As expected, this past week was a frenzy of Western Province Club Rugby as our season started in earnest last weekend, and we have our women’s rugby and coaching education departments running at full steam.
Last weekend saw some big games in most of our leagues and already we see the intentions of our clubs, who across the board were looking in good shape. No doubt the pre-season preparations have gone a long way both on and off the field. Although the physical condition of the teams looks good, it is evident that our coaches’ workshops, coaching education, and strength and conditioning courses have paid dividends, with more to come.
This weekend’s rugby lineup in the Super League A is set to be thrilling, with several standout games like Union Milnerton taking on Tygerberg at Theo Marais Park, and the big derby between Hamiltons and Villagers at Hamiltons. NTK faces Maties at the Jan Burger Sports Complex, while former champions False Bay and Durbel go head-to-head at Philip Herbstein. Brackenfell, aiming for a comeback, will host UCT at Brackenfell.
Super League B features Kylemore against Vineyards at Kylemore Sports Grounds, and Kraaifontein, hoping to extend their winning streak, will meet Langa at Kraaifontein Sports Grounds. Bellville is set to battle All Saints at Rosina Paarwater Stadium, Belhar will take on Strand at Erica Park, and Van Der Stel faces Hamlets.
In Super League C, the action includes Scottsdene hosting Goodwood at Central Park, Masiphumelele against Blue Jet in Noordhoek, and Atlantis welcoming Pniel Villagers at Protea Park.
In the Southern League, Lagunya is set to play Northerns at Nyanga Stadium, and Retreat will compete against Rocklands at Allenby Drive while in the Northern League games feature matchups like Raithby Universals versus Delft and Windmeul United against Sir Lowrians.
In the Paarl Region, all matches will occur at Daljosafat with teams like Young Gardens versus Lower Paarl, Young Standards and Violets Paarl, Perel United up against Allandale, and Paarl Rangers against Riverstones.
This week saw yet another fantastic display of the growth of our women’s structures as Friday saw in excess of 50 girls’ teams playing in our WP Rugby Women’s festival at City Park, with girls from several age groups U18 from various schools in Western Province. This process sees Western Province in a position to bolster our Western Province Women’s Club Rugby side and the possibility of additional clubs also adding women’s teams to their structures. On the note of Women’s Rugby, our Senior Women’s side got their campaign started with a win over the Sharks Women’s team last weekend and sees them take on the Boland Ladies in an old rivalry in Wellington in the SA Rugby Women’s Interprovincial competition.
Our Western Province education department has now released the dates for the coaching courses for the remainder of the year, with our next World Rugby level 1 fifteens course on 17 May 2024, level two on 19-20 July 2024, and our very next course being the World Rugby level 1 sevens course on 26 April 2024, all at Newlands. Click here to sign up now.