The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
THE South Africa Rugby Union (Saru) has officially announced the return of Youth Weeks, with the action set for in Cape Town, Kimberley and Welkom after they were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the challenges and uncertainties around the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zimbabwean youth teams have for years taken part in the SA Rugby Youth Weeks and they are already gearing up for this year’s return.
SA Rugby confirmed on Wednesday that four of the National Youth Week tournaments will be staged across the three venues during the midyear school holidays, from 26 June and 9 July.
The Youth Weeks programme will start with the simultaneous hosting of the Under-16 and Under-18 Girls Week in Welkom, from Sunday 26 June to Friday, 1 July, while the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week will be staged over the same period in Kimberley.
That will be followed by the Under-18 Craven Week, when the prestigious schoolboy rugby tournament returns to Cape Town where it will be hosted at Rondebosch Boys’ High School from Sunday 3 to Saturday 9 July.
SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux welcomed the return of the Youth Weeks, which is considered a very important component of the South African rugby development pathway.
“We are delighted to announce the return of the four SA Rugby Youth Weeks after the interruptions of the last two seasons and uncertainty because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the current financial constraints and because of their national and strategic importance, SA Rugby is however only able to deliver four of the normal seven Youth Weeks this year,” said Roux.
“The South African Schools Rugby Association (SASRA), in cooperation with the relevant provincial schools’ bodies, are working on plans to stage the three other Youth Weeks. We sincerely hope that next year we would be in a position to hopefully arrange all the national Youth Weeks again,’’ added Roux.
With health and safety in mind, SA Rugby has again urged all stakeholders to take great care when organising or participating in any festivals, tournaments or weeks currently being planned for.
The 2022 Youth Weeks programme
Under-18 Craven Week
Venue: Rondebosch Boys’ High School, Cape Town, 3 July to 9 July
Under-16 Grant Khomo Week
Venue: Northern Cape Griquas Stadium, Kimberley, 26 June to 30 June
Under-16 and Under-18 Girls Weeks
Venue: HT Pelatona Projects Stadium, Welkom, 26 June to 1 July Follow on Twitter @Mdawini_29
