Sport | Rugby union |
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Instituted | 1964 |
Number of teams | 20 |
The Craven Week is an annual rugby union tournament organised for schoolboys in the Republic of South Africa. The tournament started in July 1964, and is named after the legendary Springbok rugby union player and coach Dr Danie Craven. [1] [2] [3]
The tournament has its humble beginnings in an idea by Piet Malan, then Springbok flanker, in 1949, around the time of the South African Rugby Board's 75th anniversary. He wanted schools to feature in the celebrations and approached Danie Craven in Potgietersrus on how this could be done.
Dr Craven took the idea to his board who decided on getting the 15 schools unions together for a week. The man who kept the idea alive however was one Jan Preuyt, a former student at the University of Stellenbosch and teacher at Port Rex Technical School in East London. Preuyt had played rugby for Griqualand West and was also the chairman of Border Schools.
At the time there was no such thing as a South African Schools organisation, and the South African Rugby Board were not involved, so Preuyt and Schalk van der Merwe, Principal of George Randall High school, took the initiative to organise the first Craven Week tournament on their own.
The competition began with 15 teams in 1964, growing to 28 in 1987 and 32 in 2000. The format was changed in 2001, and now allows for just 20 teams. Each of South Africa's fourteen provincial unions field at least one team, with some unions sending two squads (one from their urban base and another representing "country districts"), plus representation from Namibia and Zimbabwe in most years.
Each year since 1974 a South African schools team has been selected, and the competition has been open to players of all races since 1980 when Craven himself requested that it be done. The competition has since become a hunting ground for talent scouts trying to find the best new players for their provinces and many young upcoming stars see the tournament as an opportunity to further their careers. The format has been replicated at other age and skill levels, including a U18 Academy Week for provincial B sides, the Grant Khomo Week for U16 teams, and Iqhawe Week for U15 sides which places special emphasis on players from underprivileged or underserved areas.
Currently the tournament is known as the "Coca-Cola Craven Week" with The Coca-Cola Company as the main sponsor of the event.
Despite there being no official final for the Craven Week tournaments, there is a main match every year that features the two best teams at the tournament. The results of these main matches since 1971 are: [4] [5]
Main matches at the Craven Week | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Year | Venue | Winner | Score | Runner-up | |||||||||||||||||||||
1964 | East London | Border | 10 -9 | Natal | |||||||||||||||||||||
1965 | East London | Natal | 22 - 11 | Transvaal | |||||||||||||||||||||
1966 | Pretoria | Natal | 13 | Eastern Province | |||||||||||||||||||||
1967 | Cape Town | Vrystaat | 8 - 3 | Western Province | |||||||||||||||||||||
1971 | Kimberley | Western Province | 11–0 | Griqualand West | |||||||||||||||||||||
1972 | Potchefstroom | Western Province | 16–9 | Western Transvaal | |||||||||||||||||||||
1973 | Stellenbosch | Western Province | 36–7 | Transvaal | |||||||||||||||||||||
1974 | Johannesburg | Western Province | 22–12 | South Western Districts | 1975* | Pretoria | Northern Transvaal | 20–8 | Transvaal | 1975* | Port Elizabeth | Eastern Province | 46–13 | Natal | 1976* | Wolmaranstad | Transvaal | 28–10 | Northern Transvaal | 1976* | Kroonstad | Boland | 13–9 | Free State | |
1977 | Oudtshoorn | Eastern Province | 19–17 | Western Province | |||||||||||||||||||||
1978 | Middelburg | Western Province | 12–3 | Free State | |||||||||||||||||||||
1979 | East London | Northern Free State | 9–6 | Free State | |||||||||||||||||||||
1980 | Stellenbosch | Free State | 16–6 | Transvaal | |||||||||||||||||||||
1981 | Worcester | Transvaal | 11–7 | Western Province | |||||||||||||||||||||
1982 | Windhoek | South Eastern Transvaal | 25–7 | Northern Free State | |||||||||||||||||||||
1983 | Upington | Free State | 13–9 | South Eastern Transvaal | |||||||||||||||||||||
1984 | Bloemfontein | Transvaal | 3–0 | Eastern Province | |||||||||||||||||||||
1985 | Witbank | Free State | 23–15 | Transvaal | |||||||||||||||||||||
1986 | Graaff-Reinet | South Eastern Transvaal | 19–12 | Western Province | |||||||||||||||||||||
1987 | Paarl | Natal / Transvaal | 22–22 | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||
1988 | Port Elizabeth | Western Province | 16–3 | Free State | |||||||||||||||||||||
1989 | Johannesburg | Transvaal | 17–6 | Eastern Province | |||||||||||||||||||||
1990 | Durban | Natal | 18–8 | Northern Transvaal | |||||||||||||||||||||
1991 | East London | Northern Transvaal | 10–9 | Border | |||||||||||||||||||||
1992 | Pretoria | Western Province | 22–15 | Free State | |||||||||||||||||||||
1993 | Secunda | Northern Transvaal | 25–13 | South Eastern Transvaal | |||||||||||||||||||||
1994 | Newcastle | Border / Eastern Province | 13–13 | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||
1995 | Bloemfontein | Free State | 15–13 | Boland | |||||||||||||||||||||
1996 | Stellenbosch | Northern Transvaal | 24–12 | Western Province | |||||||||||||||||||||
1997 | Kimberley | Northern Transvaal | 29–27 | Western Province | |||||||||||||||||||||
1998 | Vanderbijlpark | Blue Bulls | 23 - 19 | Falcons | |||||||||||||||||||||
1999 | George | Western Province | 15–11 | Eastern Province | |||||||||||||||||||||
2000 | Port Elizabeth | Pumas | 19–18 | Boland | |||||||||||||||||||||
2001 | Rustenburg | SWD | 26–20 | Blue Bulls | |||||||||||||||||||||
2002 | Pietermaritzburg | Western Province | 31–16 | Free State | |||||||||||||||||||||
2003 | Wellington | Western Province | 22–17 | Free State | |||||||||||||||||||||
2004 | Nelspruit | Free State | 17–16 | Western Province | |||||||||||||||||||||
2005 | Bloemfontein | Golden Lions | 38–15 | Eastern Province | |||||||||||||||||||||
2006 | Johannesburg | Blue Bulls | 35–20 | Golden Lions | |||||||||||||||||||||
2007 | Stellenbosch | Free State | 52–3 | Western Province | |||||||||||||||||||||
2008 | Pretoria | SWD | 31–25 | Free State | |||||||||||||||||||||
2009 | East London | Western Province | 19–17 | Free State | |||||||||||||||||||||
2010 | Welkom | Free State | 42–21 | Western Province | |||||||||||||||||||||
2011 | Kimberley | Free State | 28–17 | Golden Lions | |||||||||||||||||||||
2012 | Port Elizabeth | Blue Bulls | 46–0 | Golden Lions | |||||||||||||||||||||
2013 | Polokwane | Western Province | 45–29 | Golden Lions | |||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | Middelburg | Eastern Province | 25–7 | South Western Districts | |||||||||||||||||||||
2015 | Stellenbosch | Western Province | 95–0 | Eastern Province | |||||||||||||||||||||
2016 | Durban | Western Province | 27–20 | Golden Lions | |||||||||||||||||||||
2017 | Johannesburg | Golden Lions | 45–18 | KwaZulu-Natal | |||||||||||||||||||||
2018 | Paarl | Western Province | 47–8 | KwaZulu-Natal | |||||||||||||||||||||
2019 | Bloemfontein | Western Province | 56–31 | Blue Bulls | |||||||||||||||||||||
2022 | Cape Town | Western Province | 29–21 | Blue Bulls | * In 1975 and 1976 there were 2 Craven weeks due to the school holidays of the old Transvaal and the rest of SA not corresponding See alsoExternal linksRelated Research ArticlesDaniël Hartman Craven was a South African rugby union player (1931–1938), national coach, national and international rugby administrator, academic, and author. Popularly known as Danie, Doc, or Mr Rugby, Craven's appointment from 1949 to 1956 as coach of the Springboks signalled "one of the most successful spells in South African rugby history" during which the national team won 74% of their matches. While as a player Craven is mostly remembered as one of rugby's greatest dive-passing scrumhalves ever, he had also on occasion been selected to play for the Springboks as a centre, fly-half, No.8, and full-back. As the longest-serving President of the South African Rugby Board (1956–93) and chairman of the International Rugby Board, Craven became one of the best-known and most controversial rugby administrators. In 1969, Craven sparked outrage among anti-apartheid activists when he allegedly said, "There will be a black springbok over my dead body". Craven denied saying this and in his later career promoted coloured training facilities. The Golden Lions is a South African professional rugby union team based in Johannesburg who compete in the annual Currie Cup and Rugby Challenge. Pieter Malan, more commonly known as Piet, played rugby union for the then Transvaal province as well as the Springbok rugby teams. He played the position of flanker. The History of rugby league in South Africa goes back as far as the 1950s. The 1990s brought about the establishment of the South African Rugby Football League to promote amateur rugby league. Rugby union in South Africa is a highly popular team sport, along with cricket and soccer, and is widely played all over the country. The national team is among the strongest in the world and has been ranked in at least the top seven of the World Rugby Rankings since its inception in 2003. The country hosted and won the 1995 Rugby World Cup, and won again in 2007, 2019 and 2023. Barry "Fairy" Heatlie was a rugby union player, representing both South Africa and Argentina. He was the fifth captain of the South African rugby union team and is attributed as the man who gave the Springboks their famous green jersey. Harold "Paddy" Carolin was a rugby union player who represented South Africa and is credited with conceiving both the 3-4-1 scrum formation and helping choose the name 'Springboks' for the South African national side. Carolin was the second player ever to serve as captain abroad, following Paul Roos. 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He previously represented the Free State Cheetahs and Sharks in the Currie Cup, the Cheetahs and Sharks in Super Rugby and also was chosen for the Springboks squad in 2010, 2011 and 2012, making his test debut in the first test against England in Durban in 2012. Bangihlombe Kobese is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with the Border Bulldogs. His regular position is scrum-half. Immanuel Libbok is a South African professional rugby union player. He plays internationally for the Springboks, as well as for the Stormers in United Rugby Championship and Western Province in the Currie Cup. Embrose Cheldon Papier is a South African professional rugby union player for the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship and the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup. His regular position is scrum-half. Siphosethu Tom is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with the Border Bulldogs. He can play as a wing or at centre. 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