Four of the SA Rugby Youth Weeks return this winter in Cape Town, Kimberley and Welkom after it was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the challenges and uncertainties around the Covid-19 pandemic.
SA Rugby confirmed on Wednesday that four of the national Youth Week tournaments will be staged across the three venues between during the midyear school holidays, from 26 June and 9 July.
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The Youth Weeks programme will start with the simultaneous hosting of the U16 and U18 Girls Week in Welkom, from Sunday, 26 June to Friday, 1 July, while the U16 Grant Khomo Week will be staged over the same period in Kimberley.
That will be followed by the U18 Craven Week, when the prestigious schoolboy rugby tournament returns to Cape Town where it will be hosted at Rondebosch Boys’ High School from Sunday, 3 to Saturday, 9 July.
SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux welcomed the return of the Youth Weeks, which is considered as a very important component of the South African rugby development pathway.
“We are delighted to announce the return of the four SA Rugby Youth Weeks after the interruptions of the last two seasons and uncertainty because of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Roux.
“Due to the current financial constraints and because of their national and strategic importance, SA Rugby is however only able to deliver four of the normal seven Youth Weeks this year.
“The South African Schools Rugby Association [Sasra], in cooperation with the relevant provincial schools’ bodies, are working on plans to stage the three other Youth Weeks. We sincerely hope that next year we would be in a position to hopefully arrange all the national Youth Weeks again.”
With health and safety in mind, SA Rugby has again urged all stakeholders to take great care when organising or participating in any festivals, tournaments or weeks currently being planned for.
The 2022 Youth Weeks programme:
U18 Craven Week:
Venue: Rondebosch Boys’ High School, Cape Town
Date: 3-9 July
U16 Grant Khomo Week:
Venue: Northern Cape Griquas Stadium, Kimberley
Date: 26-30 June
U16 and U18 Girls Weeks
Venue: HT Pelatona Projects Stadium, Welkom
Date: 26 June to 1 July
Photo: Shaun Roy/Gallo Images
