Over 650 pupils and their coaches will flock to the Hoërskool PJ Olivier sports grounds this weekend as the 13th annual Frans Erasmus U13 rugby and netball tournament takes place.
The weekend’s fixtures are scheduled to start at 11am this morning, with the PJ vs Adelaide and the Grahamstown 15 vs Ankervas rugby teams starting the proceedings.
Over 650 pupils and their coaches will flock to the Hoërskool PJ Olivier sports grounds this weekend as the 13th annual Frans Erasmus U13 rugby and netball tournament takes place.
The weekend’s fixtures are scheduled to start at 11am this morning, with the PJ vs Adelaide and the Grahamstown 15 vs Ankervas rugby teams starting the proceedings.
The weekend will see 20 rugby sides in action, each playing up to six matches over the two days, while there will be 12 netball teams taking to the courts.
Tournament organiser, Manie Cronje said this year’s tournament is held in aid of the schools Nambia Tour from 3 to 13 June. Rugby, netball and hockey will be part of the tour and all three sides will be in action this weekend as a curtainraiser to the tour.
Cronje said the school hopes to bring the town community to the campus and said everyone is invited to watch the various U13 rugby and netball games, as well as the three first team fixtures.
This year’s tournament sees an Albany invitational team made up of pupils from previously disadvantaged coastal schools.
The Grahamstown invitational team, made up of pupils from previously disadvantaged schools in Grahamstown, will be taking part in the tournament for the 13 th time.
Also been part of the tournament since the beginning is Graeme College. New schools to the tournament are Worcester North from Worcester as well as Paul Sauer from Kareedouw.
In conjunction with the vaious sporting events will be a flag competition, where parachute jumpers will grab a flag upon landing, and there are seven prizes up for grabs, including a LCD TV and a weekend for two to Kazuko Lodge (near Addo) to the value of over R10 000.
While the weekend will be made up of U13 rugby and netball matches there will be a few open events. The PJ U16 netball side plays VG today at 3pm, followed by the 1sts.
Tomorrow sees the first hockey team face Alexandria at 5.20pm tomorrow afternoon. The main event of the weekend will be the PJ first rugby side against Linkside at 4pm.