The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) has confirmed that drug testing is underway at the Craven Week rugby tournament for Under-18 schoolboys, following the revelation that Junior Springbok prop Kai Pratt tested positive for an anabolic steroid.

SAIDS CEO Khalid Galant explained that data analytics and intelligence gathering are being used to identify athletes for testing, with Pratt's case emerging from a targeted investigation during a Junior Springboks holding camp.

Testing at Craven Week is not new, but the use of advanced analytics has intensified scrutiny, particularly in high-profile competitions like the SANZAAR U20 Rugby Championship.Galant emphasized that factors such as athlete performance history, competition profile, and commercial value influence testing priorities.

Despite South Africa's anti-doping lab accreditation being revoked, samples are still sent to overseas labs in Qatar, Barcelona, and Poland due to financial constraints.

The incident highlights ongoing challenges in combating doping in youth sports, with SAIDS aiming to maintain integrity through rigorous testing protocols.