Photo by Belinda Engelbrecht/Speedshots.co.za
In a letter dated 21/04/2020 mr Noël Ingle, President of the South African Schools Rugby Association confirmed that all youth weeks will not be played in 2020 as well confirmed the cancellation of all EPD camps. He, however, left the door wide open for inter-provincial tournaments and inter-schools matches to be played if and when the Department of Basic Education lifts the current ban on all sport.
The Mpumalanga Primary Schools Association has gone one step further and cancelled all rugby at schools for 2020 in a letter also dated 21/04/2020.
He wrote " Consequently, it is with deep regret that SASRA and SARU must inform our Associations and schools that all the 2020 Youth Weeks will not be played this year. Due to this the U18 international tournament is also suspended and will resume in 2021. The coronavirus has wreaked havoc with the 2020 school calendar. There will be no traditional June /July tournaments. SASRA and SARU will continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds in the country. Different models will be investigated if there is any chance of rugby being played at inter-provincial level, including the sevens. This will require cooperation from all the associations and home unions.
No school sport may be played currently as indicated by the Department of Basic Education (DBE). The route that the National Government and the DBE take in respect of schools will inform SASRA and SARU’s decision making on the way forward with both inter-school and inter-provincial rugby.
The high-performance department at SARU has sent out a communication to all identified EPD players in the U16, U17 and U18 age groups. SASRA and SARU are encouraging associations to create their HP groups and are welcome to use the current programmes that SARU has sent to their identified players."