Springbok 2023 World cup Squad and their high school career

Since the oldest player in the Springbok squad for the World Cup in France matriculated back in 2003 until the youngest player matriculated in 2020 a total of 427 players represented the South African Schools side. Only 11 of them are part of the squad of 33 who will attempt to defend the Springboks' title.  

The oldest Springbok in the squad, Deon Fourie (Hoërskool Pietersburg), matriculated back in 2003. He represented the Limpopo Blue Bulls at the Craven Week that year. The youngest, Canan Moodie (Boland Landbou) matriculated in 2020 and didn't get a chance to take part in the Craven Week as no tournament was held in 2020 due to the Coronavirus- pandemic. This means Moodie was in his first year of life when Fourie played at Craven Week in 2003. 

Yes, the statistics are skewed a bit because some of the 427 players did go on to represent the Springboks or even other nations during their careers. But it is still interesting and worth noting that being picked for the SA Schools' side certainly doesn't warrant success later on in a player's rugby career. Furthermore, what is interesting is that 13 players in the squad never even made it to the Craven Week. 

Only two schools, Paul Roos Gimnasium and Hoërskool Tygerberg, have more than one representative in the Bok-squad. Willie le Roux, Steven Kitshoff and Damian Willsemse all played for Paul Roos, while Eben Etzebeth and Marvin Orie formed a lock-pair in the first team of Hoërskool Tygerberg. 

South Africa's 65th Springbok-captain, Bongi Mbonambi, is the only player in the squad that gets his schooling career allocated to two schools in St Alban's College and Voortrekker in Bethlehem. Mbonambi represented the Griffons at the Grant Khomo Week and also played a couple of matches for Voortrekker's First XV before making the move to Pretoria. Mbonambi represented the Blue Bulls at the Craven Week in East London in 2009 and also made the SA Schools' side of that year. 

A special mention of Sprinbok captain Siya Kolisi.

Kolisi attended Grey Junior in Port Elizabeth through a scholarship. He was subsequently offered a rugby scholarship to Grey High School. Kolisi was a regular member of the first XV rugby team. He was also a part of the Eastern Province Kings youth set-up between 2007 and 2009, playing in the Under-16 Grant Khomo week and the Under-18 Craven Week before shifting west to join Western Province. He further represented the under-18 SA Schools team for two consecutive years. 

In our statistics a player is allocated to a school via the following criteria. He matriculated from that school or represented said schools' First XV during his schooling career. 

Springbok World Cup Squad and their schools: 

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