King Edward VII School and Lions Craven Week tighthead prop, Keagan Glade has been selected for the South African Schools rugby team.
Glade had an outstanding Craven Week and said he was delighted that his hard work during the pre-season finally paid off and hopes to make an impact in the SA Schools team. “I feel chuffed. I worked extremely hard and made a lot of sacrifices and I think I deserve it,” said a delighted Glade.
The sportsman added that he only started playing rugby seriously last year as he was attending an academic school before. “I decided to come to Kes because I really loved the school. I could have gone to other schools in Joburg but I chose Kes because there were more opportunities for me,” he said.
Another notable selection for the SA Schools team was Jeppe High School’s, Wandisile Simelane. He retained his place in the squad and has been touted as one of the brightest up-and-coming stars in South African rugby. He was selected as the Coca-Cola Hero of the Day on day three of Craven Week after scoring a hat-trick of tries in the space of 20 minutes in his team’s opening match against Western Province.
“My two Craven Weeks have, without a doubt, provided a springboard for me to launch my career in rugby. The week provides players with opportunities like nowhere else and is very important for young rugby players to show what they are made of,” said Simelane.
The SA Schools and SA Schools A teams will take on their counterparts from England, Wales, France and Italy from August 12 to 20 in Cape Town and Paarl. The squads, which consist of 26 players each, were selected by a panel of national and SA Schools selectors following the conclusion of the U18 Craven and Academy weeks in Durban.
The SA Schools team will face Wales on 12 August at the City Park Stadium in Cape Town, France on the 16 August at Bishops Diocesan College, Cape Town and England on the 20 August at Paarl Boys High.
