11 July 2026
The Sharks might look back on the FNB Craven Week with some regret. They had Western Province on the ropes and, for the second time in three years, allowed the Cape side to escape with a narrow win before going on to win the main game of the week.
Province took the honours for a seventh successive year, beating the Western Province XV 40-24 in the final. On Wednesday at the Craven Week, played at Grey High School in Gqeberha, the Sharks led Western Province by 15 points in the second half, but despite dominating the majority of the match, they allowed Province to snatch a last-second 24-22 victory with a penalty kick just before the final whistle.
Admittedly, the Sharks got lucky on Saturday, when the Golden Lions‘ flyhalf Jaydon Viljoen missed a penalty he would make 19 times out of 20, leaving the boys in black and white with a heart-stopping 31-30 win.
They comfortably won their opener 34-17 against South Western Districts.
So, while the Sharks’ fortunes on the field weren’t quite what they were hoping for, the high quality in their ranks was revealed when the South African Schools and South African Schools A squads were announced at the end of the Craven Week.
Nine Sharks cracked the nod in the 26-player SA Schools squad, while another six were named in the SA Schools A squad. For those who haven’t yet done the maths, that’s 15 players, or a full rugby team, in other words.
Durban High School (DHS) provided four players, with hooker Iglesias Bruiners included in the SA Schools side, and wing Amo Mataboge, centre Nathan Aneke, and prop Priden Sibiya named in the SA Schools A side.
Michaelhouse had tighthead prop Nicolas Salamousas selected for the SA Schools side, while his fellow front-ranker from the Balgowan school, Aphelele Chamane, made the SA Schools A team, along with centre Alex Jankowitz.
Maritzburg College provided hooker Theo Boshoff to the SA Schools side, meaning both hookers came from the Sharks, and centre Olwethu Kosani was also included.
Westville Boys’ High also had two players selected for the SA Schools team, with lock Wandile Mlaba cracking the nod for a second successive year, and fullback, Lux Sonkononkono, joining him.
Kearsney College matched their neighbours with two players in the SA Schools side: prop Clement Makelele, and loose forward Nhlanhla Ndlovu.
Eighthman Jamie Wimble, from Northwood (feature photo), made SA Schools, while the Knights‘ flying wing, Anesu Kuzonyei, was named in the SA Schools A squad.
Paarl Gimnasium provided the most players overall, with five – three of them – Ethan Barker, Myckle Booyse, and Jean Dreyer – were in the SA Schools side, and Hendré van Zyl and Charles Whitehead made the SA Schools A squad.
Garsfontein and Grey College matched DHS with four players selected each.
Before revealing the teams below, a quick mention, too, about the exploits of the Sharks Academy Week team, an u17 line-up, who went undefeated and won the main game on Saturday, beating the Golden Lions, who had won the main game for three years in succession, 16-12.
In their first match, the Sharks beat Western Province 34-27, and they followed with a 35-10 win over Boland.
The Sharks’ side was composed mostly of players who were part of the Grant Khomo-winning u16 team of 2025.
SA Schools
Outside Backs: Ncuthu Kepe (Queen’s College, Border), Lamla Mgedezi (Grey College, Free State), Ethan van Biljon (Stellenberg, Western Province), Luxolo Sonkononkono (Westville Boys’ High, Sharks).
Centres: Olwethu Kosani (Maritzburg College, Sharks), Ethan Barker (Paarl Gimnasium, Western Province), Erin Nelson (Graeme College, Eastern Province), Tiaan Basson (Paul Roos Gimnasium, Western Province).
Flyhalves: Travis Pheiffer (Paul Roos Gimnasium, Western Province XV), Achmat Behardien (Wynberg Boys’ High, Western Province).
Scrumhalves: Mickyle Booise (Paarl Gimnasium, Western Province), Luke Doyle (Graeme College, Eastern Province).
Loose forwards: Nhlanhla Ndlovu (Kearsney College, Sharks), Stefan van der Vyver (Garsfontein, Blue Bulls), Jamie Wimble (Northwood, Sharks), Jacobus de Villiers (Oakdale Landbou, South Western Districts).
Locks: Lwandile Mlaba (Westville Boys’ High, Sharks), Juvan Burden (Stellenberg, Western Province), Jean Dreyer (Paarl Gimnasium, Western Province), Glodi Tshipamba (Jeppe High School for Boys, Golden Lions).
Hookers: Theo Boshoff (Maritzburg College, Sharks), Iglesias Bruiners (Durban High School, Sharks).
Props: Clement Makelele (Kearsney College, Sharks), Matthew Prins (Outeniqua, South Western Districts), Ruben Lombard (Garsfontein, Blue Bulls), Nic Salamousas (Michaelhouse, Sharks).
SA Schools A
Outside Backs: Anesu Kuzonyei (Northwood, Sharks), Ruan Genis (Monument, Golden Lions), Amogelang Mataboge (Durban High School, Sharks), Rhandzu Mkhabela (Hoërskool Nelspruit, Pumas), Drewyn Baron (Garsfontein, Blue Bulls).
Centres: Alex Jankowitz (Michaelhouse, Sharks), Ruan Roux (Grey College, Free State), Nathan Aneke (Durban High School, Sharks).
Flyhalves: Ruan Fluks (Garsfontein, Blue Bulls), Jaydon Viljoen (Monument, Golden Lions).
Scrumhalves: Shaye Lourens (Helpmekaar, Golden Lions), Rufagon Hendricks (Outeniqua, South Western Districts).
Loose forwards: Siphesihle Marule (Hoërskool Middelburg, Pumas), Hendré van Zyl (Paarl Gimnasium, Western Province), Linakho Mehlomakulu (Rondebosch Boys’ High, Western Province), Niel du Randt (Grey College, Free State), Luniko Marivate (Kingswood College, Eastern Province).
Locks: Werner de Bruin (Paul Roos Gimnasium, Western Province), Akho Tonjeni (Graeme College, Eastern Province), Martin van Niekerk (Affies, Blue Bulls).
Hookers: Charl Els (Affies, Blue Bulls), Charles Whitehead (Paarl Gimnasium, Western Province).
Props: Max Malan (Paarl Boys’ High, Western Province), Aphelele Chamane (Michaelhouse, Sharks), JW Coetzee (Grey College, Free State), Priden Sibiya (Durban High School, Sharks).