Michalak expressed his desire to return to home shortly after the Currie Cup as he wishes to play his way back into French national squad under new coach Philippe Saint-Andre. Michalak last played for Le Bleus in 2010.

But it seems that move will only happen at the start of the next European season as Boudjellal said Toulon have verbally agreed a three-year deal with the 29-year-old. This means Michalak will feature for the Sharks in 2012′s Super Rugby campaign, which kicks off in February.

‘Nothing has been signed but there is a verbal agreement on a contract for three years,’ said Boudjellal.

‘I think he will be a Toulon player next season. He has been impressed by the chance to play with Jonny Wilkinson and Matt Giteau. We need four to five players of a very high level and, if he signs, Fred will be the start of that.

‘He will come and play at scrumhalf [and] he knows that. His age and experience will help him in this position.’

The 18-year-old only finished his matric exams recently, but he already has reason to celebrate as he received a call-up to train with the Stormers late last month.

Swiel has enjoyed two impressive 1st XV seasons with Bishops, scoring 509 points to write up a new school record. In 2010, he claimed 305 of those points to finish as South Africa’s top schoolboy scorer. In 2011, he grabbed the most tries for a schoolboy flyhalf (14). More highlights this year include WP U18 Craven Week selection and kicking 11 points in the SA Schools’ 21-14 win over France U18 in PE last August.

Director of coaching Rassie Erasmus is the mastermind behind the surprise call-up after monitoring Swiel’s progress.

‘At the High Performance Centre, one of the WP conditioning coaches Charl Malherbe told me that Rassie wants to me training with the senior squad. And I was more than willing to join the team,’ Swiel told keo.co.za.

‘It’s been mostly gym and conditioning work, which has been really a big step up for me, but I’m really enjoying it. The players have been really welcoming, guys like Jean de Villiers, Juan de Jongh and my gym partner Demetri Catrakilis, and I’ve learnt a lot from everyone. Coach Allister Coetzee told me to be like a sponge and suck in as much knowledge as I can.’

Coetzee’s earlier comments indicated that the idea was to just give Swiel early experience in the senior structures, but the Stormers coach didn’t rule out a chance for the young flyhalf to work his way into the squad in the near future.

‘Timo still has a long way to go but one can never be too young,’ he told reporters. ‘We will give him an opportunity in the pre-season friendlies to show what he is capable of. We did the same with a youngster like prop Steven Kitshoff last year and he came through.’

TIM SWIEL’S BISHOPS VIDEO PACKAGE:

By Gareth Duncan

After naming a 100-man training squad for the opening camp hosted in Kimberley earlier this month, Baby Boks head coach Theron has selected a smaller provisional group for a second camp to be held at Stellenbosch University’s brand new Sport Performance Institute.

Ten players who weren’t present in Kimberley have also been invited to Stellenbosch. Four of them – Jan Serfontein, Dries Swanepoel, Siyabonga Tom and Hlanhla Hlungwane – are from this year’s SA Schools side while Guy Alexander, Paul Jordaan, Allan Dell, Steven Kitshoff, Johan Goosen and Kevin Luiters are the other six additions.

‘We’ve always planned to spread the net as far and wide as possible and by inviting the players that missed the camp in Kimberley but have always been on our radar, it gives us even more insight into the depth and talent at our disposal,’ said Theron.

‘Where we played a number of trials matches in Kimberley, this camp will be very different. We’ll be introducing our game plan to the players and will work on position specific training, while also focusing on defensive and attacking structures.

‘With most of the players currently busy with pre-season preparations at their various unions, it would not work to do intense contact sessions, so we will be concentrating more on technical and tactical preparations.’

The camp starts on 27 November until 7 December.

SA U20s squad:
Wian Fourie (Border); Hendri Christian Rust, Richard Dean Gorrah, Andile Jho, Dries Swanepoel, Hendrik van Wyk, Jan Serfontein, Juan Nel, Marvin Orie, Marzuq Maarman, Rudi van Rooyen, Schalk van Heerden, Tony Jantjies, Travis Ismail, Wian Liebenberg (all Bulls); Henco Venter, Hlanhla Hlungwane, Jan de Klerk, Johan Goosen, Kevin Luiters, Maphutha Dolo, Mathys Smit, Niel Marais, Niell Jordaan (all Free State); Errol Jaggers, Ettiene Oosthuizen, Fabian Booysen, Gideon Muller, Henri Boshoff, Mark Pretorius, Paul Willemse, Ruan Botha, Vian van der Walt (all Lions); Allan Dell, Franco Marais, Guy Alexander, Khaya Majola, Nicolaas van Dyk, Paul Jordaan, Pieter Steph du Toit, Shaun Adendorf, Siseko Jafta, Siyabonga Tom (all KZN); Francois Grobler (Leopards); Cobus Nel, Jacobs van Wyk, Patrick Howard, Steven Kitshoff (all WP).

Burger becomes only the fifth player to win the title more than once, having also won it in 2004. He follows in the footsteps of Naas Botha (who won it four times), Uli Schmidt, Bryan Habana and Fourie du Preez (who all won it twice). Du Plessis, who spent most of the World Cup on the Bok bench, was the best player in SA according to his fellow players.

The Golden Lions were rewarded for their Currie Cup triumph with the Team of the Year award, while John Mitchell was named Coach of the Year.

2011 SA Rugby Award winners:
Player of the Year: Schalk Burger (WP)
Players’ Player of the Year: Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks)
SA U20 Player of the Year: Arno Botha (Bulls)
Super Rugby Player of the Year: Sarel Pretorius (Cheetahs)
Team of the Year: Golden Lions
Coach of the Year: John Mitchell (Lions)
Young Player of the Year: Pat Lambie (Sharks)
Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year: Josh Strauss (Lions)
Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year: Elgar Watts (Boland)
Springbok Sevens Player of the Year: Cecil Afrika
Vodacom Cup Player of the Year: Lionel Cronje (WP)
Try of the Year: Sibusiso Sithole (SA vs Australia, Edinburgh Sevens final)
Referee Award: Craig Joubert
National Club Champs Player of the Tournament: Justin Wheeler (UJ)
Women’s Achiever of the Year: Cebisa Kula
Craven Week Player of the Tournament: Jan Serfontein (Free State)

There was a huge improvement in performance from Vuyo Zangqa’s boys on day two. Unfortunately, the injury count increased after the quarter-final and semi-final wins over Canada and Australia. After Sean Robinson left the field three minutes into the final against a fully fit England, South Africa only had two players in reserve. England capitalised on the situation and won 41-20 after leading 19-10 at half-time.

Tyler Fisher scored the first try of the match, but England hit back through three tries. Skipper Dries Swanepoel scored before the break to keep South Africa within reach. However, a tired South Africa couldn’t hold up as England scored four tries to two in the second half for the gold medal.

Earlier in the day, the semi-final against Australia was the most entertaining game of the tournament as the result was only decided in the final movement of the match. Australia’s Lewis Hamilton gave his team the perfect start as he dived over soon after the kickoff, but it was all South Africa for the rest of the first half as Justin Geduld, Fisher and Cheslin Kolbe scored tries for a 21-7 lead at the break.

Australia levelled the scores with two converted tries in quick succession after the restart. Both teams had opportunities to edge ahead during the second half but it was Burger Odendaal’s try in the last minute which sealed victory.

In the quarter-final – the first match of the day – South Africa beat Canada 24-12. They cruised in the first half as Andre Esterhuizen and Swanepoel (2) sput the team 19-0 ahead at half-time. In the second stanza, Canada put in a stronger effort as Lucas Hammond grabbed a brace, but they couldn’t catch up on the scoreboard. South Africa held on as Gunter scored their only try in the second half.

Squad:
Dries Swanepoel (Free State, captain) , Tyler Fisher (KZN), Sikhumbuzo Notshe (WP), Carel Swart (KZN), Jan Serfontein (Free State), Juan-Janco Gunter (Bulls), Rohan Janse van Rensburg (Bulls), Cheslin Kolbe (WP), Adriaan Esterhuizen (Leopards), Sean Robinson (Bulls), Justin Geduld (WP), Burger Odendaal (Lions).

Coaches:
Vuyo Zangqa (head coach)
Allan Temple-Jones (conditioning coach)
Roelof Kotze (team manager)

By Gareth Duncan, in the Isle of Man

South Africa finished second in Pool B after winning two games and losing 7-5 to England in the group decider. They cruised through their first two pool matches, claiming 62-0 victories over Sri Lanka and Trinidad and Tobago respectively. However, they failed to perform in the vital fixture and squandered several try-scoring opportunities in their only defeat.

Justin Geduld proved to be the star of the match in the first victory over Sri Lanka as the playmaker claimed four tries. Jan Serfontein, Carel Swart, Cheslin Kolbe, Burger Odendaal, Dries Swanepoel and Andre Esterhuizen also crossed the chalk to seal a convincing victory.

South Africa carried their winning momentum into their Trinidad and Tobago clash, scoring 10 tries in total. Sean Robinson grabbed the most tries, claiming the team’s second hat-trick of the day.

Against England, it was a close and physical match. After a scrappy start, England managed to score first through Scott Stirling. South Africa had the chances to hit back, but were held out by a strong English defence. The half-time score read 7-0.

South Africa came out strong in the second half, and played most of the match in England’s territory. However, poor decision-making and individual errors saw the team fail to capitalise early. Tyler Fisher managed to score an unconverted try late in the match, but time ran out for Vuyo Zangqa’s charges and England held on for an important win.

The squad consists of players who featured for their respective unions at Craven Week in Kimberley this year. The group gathered in Cape Town last week, where they had the opportunity to train with the Springbok Sevens team and head coach Paul Treu before leaving for Johannesburg on 2 September. Team South Africa then left for the Isle of Man on 4 September and arrived on Monday evening.

The SA U18s find themselves in Pool B, along with England, Sri Lanka and Trinidad and Tobago. Pool A features Australia, Scotland, Canada and the Isle of Man. Head coach Vuyo Zangqa believes this team is strong enough to claim gold.

‘It’s been tough travelling over 30 hours from Johannesburg to the host town Douglas,’ says Zangqa. ‘But the boys have remained positive and had a good training session on Tuesday morning.

‘We have a strong squad and being a South African team, we will be seen as favourites. I believe these boys are talented enough to live up to their reputation. We will be well prepared when we go into our group games, with the openers against Sri Lanka and Trinidad and Tobago. The big game will be the final pool fixture against England. A win against them will be important as it will give us a stronger chance of claiming gold.’

Team captain Dries Swanepoel says the team is positive they can do the country proud.

‘We’ve only had several days to train as a team, but things are falling into place,’ says Swanepoel, who also led the Free State U18 Craven Week side and is also the SA Schools vice-captain.

‘We headed straight into heavy rain upon our arrival and it’s been windy today, but we’re coping. The transition from 15s to sevens has been tough initially for all the boys. We still had a 15s mindset in the first few training sessions, but the coaching group helped us to see things with a sevens mindset. Having the opportunity to train with the Springbok Sevens squad was a great experience and they’ve become role models for us.

‘The team’s goal for the Commonwealth Youth games is a gold medal. There priorities that follow is to gain sevens experience, which help with out development, and maybe fight for a place in the squad as South Africa plans for the Olympics in 2016.’

South Africa will play their group games on 10 September while the play-offs are scheduled for 11 September.

Squad:
Dries Swanepoel (Free State, captain) , Tyler Fisher (KZN), Sikhumbuzo Notshe (WP), Carel Swart (KZN), Jan Serfontein (Free State), Juan-Janco Gunter (Bulls), Rohan Janse van Rensburg (Bulls), Cheslin Kolbe (WP), Adriaan Esterhuizen (Leopards), Sean Robinson (Bulls), Justin Geduld (WP), Burger Odendaal (Lions).

Coaches:
Vuyo Zangqa (head coach)
Allan Temple-Jones (conditioning coach)
Roelof Kotze (team manager)

By Gareth Duncan, from the Isle of Man

Klofies last won the Gauteng schools title in 2008 as Monument were victorious in the last two campaigns. Florida knocked out the defending champions in the semi-finals, but were outplayed in the championship decider.

Noord-Kaap completed a perfect season by beating Diamantveld 27-20 in the Kovsie final in Kimberley. The win saw Noord-Kaap finish off an unbeaten record as they triumphed in all of their 17 fixtures this year.

In the Cape derbies, Bishops rallied over Rondebosch with a 37-12 win while SACS scraped through for a 29-26 victory over Wynberg. Boishaai won 24-13 at home against Oakdale.

Major school results:
Noord-Kaap 27 Diamantveld 20
Waterkloof 41 Florida 21
Bishops 37 Rondebosch 12
De Kuilen 50 HTS Bellville 26
Paarl Boys’ 24 Oakdale 13
SACS 29 Wynberg 26
Tygerberg 61 Brackenfell 12

After winning the the Beeld Trophy for the past two years, Monument were favourites for the hat-trick. But they suffered a shock loss to Florida last Tuesday, and the latter will tackle Waterkloof for the top Gauteng schools prize. Waterkloof will be favourites as they have 14 Blue Bulls U18 Craven Week boys in their squad. Florida have the speed in their backline, but their forwards will need to step up to give their playmakers a platform.

There will be another schools final this weekend as unbeaten Noord-Kaap take on Diamantveld. Noord-Kaap will aim to achieve a perfect season as they’ve won all 16 of their matches this year, including a victory over Affies. After beating Kimberley neighbours Diamantveld convincingly in the last fortnight, Noord-Kaap will be favourites in their final fixture.

There are also major rivalries in the Western Cape as Bishops host Rondebosch while SACS play Wynberg. Paarl Boys’ compete against the tricky Oakdale.

Major school fixtures:
Bishops vs Rondebosch
SACS vs Wynberg
Paarl Boys’ vs Oakdale
Noordheuwel vs Monument
Waterkloof vs Florida
Noord-Kaap vs Diamantveld

The game was marred by dangerous play, with French eighthman Clement Ancley and substitute Louis Durbesson being red-carded in the second half for stamping on the heads of winger Siyabonga Tom and scrumhalf Kurshwill Williams respectively. Lock Alban Placines was sent to the sin-bin in the first half for a similar offence.

The visitors were dominant in the early stages of the match, using their physique to impose themselves on the SA forwards. However, it was the hosts who took the lead when flyhalf Tim Swiel slotted three penalties in the first 15 minutes.

France U18′s handling errors and offside play broke their momentum and allowed South Africa to take charge.

Turnover ball and good interplay between Swiel and Williams put flanker Thabo Mabuza away for the first try of the game and SA Schools led 16-0 at half-time.

Winger JP Lewis stretched the hosts’ led when he dotted down shortly after the restart.

The visitors tried to play their way back into the game but a crucial tackle by hooker Eugene Le Maitre on the line kept them out. France U18 finally crossed the line through outside centre Thilbout Regard and scored again through winger Gabriel Lacroix.

By Soyiso Malitli

Grey Bloem’s unbeaten record was under threat in their final fixture of the year as they were missing four boys to the SA Schools side while two other players were sidelined with injuries. This included a settled flyhalf and centre pair combination and their Free State Craven Week and SA Schools wing, Ruwellyn Isbel, who picked up an injury in the Grey PE derby victory a fortnight ago. Paul Roos were only missing one play, WP U18 wing JP Lewis, who replaced Isbel in the SA Schools side.

But unlike 2009, when Grey Bloem lost 9-3 to Paul Roos without nine first-choice players (which remains their only loss in 83 games), they managed to pick up a win to retain a flawless run in 2011 and to claim the No 1 spot in the FNB rankings for the 13th time in the last 16 years. Paul Roos led 19-12 at half-time, and remained ahead until the death. But Grey Bloem fought back, narrowed the deficit and scored a try in the final minute of the match to win.

In the previous Saturday, Rondebosch edged SACS 10-5 while Bishops pipped Wynberg 34-33. This weekend, Rondebosch picled up back-to-back wins with 22-19 away victory over Wynberg. SACS shocked Bishops 20-13 as the latter struggled without their SA Schools flyhalf Tim Swiel.

In other Cape results, Boishaai beat Drostdy 23-11 while Tygerberg recorded a resounding 98-15 win over HTS Bellville. Oakdale also impressed in their 34-3 away victory over Boland Landbou.

In the Eastern Cape, Dale scraped through for a 38-31 win over Queen’s while up north, Noord-Kaap kept their unbeaten run intact with a 34-24 triumph over Jim Fouche.

Major school results:
Bishops 13 SACS 20
Boland Landbou 3 Oakdale 34
Dale 38 Queen’s 31
Die Brandwag 22 Framesby 5
Graeme College 50 Kings School (UK) 13
Monument 50 EG Jansen 19
Drostdy 11 Paarl Boys 23
Hugenote 32 Swartland 10
Lichtenburg 19 Ben Vorster 12
Noord-Kaap 34 Jim Fouche 24
Paul Roos 35 Grey College 36
Potch Volkies 29 Helpmekaar 20
Tygerberg 98 HTS Bellville 15
Vortrekker 3 Diamandtveld 56
Wynberg 19 Rondebosch 22

The visiting French side eased to a 36-24 win over the SA Academy team in Durban last Saturday. The tourists out-muscled their opponents and managed to score some soft tries against a poor defensive from the hosts.

However, France will now face a stronger force in the SA Schools team, that contains a host of stars that played well at Craven Week in Kimberley in July. Van Rooyen, who coached the Pumas U18s, said his players have managed to train well together, despite the lack of time spent as a group.

‘We’ve spent about two days together, which is too little. In future, the SA Schools players should have more time together,’ Van Rooyen told keo.co.za, ‘But the boys have done tremendously well to gel in the way they have. There’s a lot of camaraderie amongst the boys and our captain Ruan Steenkamp and vice captain Dries Swanepoel have lead the guys well during our preparations and have set the example.

‘France proved they’re a tough side when they played against the SA Academy boys. But I believe this team can step up and get a win. We’re a well balanced team, with a strong pack and a dangerous backline.’

Baby Boks head coach Dawie Theron spent time with the team in PE this week and also expressed his confidence in their chances securing victory.

‘I helped pick this team and I was just here as an observer this past few days,’ Dawie also told this site. ‘It’s good for me to spend time with the boys as some of them will be in the Baby Boks set-up next year and the following season too.

‘I watched France play last weekend, and they played very well. They’ve spent a lot of time together before, so they have good structures in place. This create a challenge this Saturday, but I’m sure the SA Schools team can come right. From what I’ve seen, this is a strong group.

‘They have the forwards to dominate in the tight phases while the backs run well together and should get the platform to threaten. The players should also be able to match the French in size as the boys are well conditioned.’

By Gareth Duncan

The Grey Bloem-Paul Roos derby is touted as one the biggest schoolboy matches of the season. While it doesn’t have the historical record of many traditional rivalries, the two schools have become the renowned rugby institutions in their respective regions and have provided a top-class spectacles annually since 1989. Since then, Grey Bloem have won 14 derbies while Paul Roos triumphed in six.

However, this year’s clash mimics the 2009 scenario where Grey Bloem lost nine first-choice players to the SA U18 squad and injury while Paul Roos had four players missing. Paul Roos won 9-3 in a rainy Stellenbosch that year, ending the visitors four-year winning streak.

This week, Grey Bloem have travelled without six 1st XV players. Four of them are part of the SA Schools squad while two are injured. This also includes a settled midfield combination of flyhalf Pieter Jordaan and centres San Serfontein and skipper Dries Swanepoel. Paul Roos will field a near full strength team as they’re only missing one player – WP winger JP Lewis who was a late call-up to the SA schools squad.

Paul Roos have achieved mixed results in 2011, which saw them lose six of their 17 matches. Grey Bloem boast an unbeaten run, with 15 wins and two draws. But Grey Bloem 1st XV head coach Ingo Machts believes the hosts will be favourites to win this year, despite their inconsistent form.

‘We’re the underdogs,’ Machts told keo.co.za. ‘We’re missing four of our backline players, including a settled midfield and both our captain and vice-captain. It will be tough against Paul Roos. Take six players away from the Bok team for this weekend’s game against the All Blacks, and they’ll struggle in PE.

‘Our biggest focus will be at the breakdown. Paul Roos have great loose forwards, and they’ll play to their strengths. I’ve seen them play at this year’s Wildeklawer Super Schools tournament, but they weren’t doing well back then. They always tend to peak at the end of their season, they’ll be tough to beat on Satuday.

‘It’s disappointing that these big schoolboy matches clash with SA junior team fixtures. Something needs to be sorted out to allow schools to field their strongest teams.’

Grey Bloem head of rugby Dries van der Wal said it was an unfortunate situation for the team and missing players.

‘This match has been played in the same month for many years. We’ve scheduled this game well in advance, and unfortunately it clashes with a SA Schools fixture that came up last minute,’ said Van der Wal.

‘Yes, the boys are excited to play for the SA Schools side. But this is a big schools game, and they would’ve want to feature in it as their last match for the school. It’s just one of those things I guess.

‘We have almost half our team out, but we have talented guys to fill in. The match will still be a big challenge for both teams.’

By Gareth Duncan

With Grey College travelling to Stellenbosch to face Paul Roos in the Schoolboy Derby match of the weekend, there’s a lot of hype in the Western Cape’s school rugby as the national circuit comes to a close this month.

The southern suburb derbies are in full swing as SACS and Wynberg host Bishops and Rondebosch respectively. In the Boland area, Boishaai take on Drostdy while Paarl Gym face Brackenfell.

In the Eastern Cape, Dale and Queen’s should provide a great spectacle for the King William’s Town locals. Unbeaten Noord-Kaap will want to extend their winning streak when they take on Jim Fouché.

Major school fixtures:
Paarl Boys’ vs Drostdy
SACS vs Bishops
Wynberg vs Rondebosch
Paarl Gym vs Brackenfell
Worcester Gym vs De Kuilen
Tygerberg vs HTS Bellville
Oakdale vs Boland Landbou
Hudson Park vs Cambridge
Dale vs Queen’s
Noord-Kaap vs Jim Fouche

Boishaai drop out of the top three after their loss to Gimmies while Noord-Kaap reach fifth place with their unbeaten record this year.

FNB Top 20:
1 Grey Bloem
2 Affies
3 Selborne
4 Paarl Boys’
5 Noord-Kaap
6 Monument
7 Waterkloof
8 Queen’s
9 Glenwood
10 Oakdale
11 Paul Roos
12 Paarl Gim
13 Bishops
14 Dale
15 HTS Middelburg
16 Diamantveld
17 Drostdy
18 Bethlehem Voortrekker
19 Hentie Cilliers
20 Boland Landbou

It’s seldom at junior level that you get an effective combination like Grey College’s centre pair Jan Serfontein and Dries Swanepoel. They’ve been central in the Bloemfontein school’s unbeaten record this year, forming the heart of their attack and defence in the midfield. They impressed for a triumphant Free State U18 side at Craven Week and will feature for the SA Schools team against France U18 in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

The two players strengths complement each other. In Serfontein, you have a physical inside centre who stands at 1.87m and weighs 84kg. He’s proven to be elusive with ball in hand as he scored three tries for Free State U18 in Kimberley while he also creates opportunities for those on his outside. And who better to play alongside him than Swanepoel. The No 13 is gifted runner, who manages to hit the gaps with the perfect angles. He’s also a strong leader, skippering the likes of Grey College and Free State U18, while he will be vice-captain of the SA Schools team in the Tri-Nations Test curtain-raiser this weekend.

Both boys believe the key to their successful partnership is the time they’ve spent together.

‘I moved from Grey High (PE) to Grey College (Bloem) in Grade 10 in 2009. Since then, we’ve always played in the same team and have been room-mates in the hostels,’ Serfontein tells keo.co.za.

‘We’re very good friends on and off the field and that helps a great deal. Whenever we’re not playing, we’re talking rugby. We speak about the youngsters playing in senior teams. Look at a guy like Johan Goosen. We were playing alongside him the other day, now he’s being picked for the Cheetahs Currie Cup side. That’s great motivation for guys like Dries and me, who want to play professional rugby after school.

‘When you two players are always with each other, like Jan and I, you’re going to perform well together,’ adds Swanepoel. ‘We know what the other guy’s going to do and what;s needed for support. It’s almost telepathic. As skipper, there’s a lot of pressure on my shoulders. But all the Grey boys in the team help me with the leadership, which dissolves that pressure. Especially Jan.’

So as room-mates, are there any embarrassing stories?

‘Jan’s a clean freak. If a door knob is dirty, he’ll take a tissue to open it. He also takes so long to get done in the mornings,’ jokes Swanepoel.

‘There’s not much to say about Dries. He’s just a laid back guy. I’m the one who’s always hounding him to be on time. He’s always so chilled,’ explains Serfontein.

Serfontein and Swanepoel’s schoolboy journey at Grey College comes to an end this year. But their partnership may continue in Pretoria in 2012.

‘I’ve signed a two-year contract with the Bulls. Dries might join me there next year,’ says Swanepoel. ‘Two other Grey boys have also signed for the Bulls, and it’s going to nice to be with guys I know over there with me.’

‘I’m still contemplating whether I want to go to the Bulls or not,’ says Dries. ‘The fact that Jan will be there is an appealing part of the deal. We know each other’s game very well, and that can help our development as we go through the ranks. I’ll decide soon.’

The days of South African schoolboy rugby players taking steroids and getting away with it are numbered. Not only have top rugby schools in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal come together to prevent sports doping but government is also looking to change the law regarding drug testing at schools.

As it stands, the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (Saids) can only test schoolboy rugby players at Saru-sanctioned events like Craven Week, where players give consent to be tested when signing up. Saids cannot just arrive at a school and test players, because there are issues like access to pupils, parental consent and the lack of a code under which they can prosecute.

Saids chairman Dr Shuaib Manjra says he is happy for schools to self-regulate when it comes to drug testing as long as the testing is independent, unannounced and done according to Saids’ rules. However, he adds that tightening legislation would not only allow Saids to go into schools and do testing of its own but would also help it to target the manufacturers of sports drugs.

‘We would not encourage giving schoolboys who test positive a two-year ban like we do for professional rugby players because it would end their school sports career. We want to emphasise the educational value of what they did and attempt to prevent such behaviour through deterrence. We also want to know where they got the drugs from, so that we can target the supply chain. Steroids either come through internet purchases and pass through South African customs or are produced in South Africa, and can be obtained from almost any gym.

‘Testing at schools should not be the top priority – awareness, education and deterrence are more important [Saids launched its ‘I Play Fair – Say No! To Doping’ awareness campaign in June]. You want kids to choose not to dope.’

But Saids wants to catch those who do, and has recently significantly increased its ‘positive rate’ by changing its testing method.

‘In the past we used to develop our testing programme by creating a matrix of high-risk sports and high-risk athletes,’ Manjra explains. ‘We’d come and collect a urine sample and send it to the laboratory to test it for substances like steroids and EPO [erythropoietin]. But the problem with this method is that if you took EPO last night and I test you this morning, it’s already out of your system. The injectable steroids that the guys used to take stayed in the body for weeks, but the oral steroids available now have a shorter half life and exit the body much quicker. All this explains why the average worldwide positive rate for target testing is 1%, even though an estimated 10% of athletes use sports drugs.’

Manjra says that Saids, which spends a fortune on drug testing, had to find out what it could do differently in order to increase its positive rate. The answer was intelligent testing.

‘Firstly, we do 10 tests on the athlete and create a biological passport, which is like a fingerprint, and say this is where they physiologically reside. Any test that falls above or below that framework, using sophisticated statistical programmes, indicates they’ve been doping. In other words, we’re no longer looking for a substance in your body, we’re looking for the effect it’s had on your body.

‘Secondly, we’re using the intelligence we receive about doping. People tell us that this or that person is taking drugs, but we’ve got limited capabilities in terms of processing that information in a way that will allow us to prosecute. So we’re putting together an intelligence surveillance system that allows us to use that information to target test more effectively.

‘Thirdly, we look for where the greatest risk of doping is and at what point athletes will use certain drugs. For example, cyclists who use EPO will probably stop taking it 48 hours before an event, so drug testers need to have a calendar of these events and plan their testing around them. Rugby players will probably take drugs during pre-season to bulk up and then a couple of times during the season. We also look at sudden improvements in performance or increase in size and target those athletes.’

The results speak for themselves. In 2010, Saids did 2 000 tests using target testing and had 19 positives. In 2010, they did roughly the same number of tests using intelligent testing and had 50 positives.

Manjra says there’s no way to tell if those who test positive took the drugs intentionally or inadvertently through supplements, like Chiliboy Ralepelle and Bjorn Basson, who tested positive last November after using a contaminated USN supplement. If the player insists it’s the latter, he has to prove it to the medical tribunal.

‘That’s why we tell athletes to stay away from supplements,’ says Manjra. ‘There’s no quality control with supplements like there is with pharmaceutical products – you don’t know what’s in them.

‘I believe supplements are the gateway to steroids – when an athlete starts taking artificial substances and they don’t have the desired effect, they often cross that boundary to steroids. In fact, there’s a study that shows that athletes who take weight-gain or weight-loss supplements are more likely to end up using steroids than those who don’t.’

Riaan de Vries started his company Drug Detection International (DDI) after a personal experience with drugs. His girlfriend was addicted to crystal meth and it took him a long time to break out of denial and recover emotionally. He is still recovering financially.

‘When I moved on from that relationship, I decided to start a company that helps organisations, people and their loved ones with drug addiction,’ says De Vries. ‘At the beginning of 2011 we looked at how we could help schools test for performance-enhancing drugs. We formed a relationship with an American lab, Quest Diagnostics, and adopted the American model of testing at school level. Because of current legislation, we had to go about our work without interfering with the work being done by Saids. We did a trial with a couple of schools and found that there was a major problem.’

DDI approached schools to do testing, but also received referrals from Jon Patricios, who was the Lions’ doctor for 10 years, and Glen Hagemann, the managing director of Sharks Medical and SharkSmart.

‘A few years ago, I began noticing how much bigger the schoolboys who came to see me looked,’ says Patricios. ‘The questions that they, and in some cases, their parents asked also set off alarm bells. I can’t call a parent or a headmaster to tell them that I think their son or pupil is taking steroids, because of doctor-patient confidentiality, so I decided to write an article, published in the Sunday Times in January 2010, in which I expressed concerns about schoolboys taking steroids for performance-enhancing and image reasons. After reading that article, some schools decided to do something about it.’

On 29 May 2011, the Sunday Times ran a story on tests conducted by DDI on pupils at 18 of South Africa’s top schools in which 21 out of 130 pupils – roughly one in six – tested positive for a variety of steroids. The newspaper revealed that three of the pupils who tested positive were from King Edward VII (KES) in Joburg, two were from St Alban’s College in Pretoria and that one boy from St John’s College in Joburg had twice the testosterone levels for a teenager his age.

‘Around 60% of the 130 pupils we tested play sport, while the other 40% just want to look good,’ says De Vries. ‘I can’t say how many of those 21 [who tested positive] play rugby, because we didn’t request that information, but I can say that there is a major problem in rugby.

‘It’s also important to note that we never revealed that KES, St Alban’s and St John’s had pupils who tested positive – the Sunday Times went to those schools and they divulged that information. We’ve never said how many schools we tested, or which schools we tested. DDI is bound by confidentiality agreements with our schools not to damage their reputations by disclosing information but instead assists them in eradicating the use of steroids and helps their pupils recover from this addiction.’

St Alban’s headmaster Tom Hamilton says the two pupils from his school who tested positive were targeted for testing because of how they had bulked up in a short period.

‘Both have been given sanctions that were managed in an educational manner internally,’ he adds. ‘Although they are not serious sportsmen at all, their sanctions carry a six-month ban on any type of participation in representative inter-school sports. Their families have been supportive and proactive throughout. We will be having at least one more round of tests for performance-enhancing drugs before the end of this year.’

St Alban’s, which is part of the Gauteng Heads of Boys’ Schools Group, has an annual budget of R100 000 for performance-enhancing drug testing. With DDI charging R1 500 per test, St Alban’s will be able to do two batches of 30 pupils every year (there is a statistical rule of thumb that a batch of less than 30 tests reveals little in terms of the actual underlying trends and proportions) as well as up to 10 more tests for pupils who raise suspicion. (The parents of those who test positive at St Alban’s have to pay for any additional tests that are required to prove that rehabilitation has been achieved.)

De Vries admits that the cost of testing is too high for most South African schools.

‘Unfortunately we can’t bring the price down, as we already only have a profit margin of 10%. We test for about 40 substances and masking agents – it’s a massive panel – and there are things like shipment costs that all add up. I wish we could make it more affordable, especially for government schools. We are looking to get sponsorship from companies, players and old boys so that we can make the service available to schools that can’t afford it.’

De Vries and Patricios echo Manjra in emphasising that while drug testing at schools is important, so is drug prevention.

‘We often give talks at schools and we do them for free,’ says De Vries. ‘We want to educate people and communities. We advocate that steroids will not ensure success in life, and that you need to achieve your goals through training hard and proper nutrition.’

‘I tell kids who are thinking of taking steroids that it’s cheating and goes against the ethos of rugby,’ says Patricios. ‘It’s physically harmful – many of the effects like high blood pressure, heart problems and elevated cholesterol only occur later on in life – and psychologically harmful as steroids cause extreme aggression and depression. I also remind them that it’s a criminal offence to have a schedule-five drug without a prescription and can result in a 10-year jail sentence.

‘Hopefully once they have all that information, they do the right thing.’

SETTING AN EXAMPLE IN GAUTENG
The Gauteng Heads of Boys’ Schools Group (GHBSG) is an informal and non-binding association of state and independent schools, including Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies), CBC Boksburg, Jeppe High School for Boys, King Edward VII School (KES), Parktown Boys’ High, Pretoria Boys’ High, St Alban’s College, St Benedict’s College, St David’s Marist Inanda, St John’s College and St Stithians Boys’ College. The group meets on a regular basis to discuss matters of common concern and those discussions are underpinned by common values and ethos. All GHBSG schools have amended policies, consulted or communicated with parents and other relevant bodies and are in a position to test for performance-enhancing drugs on a regular basis, which is happening. All these schools have undertaken to educate their boys on the dangers of such drugs and supplements, and have agreed on a minimum sanction of a six-month ban from all sport for boys who test positive. The gist of all such programmes is educational and preventative.

SETTING AN EXAMPLE IN KWAZULU-NATAL
The Discovery SharkSmart Schools of Excellence Programme is overseen by Sharks Medical and empowers the participating high schools in KwaZulu-Natal to meet a number of pre-determined criteria related to playing rugby safely and fairly. From 1 January 2012, one of these criteria will require their pupils to be tested for performance-enhancing drugs. The programme was launched in 2010 and nine schools – Weston Agricultural College, Hilton College, Maritzburg College, Westville Boys’ High, Kearsney College, Hillcrest High, Glenwood High, Clifton College and Crawford College (La Lucia) – were successfully accredited as SharkSmart Schools of Excellence. Additional schools participating in the programme this year include Durban High School (DHS), Treverton College, Hoërskool Voortrekker, Hoërskool Port Natal, Northwood School, Michaelhouse, Kingsway High, South City College, Ohlanga High, Umlazi Commercial and Technical School, Kloof High and St Charles College.

– This article first appeared in the August issue of SA Rugby magazine. The September issue – a 260-page World Cup special – will be on sale from 24 August.

In the Schoolboy Derby feature match of the weekend, Grey Bloem carried on their unbeaten record for the year with a 28-6 win over KZN rivals Glenwood in Bloemfontein. The visitors challenged the hosts well in the first half, holding them to a 6-6 deadlock, but Grey Bloem ran away with it in the second stanza and scored 22 unanswered points for victory.

Up north, Affies and Waterkloof picked up big wins against Daniel Pienaar (69-10) and Zwartkop (92-13) respectively. In the main game in the Northern Cape, Noord-Kaap remained flawless in 2011 after beating neighbours Diamantveld 44-7.

In the Western Cape, Rondebosch and Bishops triumphed in the southern suburb clashes while Paul Roos, Boishaai and Gimmies came away with wins. Outeniqua also thrashed Oudtshoorn 37-10 in a FNB Classic Clash.

In the Eastern cape, Selborne downed Grey PE 29-21 while Dale thumped Hudson Park 40-18.

Major school results:
Grey Bloem 28 Glenwood 6
Boland Landbou 22 Rondebosch Boys’ 15
Dale 40 Hudson Park 18
Outeniqua 37 Oudtshoorn 10
Affies 69 Daniel Pienaar 10
Boland Landbou 12 Paarl Boys’ 19
Paarl Gimnasium 54 De Kuilen 12
Rondebosch Boys’ 10 SACS 5
Wynberg Boys’ 33 Bishops 34
Tygerberg 46 Strand 5
Waterkloof 92 Zwartkop 13
Noord-Kaap 44 Diamantveld 7
Oakdale 33 Framesby 3
Queen’s 25 Cambridge 20
Helpmekaar 33 Ermelo 24
Paul Roos 23 Drostdy 21
Grey PE 21 Selborne College 29

The tourists out-muscled the the hosts in a physical contest and deserved a 26-10 half-time lead. The SA Academy side put in a better second half performance, but the deficit at break proved to great as their French counterparts held on for the win.

The centre pairing of John Kotze and Edwin Sass were the stars in the SA Academy side, scoring all the team’s three tries. Flyhalf Gideon Meiring kicked all the extras and a penalty in the 12-point defeat.

France U18 will now face a strong SA Schools team in Port Elizabeth this Saturday, which will be the curtain-raiser for the Springboks’ Test against the All Blacks.