SA Rugby confirms return of Craven Week after 2-year absence

SA Rugby on Monday confirmed the return of four youth weeks, including Craven Week, after they were cancelled for 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The youth weeks will be from 26 June to 9 July in Cape Town, Kimberely and Welkom.

The festival of rugby, which takes place during the school holidays, starts with hosting the Under-16 and Under-18 Girls Week in Welkom, from Sunday, 26 June to Friday, 1 July.

The Under-16 Grant Khomo Week will be staged over the same period in Kimberley.

The Under-18 Craven Week follows in Cape Town, where it will run from 3 to 9 July at Rondebosch Boys High.

SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux welcomed the return of the four tournaments, a critical component of the South African rugby development pathway.

“We are delighted to announce the return of the four SA Rugby Youth Weeks after the interruptions of the last two seasons and uncertainty because of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Roux.

“Due to the current financial constraints and because of their national and strategic importance, SA Rugby is, however, only able to deliver four of the normal seven Youth Weeks this year.

“The South African Schools Rugby Association (SASRA), in cooperation with the relevant provincial schools’ bodies, are working on plans to stage the three other Youth Weeks. We sincerely hope that next year we would be in a position to hopefully arrange all the national Youth Weeks again.”