Cape Town – A group of former rugby players want the Craven Week’s name to be changed.

Afrikaans newspaper Rapport said on Sunday that former SARU players have written to SA Rugby asking for the name change.

SARU was a non-racial governing body for South African rugby during apartheid.

The Craven Week is named after Danie Craven, a former Springbok and president of the South African Rugby Board which was the governing body of South African rugby before unification.

The report added that more than 20 former SARU players say the name of the under-13 and under-18 provincial festivals brings back painful memories of the past when players of colour were not allowed to participate.

“Craven Week is one of the last bastions of the apartheid era that still goes on and everyone overlooks it,” former SARU loose forward Tauriq Britton said.

“But that name still holds so many angry feelings and resentment. The Craven name must go. It causes too much pain for us former national players, including those whose children now play under that Craven name.”

Britton said the name should be changed to the National Schools Week.