We at the Western Province Rugby Union are very proud of your achievements.  I know that the Stormers must win the semi-finals to get to the finals, but all in all 2012 has been a very successful rugby season for the WP Union.  To summarise what has happened thus far this season:
• the WP Vodacom Team won the National Vodacom Cup Competition;
• the Stormers claimed the no 1 position on the Super 15 League Competition Log;
• all the WP Youth Teams achieved good results at the national tournaments.

THE GREEN GRASS
All these results show that the WP Union is a place where young rugby players can fulfil their dreams and build on their rugby careers.  We want to keep all our young rugby talent in the Western Province, but it is a fact of modern professional rugby, that some players will move to other provinces.  Some newspaper reports keep hammering on the subject of one or two young players that will be leaving the borders of the WP Union, but my question is: is the grass greener on the other side of the border?

NOW FOR THE SEMI-FINAL
My best wishes for the Stormers for their upcoming semi-final at Newlands.  We will be right behind you guys all of the way!
May all go well with your preparations for this very important match.

WELL DONE TO THE YOUTH TEAMS
The WP school rugby teams all excelled at the recent national youth tournaments.
• the WP u.13 Cravenweek team won 3 out of 4 matches;
• the WP u.13 XV won 2 out of 3 matches;
• the WP u.16 team won all their matches at the Grant Khomo Tournament;
• the WP u.16 Girls Team were unbeaten at the national u.16 tournament;
• the WP u.18 Academy Team were unbeaten at the national Academy Tournament;
• the WP u.18 Cravenweek Team won 2 out of 3 matches at the Craven Week Tournament.
All in all a solid day at the office for WP Youth Rugby.
I also want to use this opportunity to thank each player as well as the coaching staff and management team members, as well as the WP Youth Rugby Department, for their role in the success of the WP Youth Teams.  Well done!

NAZIEM WAS A TRUE RUGBY MAN
A stalwart of the Primrose Rugby Club, Naziem Kriel, died recently.  I want to pay tribute to this true rugby man.  He loved the game and was for more than 40 years the kingpin at Primrose Rugby Club.  He was always willing to go the extra yard for rugby matters.  He was also a member of the WP Union Schools Committee.
My condolences to his family as well as the Primrose Rugby Club.

THINGS ARE HOTTING UP
With about 8 weeks to go, things are hotting up in the club rugby league matches.
Congratulations to all the winning teams of the first round competitions.  A special word of congratulations to Durbanville/Bellville – winner of the first round in Super League A.  By winning this competition Durbies will represent the WP Union in September at the National Rugby Club Championship.
My hope is that the Durbies team will “peak” during that tournament, and that they will make us at the WP Union very proud.
During the next 8 weeks the competition will be very tough.  The top teams will be aiming for the two top spots, while the teams at the bottom of the log will want to move up – away from the relegation zone.

Currently the following teams are at the top of the logs in the various leagues:
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TOP 2-TEAMS:
• Super A –  Durbanville-Bellville, Hamiltons
• Super B – Bellville, Helderberg
• Premier A – UWC, Kraaifontein
• Premier B – Sir Lowrians, Macassar
• Div 1 – Manenberg Rangers, Northens
• Div 2 – Atlantis, Blue Jets
• Div 3 – Masi, Young Ideas
• Div 4 – Imiqhayi, Thistle
• Paarl Region – Vineyard, Laer Paarl

BOTTOM 2 TEAMS:

• Super A –  Villager,Tygerberg
• Super B –  Goodwood, Pniel/Villagers
• Premier A – Elsiesrivier, Young Peoples
• Premier B – Milnerton, Stellenbosch/Coronation
• Div 1 – Young Wesleys, Young Stars
• Div 2 – Watsonia, Temperance
• Div 3 – Perseverance, Young Brothers
• Div  4 – Cities/Progress, Delft
• Paarl Region – Simondium, Perel United

CLUBS TAKE CARE OF THEIR COMMUNITY
The community project of the clubs, Noordelikes, Stellenbosch/Coronations and St Georges are really something to be very proud of.  These three clubs have launched a soup kitchen project for the poorer people in their communities.
I firmly believe that this kind of project will inspire other clubs to become more involved with their communities.
The WP Union support this type of community projects and will do its best to assist the clubs in their endeavours.

20 YEARS AGO
Unity in the WP Rugby Union happened 20 years ago.  It is therefor appropriate to look back at what happened in the WP Union 20 years ago.

The following clubs were the winners of the first round competitions in 1992:

FIRST LEAGUE
Group 1 – Div A:  Bellville;   Div B – Noordelikes TK;
Group 2 – Div A  Stellenbosch Cravens;  Div B –Harbour Island Gordonsbaai;
Group 3 – Div A: Violets;  Div B- Brackenfell;
Group 4 – Div A – Elsiesrivier;  Div B – Young Peoples.

SECOND LEAGUE:

Group 1 – Div A -  Ikeys 2;  Div B- Villager 2
Group 2 – Div A – Franschhoek 1; Div 2 – Goodwood 2;
Group 3 – Div A – Hands & Heart/Wolves 2; Gardens (Paarl) 2; Div B – Bracenfell 2
Group 4 – Div A – Victor Verster 2; Div B – Macassar 2.

THE WP UNION LEADERS OF 1992
And who where the leaders in the WP Rugby Union in 1992? 
Ronnie Masson was the President with Yusuf Patel as Vice-President.  The other members of the Executive Committee were: Herman Abrahams, Koos Basson, Edward Visser, John Cupido, Nqweniso Maneli, Butch Watson-Smith, Dougie Dyers, Ben Groepes, Jannie Engelbrecht, Achmat Stuart, Piet Muller, Sas Bailey, Dawie Snyman, Rafiq April, Tobie Titus, John Gainsford, Francis Mellish en Lungile Daba (see also pic of the committee)

Rugby Greetings
Herman Abrahams