The SARL Western Cape Invitational XIII take on Great Britain & Ireland Students in Cape Town this weekend at Garden Tech Rugby Fields in Oranjezicht.

It is the first of three matches for the tourists and the first international to be hosted by the Western Cape Rugby League Association in nearly a decade.

South African Rugby League have been hard at work for the past two years developing the promising Western Cape province as Kobus Botha, President of SARL, notes. ” This match is a testimony to the hard work by the development team and by the administration in the Western Cape,” he said.

“Two years ago the area was identified as a key development region and the process started. Already we are seeing results, with a greater number of players in the senior squad, as well as representative numbers in the student and youth squads as well.”

Denzil Watson, chairman of WPRLA, added: “This match shows the players in the Western Cape that if you commit to the game, you will get the opportunity to not only play international matches, but also to represent your country. At WPRLA we are thankful of the support of the SARL Board, and the Director of coaching and Development, Fanie Bredenhann, for their continuous efforts to develop and grow the sport in the Western Cape”.

The Great Britain & Irish Student Team will arrive in Cape Town today (Thursday) and will remain in the province for five days before setting off to the citadel of rugby league in South Africa, Pretoria, where they face the current National Club Champions, TUKS Rugby League, on Wednesday (17 September, at Groenkloof Campus, Pretoria), before playing the SARL National Student Squad on Saturday the 20 September at the same venue.

SARL WESTERN CAPE INVITATIONAL XIII
Seraaj Bull (Cape Hyenas), Niyaaz Isaacs, Jean-Claude Mullins (Plains Sharks), Regadt Sedras, Keagan Fortune (Spartans), Russel Baadjies, Bradley Barnard, Jehan Burger, Devon Hooper, Divan Lotz, Marco Marais, Brendon Moodi, James Schietekat (Western Warriors)