Only three from strong EP side make cut

DESPITE going unbeaten for the duration of the Coca-Cola Craven Week in Port Elizabeth last week, Eastern Province had only three players named in the SA Schools squad for trials later this month.

Sergeal Petersen (Grey), Aidon Davis (Daniel Pienaar) and Selvyn Davis (Nico Malan) were the only three players given the nod in a squad of 50 released by the national schools selection committee.

This after EP finished second in the official tournament rankings behind overall winners the Blue Bulls, who hammered the Lions 47-0 in the unofficial final.

The Bulls have 13 players in the squad, Western Province eight, the Lions six and Boland and KwaZulu-Natal both four.

EP beat both Boland and KwaZulu-Natal and still have fewer representatives than they have.

EP were also expected to play against the Bulls in the final match of the tournament on Saturday but that honour was awarded to the Lions.

Selectors named a trials squad instead of an SA Schools team, the custom at U18 Craven weeks. After a match on July 28, a squad of 28 will be named to take on Wales, France and England next month.

The squad is: Abongile Nonkontwana (Bulls), Aidon Davis (EP), Akhona Sihunu (Border), Cashwell Khoza (Bulls), Chad Solomon (WP), Chris Massyn (Lions), Christiaan Meyer (Valke), Courtney Cupido (Boland), Daniël du Preez (KZN), Dayan van der Westhuizen (Bulls), Duhan van der Merwe (SWD), Dylan Smith (Lions), Edward Schmidt (Free State), Francois Esterhuizen (Boland), Ganfried May (SWD), Gideon Koegelenberg (Boland), Handré Pollard (WP), Heinrich Viljoen (Bulls), Hyon Andrews (Bulls), Jako van der Walt (Lions), Jano Venter (Pumas), Jason Worral (WP), JD Schickerling (WP), Jean-Luc du Preez (KZN), Jesse Kriel (KZN), Johan Bannink (Bulls), Johan Labuschagne (Valke), Jurie Linde (Bulls), Justin Phillips (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Lions), Leighton van Wyk (WP), Liam Hendricks (WP), Koch Marx (Lions), Marcus Kleinbooi (Bulls), Matjikinyane Molapo (Limpopo), Nicholas Janse van Rensburg (Limpopo), Ox Nche (Free State), Pierre Schoeman (Bulls), Ramone Samuels (WP), Rohan Janse van Rensburg (Bulls), Rynard Snyman (Griffons), Ryno Eksteen (Bulls), Sandile Khubeka (KZN), Selvyn Davids (EP), Sergeal Petersen (EP), Stephan Vermeulen (Lions), Thabo Mabuza (Bulls), Warrick Galant (SWD), Wesley Adonis (WP), Wilco Louw (Boland).