Craven Week

Last updated

Craven Week
Coca-Cola Craven Week logo.gif
The current Coca-Cola Craven Week logo
Sport Rugby union
Instituted1964;60 years ago (1964)
Number of teams20

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]

Contents

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.

Results

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
YearVenueWinnerScoreRunner-up
1964 East London Border10 -9Natal
1965 East London Natal22 - 11Transvaal
1966 Pretoria Natal13Eastern Province
1967 Cape Town Vrystaat8 - 3Western Province
1971 Kimberley Western Province11–0Griqualand West
1972 Potchefstroom Western Province16–9Western Transvaal
1973 Stellenbosch Western Province36–7Transvaal
1974 Johannesburg Western Province22–12South Western Districts
1975* Pretoria Northern Transvaal20–8Transvaal
1975* Port Elizabeth Eastern Province46–13Natal
1976* Wolmaranstad Transvaal28–10Northern Transvaal
1976* Kroonstad Boland13–9Free State
1977 Oudtshoorn Eastern Province19–17Western Province
1978 Middelburg Western Province12–3Free State
1979 East London Northern Free State9–6Free State
1980 Stellenbosch Free State16–6Transvaal
1981 Worcester Transvaal11–7Western Province
1982 Windhoek South Eastern Transvaal25–7Northern Free State
1983 Upington Free State13–9South Eastern Transvaal
1984 Bloemfontein Transvaal3–0Eastern Province
1985 Witbank Free State23–15Transvaal
1986 Graaff-Reinet South Eastern Transvaal19–12Western Province
1987 Paarl Natal / Transvaal22–22N/A
1988 Port Elizabeth Western Province16–3Free State
1989 Johannesburg Transvaal17–6Eastern Province
1990 Durban Natal18–8Northern Transvaal
1991 East London Northern Transvaal10–9Border
1992 Pretoria Western Province22–15Free State
1993 Secunda Northern Transvaal25–13South Eastern Transvaal
1994 Newcastle Border / Eastern Province13–13N/A
1995 Bloemfontein Free State15–13Boland
1996 Stellenbosch Northern Transvaal24–12Western Province
1997 Kimberley Northern Transvaal29–27Western Province
1998 Vanderbijlpark Blue Bulls23 - 19Falcons
1999 George Western Province15–11Eastern Province
2000 Port Elizabeth Pumas19–18Boland
2001 Rustenburg SWD26–20Blue Bulls
2002 Pietermaritzburg Western Province31–16Free State
2003 Wellington Western Province22–17Free State
2004 Nelspruit Free State17–16Western Province
2005 Bloemfontein Golden Lions38–15Eastern Province
2006 Johannesburg Blue Bulls35–20Golden Lions
2007 Stellenbosch Free State52–3Western Province
2008 Pretoria SWD31–25Free State
2009 East London Western Province19–17Free State
2010 Welkom Free State42–21Western Province
2011 Kimberley Free State28–17Golden Lions
2012 Port Elizabeth Blue Bulls46–0Golden Lions
2013 Polokwane Western Province45–29Golden Lions
2014 Middelburg Eastern Province25–7South Western Districts
2015 Stellenbosch Western Province95–0Eastern Province
2016 Durban Western Province27–20Golden Lions
2017 Johannesburg Golden Lions45–18KwaZulu-Natal
2018 Paarl Western Province47–8KwaZulu-Natal
2019 Bloemfontein Western Province56–31Blue Bulls
2022 Cape Town Western Province29–21Blue Bulls
2023 [6] George Western Province29–5Blue Bulls
2023 [7] Krugersdorp Western Province37–24Free State

* 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 also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Africa national rugby union team</span> National sports team

The South Africa national rugby union team, commonly known as the Springboks, is the country's national team governed by the South African Rugby Union. The Springboks play in green and gold jerseys with white shorts, and their emblem is the Springbok, a native antelope and the national animal of South Africa. The team has represented South African Rugby Union in international rugby union since 30 July 1891, when they played their first test match against a British Isles touring team. Currently, the Springboks are the top-ranked rugby team in the world and reigning World Champions, having won the World Cup a record four times. South Africa have won half of the Rugby World Cups they have participated in and are also the second nation to win the World Cup consecutively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danie Craven</span> South African rugby union footballer, coach and administrator

Daniël 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South African Rugby Union</span> Sports governing body

The South African Rugby Union (SARU) is the governing body for rugby union in South Africa and is affiliated to World Rugby. It was established in 1992 as the South African Rugby Football Union, from the merger of the South African Rugby Board and the non-racial South African Rugby Union (SACOS), and took up its current name in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newlands Stadium</span> Rugby and football stadium in Cape Town, South Africa

The Newlands Stadium, referred to as DHL Newlands for sponsorship reasons, is located in Cape Town, South Africa. The stadium has a capacity of 51,900 people, but is not an all-seater venue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby union in South Africa</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paddy Carolin</span> South African rugby union player

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Ebersohn</span> Rugby player

Robert Thompson Ebersohn is a rugby union and Sevens professional player from South Africa. He has played for the Springboks Sevens, South Africa Under 20 and made his Super 14 debut for the Cheetahs in 2010. When participating in the 15-man format of rugby, his preferred position is centre although he has been employed as a fullback on various occasions.

Coenraad Victor Oosthuizen, nicknamed 'Coenie' or 'Shrek', is a professional rugby union player for Sale Sharks in the English Premiership. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siya Kolisi</span> South African rugby union player

Siyamthanda "Siya" Kolisi, is a South African professional rugby union player who currently captains the South Africa national team. Having formerly played for the Stormers and Sharks in South Africa, he currently plays for Racing 92 in the French Top 14. He generally plays as a flanker and a loose forward. In 2018, Kolisi was appointed captain of the Springboks, becoming the first black man to hold the position and eventually leading the South African Rugby team to victory in the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final against England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trevor Nyakane</span> South Africa international rugby union player

Trevor Ntando Nyakane is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for Racing 92 in the French Top 14, and also the South Africa national rugby team, His regular playing position is prop and he has the ability to play at both loosehead and tighthead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rohan Janse van Rensburg</span> South Africa international rugby union player

Rohan Janse van Rensburg is a South African professional rugby union player for South African United Rugby Championship side the Sharks. His regular position is inside centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selvyn Davids</span> Rugby player

Selvyn Davids is a South African rugby union player for the South African Sevens team. His regular position is centre or winger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zain Davids</span> Rugby player

Mogamat Zain Davids is a South African rugby union player, that competes in both the 15-man and sevens variants of the game. He is currently contracted by the South African Rugby Union to play for the South Africa Sevens national team. His regular position is in the loose-forward position, but he also played as a centre at schoolboy level.

Hillegard Muller du Plessis is a South African rugby union player for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship and the Currie Cup. He is a former rugby sevens player for the South Africa national rugby sevens team. He represented them in more than 100 matches and won two World Rugby Sevens Series titles, as well as a Commonwealth Games gold medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angelo Davids</span> South African rugby union player

Angelo Davids is a South African rugby sevens player for the South Africa national rugby sevens team, where his regular position is wing and back. He also plays for the DHL Stormers in super rugby and the Western Province in the currie cup.

Dawid Stefanus Lubbe Snyman is a former South African rugby union player and coach.

Justin Stefan Swart is a former South African rugby union player.

Willie Meyer is a South African former rugby union player.

Willem Wium Basson was a South African rugby union player.

References

  1. ↑ "A bit of Craven Week history". SuperSport. 9 July 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  2. ↑ "Coca-Cola Craven Week celebrates 50 years". School of Rugby. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  3. ↑ "History of Craven Week". Schools Tribune. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. ↑ "Main Matches at the Craven Week for High Schools (1971–2014)" (PDF). South African Schools Rugby Association. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "Venues of Previous Weeks". South African Schools Rugby Association. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  6. ↑ staff, News24 Sport. "Craven Week: Western Province pummel Bulls in Craven Week 'final'". Sport. Retrieved 4 August 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ↑ staff, News24 Sport. "WP triumph again as they beat Free State in unofficial Craven Week final". Sport. Retrieved 4 August 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.