I have watched most of the matches. I cant believe that the selectors got it right. In the first game(WP) the hooker was terrible. The outside centre probably only made one out of ten tackles. Playing bigger opposition he kept trying to tackle above the waist and getting bounced. Looked like he did not want to scrape his legs on the hard field. The one wing was out of his depth. The scrumhalf was strong but could not pass, his main function! Not enough hunger shown all around. In the 2nd game I thought the replacement scrumhalf was excellent with a great kicking game. The flyhalf was outstanding as was the one prop, both flanks and the fullback.Felt a little more positive. Maybe the third game tommorow will give us a better idea whether this is a good or average They looked underprepared for the first game.

Both of u commented on the hooker, Guess what? I think he is the son of the Stormers manager, Chippie Solomons. If he is the best u/18 hooker in WP then we got a problem.... I have seen boys better than that in all positions with their only "problem" being that they do not attend Paarl Boys, Gym, Bishops or Wynberg.

Lekker gese kappa, so much for our so called talent scouts, makes one wonder about the coaching too doesnt it?

Lekker gese kappa, so much for our so called talent scouts, makes one wonder about the coaching too doesnt it?

kappa wrote: Both of u commented on the hooker, Guess what? I think he is the son of the Stormers manager, Chippie Solomons. If he is the best u/18 hooker in WP then we got a problem.... I have seen boys better than that in all positions with their only "problem" being that they do not attend Paarl Boys, Gym, Bishops or Wynberg.

The problem is the players you say are better than those playing for the schools you mention may look good because they play in a weaker league. They may not look so good playing against a top rugby school. The third team of say a Paarls Boy High would easily beat the first team of a school playing in the lower league. So it is very difficult to choose players outside of the top tier. That is a fact(unfortunately). Wynberg only had one player Notche in the team and there is no one on the province better than him in his position that I have seen.  The two Bishops players in the team, the prop Motale(my Man of the match) and the flyhalf were probably the best players for province and both could make the SA team. The fullback Jeptha of Brackenfell High is one for the future as well and may make the SA team. I do think there were too many players from Paul Roos in the team, particularly based on the performance of that team this year. 

Overall it is a poor year for province. However last year and this years under 16 age groups have been the best I have seen for a few years, will be up for selection next year, and provided the selectors do the correct job, will come out tops I feel.   

 How many of those schools are willing to play teams/schools in lower leagues? so what you have seen might not be all there is to offer...scouts only go to games that they choose to go to(which is as Kappa put it those schools) our boys attend trials and you never hear anything further

Toffee, thanks for confirming my point!!! If a players parent cannot afford 100k a year for school fees, then he virtually has no chance of making a provincial side, no matter how good he is. Most of the selectors are probably from schools and we know how they feel about junior teams and players from clubs. End result........ losing to the Pumas amongts others.

kappa wrote: Toffee, thanks for confirming my point!!! If a players parent cannot afford 100k a year for school fees, then he virtually has no chance of making a provincial side, no matter how good he is. Most of the selectors are probably from schools and we know how they feel about junior teams and players from clubs. End result........ losing to the Pumas amongts others.

On the subject of school fees, the annual fees at Wynberg are R23 750, for those who can afford it. If you cant you can apply for a rebate in terms of the government policy. The other similar  government schools fees are about the same, maybe a little higher some a little less. Paul Roos for example is about R17 600 per annum. The only school that would come anywhere near your 100k would be Bishops at about R76 000 per annum, being a private school. Like I keep saying, people make statements and eventually they seem factual, but are not.

back to the topic.... Everyone is not being given a fair chance to make these junior teams!!!!!!