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An exciting week of schoolboy rugby is in store.
It’s time for the 2025 Craven Week. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
The 2025 Craven Week for high schools kicks off at Hoërskool Middelburg in Mpumalanga on Monday.
All the teams will play three matches, with the final scheduled for Saturday.
Teams will play Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday, with all the provincial sides in action in their third matches on Saturday.
At the conclusion of the tournament, the SA Schools and SA Schools “A” teams will be announced. They will face each other at Hoërskool Middelburg on Thursday, 17 July, while the U18 International Series will follow in August.
Returnees to the Craven Week
Nine players who featured in the SA Schools and SA U18 teams last year have been included in their provincial squads again.
They are Josh Neill, Markus Muller, Briint Davids, Jordan Jooste (all WP), Ethan Adams, AJ Meyer (both Free State), Zekhe Siyaya (KZN), André Poulton (Lions), and Joshua McKenzie (EP).
Eight teams are in action on the opening day of the tournament, with the Western Province XV and the Griffons meeting in the first fixture at 9.30am.
Free State, who went down to Western Province in the final match of the 2024 tournament, will face South Western Districts thereafter.
The first round of fixtures have been announced. The second and third round of fixtures will be announced after the first round.
Day One schedule (Monday, 7 July)
9.30am: Western Province XV v Griffons
11am: Free State v South Western Districts
12.30pm: Blue Bulls v Golden Lions
2pm: Opening Ceremony
2.30pm: Pumas v Limpopo Blue Bulls
Day Two schedule (Tuesday, 8 July)
10am: Leopards v Falcons
11.30am: Border v Griquas
1pm: Sharks High Schools v Eastern Province
2.30pm: Western Province v Boland
