CONTINUING THE TY SOUTH AFRICA PROGRAMME IN 2025

Cricket Leinster is delighted that ten more Leinster youth cricketers will take advantage of their Transition Year to spend time studying and playing cricket at a variety of South Africa’s leading schools (SAEP).

2025 marks the 22^nd intake, with over one hundred young Leinster cricketers having taken part since its inception, with Barry McCarthy, Andrew Balbirnie, Lorcan Tucker, Harry Tector, Neil Rock, Fionn Hand and George Dockrell headline graduates.

SAEP remains the flagship opportunity for young cricketer to broaden their experiences, to see how South Africa develops its young players, to grow up, and to return to Ireland with greater clarity for what they seek in life.

That life change is something we know all the partner schools are prouder of than any of the sporting achievements they may go on to achieve.  This is not a tour, this is being welcomed within that school’s family, shown what that means, how embracing it will help you grow, and something that as the 2025 players will learn, that Andrew Balbirnie still references, never leaves you, it is your South African family for life.

Cricket Leinster would like to again acknowledge the role of the South African schools, the host coaches, teachers, and families, who have for so long supported this increasing number of Leinster young cricketers to achieve something so many can only dream of.  It is never taken for granted, and we thank you for all you do so unseen to all of us to keep this programme so successful.

For 2025, the Leinster cricketers have been hitting the ground as soon as they land, with the six at Glenwood High School in Durban, participating in a two-day High-Performance training camp to help the players to get to know their fellow school students.

Clontarf pair Harry Irving and Christopher Barry made their debuts for Muir College 1st XI on their pre-season tour to Union High School, Graff Reinet in the Eastern Cape and also played Muir’s first competitive fixture against Graham at Uitenhage last weekend.

For the players, it is also part of their cricket development, experiencing the culture in South Africa, one of respect, hard work, long hours, and dedication to be the best you can be at whatever it is you are doing, something so many could do well to embrace. 

Fixtures in the coming weeks will involve games against other Eastern Cape cricket schools like Woodridge, Grey High, Union High, Brandwag, Queen's College, Daniel Pienaar, Pearson, and Sterling High.

Ireland youth pair Gethin Kelleher and Rob O’Brien join the prestigious St Stithians School whose cricket is headed up by former Pembroke CC professional Wim Jansen, who’s support for the programme continues each year.

On behalf of everyone at Cricket Leinster, good luck, fly the Leinster flag with pride, may you enjoy it, honour your hosts, play with pride, and showcase why the SAEP is such a special programme to be part of.

Below is a list of the Leinster players currently in South Africa:

• Harry Irving (CUS & Clontarf) and Christopher Barry (Mount Temple & Clontarf) at Muir College, Uitenhage, Eastern Cape.
• Lorcan Craik (Dunshaughlin Community College & Balbriggan CC), Brian Dunphy (Ardgillan School & North County CC), Max Stead (Skerries Community College & The Hills CC), Abdullah Nawabzai (Coláiste Chill Mhantáin & Greystones CC) & Aadi Wankhade (Drogheda Grammar School & Balbriggan CC), Bruce Whaley (Sandford Park School & Pembroke CC) at Glenwood High School, Durban.
• Rob O’Brien (The High School & Railway Union CC) & Gethin Kelleher (The High School & Terenure CC) at St Stithians College, Johannesburg.