, 17 Matthew Prins, 3 Francois le Roux, 19 Shagon Kiewiet, 20 Moeshaan Mortlock, 21 Tylor Marais, 22 André van der Merwe, 23 Bronwin Swiegelaar.
Referee: Caleb Hibbert.
Western Province vs Eastern Province at 15:30 on the Kolisi Field in Gqeberha:
Western Province: 15 Liam Jacobs, 23 Eljaron Geduld, 12 Tiaan Basson (captain), 13 Ethan Barker, 14 Dirk Farmer, 22 Achmat Behardien, 21 Caleb Bell, 8 Esa van der Schyff, 7 Hendré van Zyl, 6 Linakho Mehlomakulu, 5 Jean Dreyer, 20 Werner de Bruin, 18 Solam Gegana, 2 Kwaza Gobingca, 17 Uzair Blanckenberg. Replacements: 16 Charles Whitehead, 1 Jayden Steyl, 3 Zak Steyn, 4 Juvan Burden, 19 Christian le Roux, 9 Mickyle Booise, 10 Ethan van Biljon, 11 Joshua Swart.
Eastern Province: 15 William Stevens, 14 Noah Mbizi, 13 Erin Nelson (captain), 12 Anfred Jansen, 11 Lucritia Magau, 10 Nathan Trytsman, 9 Luke Doyle, 8 Luniko Marivate, 20 Joandré van Jaarsveld, 6 Henrico Bodenstein, 7 Neshaun Bester, 19 Caleb Harvey, 18 Silinde Ntshokoma, 16 Micah Wessels, 1 Daniel Naudé. Replacements: 2 Janu Janse Van Rensburg, 17 Bagcine Njengele, 3 Juan Potgieter, 5 Ruben Van Dijk, 4 Akho Tonjeni, 21 Niel September, 22 Tristan Kemp, 23 Sibulele Ngebulana.
Referee: Thabisho Mbatha.
