Knysna-Plett Herald | International school rugby at Outeniqua Park

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International school rugby at Outeniqua Park
07:30 (GMT+2), Fri, 10 August 2012

SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS - George's Outeniqua Park. home of the SWD Eagles will host two u.18 rugby internationals for the third year in a row when England meet France and South Africa meet Wales, on the 14th of this month (next Tuesday).

Kick-off will be at 15:00 and 17:00. The games will form part of the South African Rugby Union's u.18 programme which will see friendlies played in the Boland, South Western Districts, and Western Province Rugby Union regions, and which will also include legacy initiatives in which the teams will interact with aspiring rugby players, and participate in coaching clinics at various schools across the Western Cape.

The South African u.18s will play as the SA Schools team for 2012. SWD Eagles team manager Martin de Vos said that it's an enormous honour for a small union like the Eagles to host this level of competition. "We want to make their stay in George something the players will remember for the rest of their lives. So far, we've arranged that they'll practice on the Outeniqua Park B field, the Glenwood House field and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University's Saasveld field and we'll be finalising a fourth venue early this week."

SWD Eagles coach Johan Lerm said that the presence of teams of this calibre in George is an unusual and excellent opportunity for local schoolboys. "These are the best kids in their countries," he said. "It's the dream of every young player to represent their country, and the chance to meet and watch the French, English, Welsh and South African sides in action should motivate every youngster in the Garden Route and Little Karoo to come to Outeniqua Park on Tuesday."

Internationally, South Africa's schoolboy rugby is recognised as being of the highest calibre and Allan Lewis, head coach of the Wales u.18 team, is quoted on the classicclashes.co.za web site as saying, "Along with South Africa, France and England are two of the strongest teams in the world at age grade level, but the fact that we are playing these teams in South Africa will make it even more valuable and potentially something we would like to organise on an annual basis."

A full itinerary has been published on www.Rugby365.co.za.