For immediate release
Sanlam Boland Top 12 Presidents Team and Hawies Fourie Invitational Side Announced
Wellington, 24 November 2024 — The Sanlam Boland Rugby Union is proud to announce the creation of the Sanlam Boland Top 12 Presidents Team and the Hawies Fourie Invitational Side, two representative teams set to clash in a special match on Saturday, 30 November at the iconic Boland Stadium in Wellington. This highly anticipated match will be live streamed on Boland Rugby’s official YouTube channel.
The announcement of the President’s Team took place during halftime of the Sanlam Boland Top 12 Final on Saturday, 23 November, where Robertson Town Rugby Football Club (RFC) beat Villagers Worcester RFC, 31-29, in an epic clash that will be remembered for decades to come. Robertson got the better of the four-time Boland champ courtesy of the educated boot of Colin Willemse, who slotted four penalties and converted two of his side’s three tries to clinch the 2024 Sanlam Boland Top 12 title.
Speaking about the initiative, President Bennie van Rooi expressed his enthusiasm for the talent on display. “Boland is home to over 200 registered rugby clubs, making it the largest rugby union in Africa. The Sanlam Boland Top 12 competition highlights the exceptional skill, dedication, and passion that define our players and clubs. These two representative teams are an exciting next step to amplify the opportunity for our athletes to shine on a broader stage.”
Hawies Fourie, head coach of the Sanlam Boland Cavaliers, has been working closely with the Sanlam Boland Top 12 organisers to select players. He emphasised the value of this competition: “The Sanlam Boland Top 12 competition has provided an outstanding platform for unearthing the raw talent in our region. The live-streaming of the 30 round-robin matches and semi-finals allowed me and the other coaches to analyse performances at our own pace carefully. This process ensured we selected players who captivate the spirit and skill of Boland rugby.”
Fourie revealed his broader vision for Boland Rugby. “We will select 8–10 players from across the club structures to join a high-performance programme. This initiative will parallel our in-season schedule, gradually integrating these players into the Sanlam Boland Cavaliers’ setup. It’s crucial to provide platforms like the Sanlam Boland Top 12 to showcase talent and build a pipeline for players to excel at higher levels.”
The two squads will convene for training on Wednesday, 27 November, before their highly anticipated match. For further details and updates, visit Boland Rugby’s social media platforms and do not miss the live-streamed match on 30 November.
The two squads are as follows (clubs they represent mentioned in brackets):
Sanlam Boland Top 12 President Team: 1 Henwill Cleophas (Darling), 2 Divan Joshua (Saldanha), 3 Andries De Kock (Villagers Worcester), 4 Emile Booysen (Saldanha), 5 Daniel Temm (Vredenburg), 6 Freginald Africa (Robertson Town), 7 Colin April (Newtons), 8 Charl Castleman (Young Spurs), 9 Gurshwin Africa (Villagers Worcester), 10 Earl Lewis (Darling), 11 Terrence Ludix (Safcol United), 12 Jovelian De Koker (Robertson Town), 13 Conan Le Fleur (Vredenburg), 14 Andrin Mepomie (Safcol United), 15 Lorenzo Swart (Caledon)
Replacements: 16 Johannes Geldenhuys (Villagers Worcester), 17 Jashrie Karriem (Robertson Town), 18 Robin Adams (Safcol United), 19 Louis Lotter (Vredenburg), 20 Dihan Van Der Walt (Robertson Town), 21 Jason Beukes (Safcol United), 22 Jurich Claasen (Safcol United), 23 Cubitt Michaels (Villagers Worcester)
Hawies Fourie Invitational Team: 1 Anele Zingitwa (Villagers Worcester), 2 Jacquinn Ruthford (Safcol United), 3 Stephan Fourie (Caledon), 4 Markus De Beer (Young Spurs), 5 Curtley Timm (Robertson Town), 6 Rowan Heneke (Caledon), 7 John Van Der Vent (Saldanha), 8 Benjamin Dwayi (Safcol United), 9 Gilton Mangena (Hillcrest United), 10 Colin Willemse (Robertson Town), 11 Matthew Jacobs (Saldanha), 12 Shane Cole Williams (Newtons), 13 Jenno April (Robertson Town), 14 Renaldo Young (Roses United), 15 Jadrian De Klerk (Villagers Worcester)
Replacements: 16 Abdula-Ouf Gallie (Robertson Town), 17 Clarence Van Wyk (Caledon), 18 Evert Grobbelaar (Ceres), 19 Bradman Grove (Villagers Worcester), 20 Renfred Adams (Darling), 21 Isaiah Davids (Robertson Town), 22 Jacquin Marthinus (Caledon), 23 Rodville Jonkers (Saldanha), 24 Sameul Greyling (Saldanha), 25 Nazeem Wood (Safcol United)