Former EP Craven Week and SA Schools prop Lupumlo Mguca has been given the chance to finish his studies at Burnside High School in Christchurch.

Mguca will be leaving for New Zealand later this week on a scholarship, provided by the EP Kings Academy and funded through the sponsorship of BLG Logistics, along with support from the EP Rugby Union.

On his arrival in New Zealand, Mguca will complete four of his matric subjects, while taking part in an extensive rugby programme offered through the school. He will then return next year, where he will complete his matric in line with the Kings Academy Programme.

Burnside High is the largest secondary school in the South Island of New Zealand. It's a co-ed school with an established reputation for academic excellence, with 2,600 registered students including international students from more than 45 different countries.

'This is an amazing opportunity for a local boy from Swartkops Valley, Motherwell, to experience the culture of New Zealand, and be schooled and coached by some of New Zealand’s top coaches,' academy manager Robbie Kempson told the EP website. 'The first scrumming coaching session is going to be taken by the legendry Mike Cron, the All Blacks scrum guru.'

Kempson said Mguca would be staying in a Homestay programme while in New Zealand – where exchange students are placed with a local family – being placed with the school’s 1st XV coach’s family.

'This is a great opportunity for him, No other school in New Zealand offers such a full programme to develop their students rugby abilities. The number of hours of high-level skills training and weights are basically the same as for a professional player.'

Photo: MyPE.com