Western Province teams for the FNB Youth Weeks of 2025

Western Province will arrive at this year’s FNB u18 Craven Week in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, once again as the favourites to be crowned unofficial champions.

This year will be the 60th edition of this prestigious tournament. It will be the third time it has been hosted in Middleburg. The previous two tournaments in Middleburg took place in 1978 and 2014.

Catch all the action live from SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

Last year, Western Province extended their unbeaten run to 15 matches on the trot. Which also bettered the previous record (14) held by the union set back between 1970 and 1974.

Their victory in the main match last year against Free State (37-24) in Krugersdorp was their 15th victory in a row, as well as their fifth successive victory in the main match of the tournament.

The curve ball is that Western Province has never finished a Craven Week in Middleburg unbeaten. In 1978, they lost against Free State (9-23), and in 2014, they were beaten by South Western Districts (23-28).

The selectors have decided to pick Markus Muller (Paarl Gimnasium) at inside centre. Muller has been playing outside centre for his school this season. This allowed WP to place Randall-John Davids (Rondebosch Boys’ High) alongside Muller in the midfield. Muller made the SA Schools A-side last year.

Both of them started last year’s Craven Week in the Western Province XV-side, with Muller moving up after Kobus Blanckenberg got injured in their first match.

Other returning members from last year’s side are Joshua Neill (SA Schools), Jordan Jooste (SA Schools A), Quintin Potgieter and Matthew van der Merwe. Another five players, Briint Davids (SA Schools A), Altus Rabie, Jayden Joubert, Jayden Brits and Randall-John Davids, who represented the WP XV, will return for the main Western Province side.

Only four players who represented Western Province at the Academy Week last year – Jaythen Orange (Wynberg Boys’ High), Albert Lourens (Wynberg Boys’ High), Ismaeel Conrad (Rondebosch Boys’ High), and Morné Noble (Wynberg Boys’ High) will be making the upgrade to the Craven Week side.

Western Province will face their neighbours, Boland, in their opening match of the tournament. It will be the main match on the second day.

The teams: 

Craven Week: 15 Jadon Ocks (Boland Landbou), 14 Jeneal Davids (Paarl Boys’ High), 13 Randall-John Davids (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 12 Markus Muller (Paarl Gimnasium), 11 Albert Lourens (Wynberg Boys’ High), 10 Ethan van Biljon (Stellenberg), 9 Jayden Brits (Boland Landbou), 8 Quintin Potgieter (Paarl Gimnasium), 7 Joshua Neill (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 6 Briint Davids (Milnerton), 5 Jayden Joubert (Paarl Boys’ High), 4 Jaythen Orange (Wynberg Boys’ High), 3 Juan van der Merwe (Paarl Boys’ High), 2 Altus Rabie (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 1 Jordan Jooste (Paarl Boys’ High). Replacements: 16 Ismaeel Conrad (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 17 Bulela Mbala (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 18 Matthew van der Merwe (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 19 Juvan Burden (Stellenberg), 20 Gert Kemp (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 21 Morné Noble (Wynberg Boys’ High), 22 Achmat Berhardien (Wynberg Boys’ High), 23 Cole Moultrie (Paarl Boys’ High).

5 Paarl Boys’ High | 5 Rondebosch Boys’ High | 4 Wynberg Boys’ High | 2 Boland Landbou | 2 Paarl Gimnasium | 2 Stellenberg | 2 Paul Roos Gimnasium | 1 Milnerton

Craven Week XV: 15 Mark Grindlay (Paarl Boys’ High), 14 Jason Ocks (Boland Landbou), 13 Kunene Gadu (Wynberg Boys’ High), 12 Iwan Jordaan (Paarl Boys’ High), 11 David Kadima (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 10 Leighton Brinkhuis (Paarl Boys’ High), 9 Liam de Villiers (Paarl Boys’ High), 8 Siphesihle Mbungendlu (SACS), 7 Tjeripo Karuhumba (Wynberg Boys’ High), 6 Steph van der Merwe (Paarl Boys’ High), 5 Migael Turner (Paarl Gimnasium), 4 Gershom Pieters (Paarl Boys’ High), 3 Bernard du Toit (Paarl Boys’ High), 2 Tommy Muller (Paarl Boys’ High), 1 Pieta Cilliers (Paarl Gimnasium). Replacements: 16 Noah Gila (Wynberg Boys’ High), 17 Chadley Davids (Milnerton), 18 Lisa Coka (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 19 Bernhardt Schulze (Paarl Gimnasium), 20 Caleb Koeberg (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 21 Mickyle Booise (Paarl Gimnasium), 22 Tristan Joubert (Paarl Boys’ High), 23 TBC.

9 Paarl Boys’ High | 4 Paarl Gimnasium | 3 Wynberg Boys’ High | 2 Rondebosch Boys’ High | 1 Boland Landbou | 1 SACS | 1 Paul Roos Gimnasium | 1 Milnerton

Academy Week: 15 Ethan Williams (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 14 Ashley Grootboom (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 13 Matthew Kleyn (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 12 Harry Soboil (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 11 Shellvon Mabooi (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 10 Francois van der Merwe (Paarl Boys’ High), 9 Caleb Bell (Rondebosch Boys’ High), 8 Tandolwethu Sithole (SACS), 7 Luke Kent (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 6 Hendré van Zyl (Paarl Gimnasium), 5 Luphumlo Makholiso (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 4 Jean Dreyer (Paarl Gimnasium), 3 Gerrit van Vuuren (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 2 Sanfo Zangqa (SACS), 1 Zak Hickman (Paul Roos Gimnasium). Replacements: 16 Devine Ambrose (Milnerton), 17 Qawe Sawuka (SACS), 18 Qiraan Hermans (SACS), 19 Gabriel Alfred (Paarl Boys’ High), 20 Wege van Zyl (Paarl Boys’ High), 21 Liam de Silva (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 22 Tiaan Basson (Paul Roos Gimnasium), 23 Josh le Roux (Paarl Boys’ High).

8 Paul Roos Gimnasium | 4 Rondebosch Boys’ High | 4 Paarl Boys’ High | 4 SACS | 2 Paarl Gimnasium | 1 Milnerton