Western Province losing their "unofficial final" berth in the Under-16 Grant Khomo rugby week against the Free State, after not adhering to SA Rugby's Youth Weeks transformation regulations, has caused some division on Thursday.
The WP youngsters were apparently booted from the main match after calling up two white players from their B-team at the tournament in Paarl to replace injured players of colour for their second match against the Blue Bulls on Tuesday.
This meant the team did not field the required 11 players of colour in a match as required by the regulations.
According to IOL Sport's information, the Bulls then laid a complaint after their match and that led to the actions against Province.
SA Rugby regulations stipulate that youth teams must have at least 11 players of colour in a matchday squad in the tournament, but Province didn't field the required number in their second match against the Pretoria team.
The Bulls lost that match 25-18, but after WP did not adhere to the rules, a complaint was laid with the organisers.
It meant that the WP side was demoted to play against the Lions on Thursday in the match before the "unofficial final'' and the Bulls Under-16s were promoted to the “final".
They will play the Free State, who just like Province, came through the week without losing a match and were set to face the home side at the Hoër Landbouskool Boland fields.
WP beat Boland's Under-16s on Monday, clinching the Western Cape derby against their neighbours comfortably by 41-12, and then beat the Bulls to stay unbeaten.
Free State triumphed over Border (29-20) and the Lions (23-9) for a place in the last match of the week.
IOL Sport