The annual Coca-Cola Youth Weeks are set to rise a notch today as the 2015 Under-16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo and the Coca-Cola Academy Weeks begin in Oudtshoorn and Vanderbijlpark, respectively.

The U16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week will be hosted at the Bridgton Sports Grounds in Oudtshoorn, while the Coca-Cola Academy Week will be held at the Isak Steyl Stadium in Vanderbijlpark, with both tournaments running from Monday to Thursday.

This follows the Under-13 Coca-Cola Craven Week in White River and the LSEN Week in Worcester last week.

Given the fact that several Springboks have progressed through the South African rugby ranks from these tournaments, and with the U16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week marking the first opportunity at age-group level for the top players to be drawn into the South African Rugby Union’s Elite Player Development system, the competition is expected to be intense in the next few days.

Springboks who participated in the U16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week include Trevor Nyakane, Siya Kolisi, Nizaam Carr, Jan Serfontein and Handre Pollard, while Willie le Roux, Oupa Mohoje, Francois Hougaard and Lourens Adriaanse – as well as Springbok Sevens star Seabelo Senatla have come through the Coca-Cola Academy Week ranks.

The Griffons will meet Boland and Border CD will take on the Leopards, respectively, in the opening matches at the U16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week at 09h00 on Monday, while hosts the SWD Eagles take on the Pumas in the final match of the day at 16h00.

DHL Western Province, who emerged as the top team last season, meanwhile, will battle it out with the Free State in their opening match.

In Vanderbijlpark the Pumas and Boland, and Border CD and the Leopards, respectively, will go head-to-head in the opening match at 08h45, while hosts, the Rooi Valke will take on Eastern Province CD and the Blouvalke meet Namibia in their opening clashes.

These competitions will be followed by the flagship event of the Coca-Cola Youth Weeks, the U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week at Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch from July 13 to 18.

U16 COCA-COLA GRANT KHOMO WEEK FIXTURES – DAY ONE, JULY 6:

A Field:
09h00 – Griffons v Boland
10h30 – KwaZulu-Natal v Eastern Province
12h00 – Blue Bulls v Bidvest Golden Lions
13h30 – DHL Western Province v Free State
16h00 – SWD Eagles v Pumas

B Field:
09h00 – Border CD v Leopards
10h30 – Griquas v Zimbabwe
12h00 – Griquas CD v Limpopo Blue Bulls
13h30 – SWD Eagles XV v Border
16h00 – Namibia v Valke

COCA-COLA ACADEMY WEEK FIXTURES – DAY ONE, JULY 6:

A Field:
08h45 – Pumas v Boland
10h05 – Border v Eastern Province
11h25 – Blue Bulls v KwaZulu-Natal
12h45 – Lions v DHL Western Province
14h45 – Blouvalke v Namibia
16h05 – Rooi Valke v Eastern Province CD

B Field:
08h45 – Border CD v Leopards
10h00 – SA LSEN v Griquas CD
11h15 – KwaZulu-Natal CD v Griffons CD
12h30 – Griquas v Pumas CD
13h45 – Free State v SWD
15h30 – Limpopo Blue Bulls v Griffons