The use of "post-matrics" by high schools was previously criticized by all except for those schools that "employed" several "post-matrics" to boost their rugby image.
South African Schools Rugby Association (SASRA) recently reworded their policy to ban all "post matrics" from schoolboy rugby, however, several loopholes still exist which were already identified by schools to use "creativity" to continue the use of "post-matrics."
A "definition" of a "post matric" according to SASRA is a player that passed the National Senior Certificate or equivalent IEB certificate exams and returned the next year to a school for several reasons with rugby being the obvious and major reason.
Unfortunately, this does not stop boys from not writing the exams or even "failing" and returning the next year to resume their rugby careers at these schools.
The organisers of the NoordVaal Cup decided if a boy received his registration number for the National Senior Certificate or equivalent IEB certificate exams he may not return the next year regardless if he passed or not.
Unfortunately, that did not stop players who decided in their Grade 11 year that they were going to repeat their Grade 11 year or cancel their registration for the National Senior Certificate or equivalent IEB certificate exams, to secure their participation in the NoorVaal competition.
The South African Schools Rugby Association reworded their age group policy:
There are five major rugby weeks for all school-going players, hosted by SARU and SASRA annually, and these weeks are known as the u/18 Craven Week for High Schools, u/18 Academy Week for High Schools, u/16 Grant Khomo Week for High Schools, u/18 LSEN Week, u/16 and u/18 Girls Week, and the u/13 Craven Week for Primary Schools.
Regulations:
Any player with a National Senior Certificate or equivalent IEB certificate cannot participate in any of the tournaments mentioned above.
Any player with a National Senior Certificate or equivalent IEB certificate cannot participate in any high school matches.
Any player with a grade 7 qualification (player in a High School), but still under 13, will be allowed to participate in the u/13 Craven Week for Primary Schools.
Any player with a grade 7 qualification (player in a High School), but still under 13, will not be allowed to participate in primary school matches.
Any u/14 primary school player will be allowed to participate in high school matches for a particular high school with the written consent of both schools. The consent letter must be forwarded to the specific high and primary school associations as well as SASRA.
Any player doing homeschooling may play for a school team and is eligible for selection into a provincial school team if he registers with a school to play rugby.
With regards to age banding, SARU regulations for under-aged rugby apply.
