Eastern Province Rugby’s Port Elizabeth Sub Union has launched a new rugby tournament for clubs in and around the Northern Areas as a response to the current wave of violent gang activity that is sweeping through the area.
The tournament, which will be known as the Super 14, will see 14 rugby clubs play against each other in a single round, starting this weekend at the Adcock Stadium and concluding at the end of March.
“We chose the Northern Areas deliberately to showcase the brilliant sporting talent that comes from this area, despite all the violence that has featured so prominently in the media recently,” said PE Sub Union Chairman, Stag Mitchell.
“We believe that sport can bring communities together and, through this tournament, we are extending a hand to the Northern Areas community to show them that there are other options to youngsters, other than this violence,” he said. “At the same time we are also showing the rest of Port Elizabeth that there is more to the Northern Areas than gangs and violence.”
Mitchell said the tournament would kick off with a family day of rugby at the Adcock Stadium, with the first match between Booysens Pride and Young Collegians kicking off at 1pm.
“This tournament is also a tribute to the players who have come before and who have gone on to make a success from their rugby careers, the likes of Desmond Booysen from Arcadia, the best wing to ever don the SARU jersey, Desmond Kramer from Gelvandale, who became the ultimate Springbok warrior and SARU powerhouse, Peter Slabbert, EP and SARU captain from Windvogel Rugby Club and Harold Wilson, former president of both EP and SARU and honorary vice president of EP, from the Shauderville community,” he said.
Mitchell said the tournament was geared at renewing the passion for rugby in the area.
“This tournament will showcase the clubs from these communities and hopefully act as a catalyst to guide our sons back to sport and away from other influences, we therefore appeal to the community to come out in support of this tournament and enjoy the rugby with our players.”
The clubs participating in the competition are:
Group A:
African Bombers, St Marks, Suburban, Gelvan Wallabies, Missionvale, Kwaru, Glen Roses
Group B:
PE Harlequins, Parks, Booysen Pride, Young Collegians, Motherwell, Zwide and Helenvale
Saturday 31 January are as follows:
13:00 Booysens Pride vs Young Collegians
14:10 African Bombers vs Kwaru
15:30 Parks vs Motherwell
17:00 St Marks vs Missionvale
19:00 Suburban vs Gelvan Wallabies
21:00 PE Harlequins vs Zwide
BYE: Glen Roses and Helenvale
7 February 14h00 Glen Roses vs Missionvale MAROCK
15h30 Bombers vs Gelvan
17h00 Windvogel vs Suburban
Kwaru-bye
7 February 14h00 Helenvale/Prides vs Motherwell ADCOCK
15h30 Harlequins vs Young Collegians
17h00 Parks vs St Marks
Zwide- Bye
14 February 14h00 Kwaru vs Gelvan WOLFSON STADIUM
15h30 Glen Roses vs Suburban
17h00 Bombers vs Windvogel
Missionvale- Bye
14 February 14h00 Zwide vs Young Collegians ADCOCK
15h30 Helenvale/Prides vs St Marks
17h00 Harlequins vs Parks
Motherwell- bye
21 February 14h00 Kwaru vs Windvogel KLEINSKOOL
15h30 Glen Roses vs Bombers
17h00 Missionvale vs Suburban
Gelvan - Bye
21 February 14h00 Helenvale/Prides vs Harlequins WOLFSON STADIUM
15h30 Motherwell vs St Marks Zwide vs Parks
17h00 Zwide vs Parks
Young Collegians- Bye
28 February 14h00 Gelvan vs Windvogel WOLFSON STADIUM
15h30 Missionvale vs Bombers
17h00 Kwaru vs Glen
Suburban- Bye
28 February 14h00 Zwide vs Helenvale/ Prides LONDT PARK
15h30 Motherwell vs Harlequins
17h00 Young Collegains vs Parks
St Marks- Bye
7 March 14h00 Suburbas vs Bombers ADDCOCK
15h30 Gelvan vs Glen
17h00 St Marks vs Harlequins
Windvogel- Bye
7 March 14h00 Missionvale vs Kwaru WOLFSON STADIUM
15h30 Young Collegains vs Helenvale/Prides
17h00 Motherwell vs Zwide
Parks-Bye
14 March 14h00 Suburban vs Kwaru ADCOCK
15h30 Missionvale vs Gelvan
17h00 Windvogel vs Glen Roses
Bombers- Bye
14 March 14h00 Parks vs Helenvale/Prides WOLFSON STADIUM
15h30 St Marks vs Zwide
17h00 Young Collegians vs Motherwell
Harlequins- Bye
21 March 15h00 A 1 vs B 2 ADCOCK
16h30 B 1 vs A 2
28 March 15h00 THIRD AND FOURTH PLACE ADCOCK
16h00 FINAL
