Noord-Suid derby might still take place despite initially being red carded by Covid-19
A final decision on whether this prestigious tournament will continue will only be made in May.
A week before the Noord-Suid derby kickoff, organisers were forced to cancel the event set to take place at Hoërskool Waterkloof.
This annual event would’ve taken place from 20 to 24 March but this highlight on the school’s sports calendar, like many others, were given a red card by the coronavirus.
However, all does not seem to be lost. Organisers are pulling out all stops to make alternative arrangements to accommodate the 36 participating teams at Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) – hopefully in the first week of June.
Affies, who celebrates their 100th anniversary this year, was set to host the World Schools tournament in June, but the event was also cancelled following the Covid-19 outbreak with the result that the school can now play host to Noord-Suid if all goes according to plan. Founder of Noord-Suid, former Springbok wing Pieter Rossouw, said that the final call will be made in May to see whether the tournament will go ahead as planned.
“The boys were devastated due to the cancellation of the event at Waterkloof. However, schools and players are keen for the proposed new dates. For the first time since the tournament kicked off seven years ago, all games would have been broadcasted on Dstv Now. If we get the go-ahead, the necessary structures in order to host an event like the Noord-Suid is in place,” said Rossouw.
According to Cobus van Dyk, head coach at Hoërskool Waterkloof, the school will play host for the Noord-Suid derby in 2021. “Rugby players are frustrated, which one can understand. As coaching staff and players, we have put in a massive effort for the 2020 season. It is every player’s dream to run out onto the field wearing the first team’s jersey of his school. The players must remember why they participate in different sporting codes. You do it for the love of the game, the camaraderie between your teammates, but also to build friendships,” said Van Dyk.
Convener of u.16 Grant Khomo at the Blue Bulls High School Rugby Federation (BBHSRF), and a rugby coach at Affies, Heinrich van Jaarsveldt, said at the end of the day the uncertainty of the remaining season is out of their hands.
“The outbreak caused major setbacks and disappointments. Nothing is concrete at this stage. It is a big year for the Affies players and they worked exceptionally hard for the season. It is any matric learner’s dream to end their high school career on a high note. The current situation is lodging an appeal to both players and coaches to set new goals and dreams for themselves. We will do everything we can to hopefully still play some rugby this year,” added Van Jaarsveldt.
Director of rugby at Hoërskool Garsfontein, Hendré Marnitz, said a tournament like the Cravenweek and the opportunity to be part of the squad is a dream for many first-team players.
“The Noord-Suid is a prestige tournament where top rugby schools in South Africa compete. There are some new challenges for us coaches to face. We need to approach the situation at hand differently,” said Marnitz.
He added that the cancellation of youth weeks has an impact on identifying possible future Garsie players.
“Youth weeks are a great opportunity for scouting players at a young age. It helps that we have contact with various primary school coaches and thus still create the opportunity to identify talented players,” concluded Marnitz.
Manie Geldenhuys who serves on the BBHSRF committee and also a coach at Hoërskool Menlopark said there is a lot of uncertainty amongst players, coaches and parents.
“Will it make sense to continue with the 2020 rugby season once lockdown is over? I don’t know. A lot of boys have since their first day as a grade 8 learner, worked hard with the hopes of playing for their school’s first rugby team. Is it sensible to put the boys’ health at risk? There are so many unanswered questions. But a player’s future entails more than just rugby. What about competing in derbies later this year? We hope to do so,” said Geldenhuys.
In a statement released by SA Rugby, the cost of cancellation of tournaments and competitions, accumulated to the huge amount of R10 million.
SA Rugby on Tuesday announced the cancellation of the following tournaments and competitions due to the Covi-19 pandemic. This includes:
– All SA Rugby Youth weeks
– SA Rugby Provincial u.13 and u.17 Sevens
– SA Schools u.18 competition
– SA Rugby Provincial u.19 week
– SA Rugby Provincial u.20 competition
– SA Rugby Provincial Sevens competition
All club and community rugby have also been postponed until further notice and SA Rugby reiterated its plea to all clubs, teams, players and coaches to adhere to the lockdown rules.
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