Craven Week Results - Day 4
The weather was fine enough at Stellenbosch in Day 4 of the 2007 Craven week being played at Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch but parts of the Markotter Field resembled more a well trampled cattle kraal than green and pleasant turf. And it would become more trampled as the day went on.
Nambia vs Border Country Districts, 3-0
This is the lowest winning score in 44 years of Craven Week. At one stage it threatened to become the first 0-0 draw but just before the end the Country Districts were penalised for hands in a ruck right in front of their posts and ?? Brussell goaled.
Earlier the Country Districts came within an ace of scoruing from a movement that started in their own 22 when Kaschula hooked a kick to his left. The Country Districts secured and tall Bongisani Daka went striding over the half-way line heading for the corner post on his left. He left Namibians behind till suddenly at the last minute, seemingly coming from nowhere the ginger-haired Namibian fullback Robert Herridge flew into him. Daka got the ball down but a trailing foot had been shunted into touch.
The other telling run of the match came from Namibia’s Cedric Haruseb who raced down the right, cut inside and set up the ruck which produced the winning penalty.
Both sides were willing in the mud but found footing difficult.
Scorers
For Namibia
Pen: Brussel
Teams
Border Country Districts: 15 Odwa Mdlana, 14 Boysie Malikeni, 13 Siyabonga Mdzanga, 12 Jason Kaschula, 11 Sibusiso Makhedi, 10 Alungile Jita, 9 Malibongwe Cokoto, 8 Thembelani Bholi, 7 Moyakhle, 6 Siphumle Nongoma, 5 Albert Stanley, 4 Mdolo, 3 Thabiso Mngomezulu, 2 Sanele Nxele, 1 Saziso Jali
Replacements: 16 Dianaye, 17 Mpumelelo Raziya, 18 Phikolomzi Bizana, 19 Situthezi, 20 Sandiso Ndzo, 21 Daka, 22 Onga Luthuli
Namibia: 15 Robert Herridge, 14 Cedric Haruseb, 13 Dane van Zyl, 12 Danjamin de Bruin, 11 Llewellyn Pieterse, 10 Charlton Brussel, 9 Cameron Britz, 8 Rozando Botes, 7 Theuns Jacobs, 6 Charl Freygang, 5 Willem Burger, 4 Barend Janse van Rensburg, 3 Lourens du Toit, 2 Oliver Strauss, 1 Erik Burger.
Replacements: 16 Theo Coetzee, 17 Dimitri Redofia, 18 Brynard, 19 Waldo Schaeffer, 20 Emile Buitendach, 21 Yarman Cloete, 22 Lezaan Alcock
Referee: Silulami Pityoi (Western Province)
Zimbabwe vs Border, 27-5
Playing in a bright strip of blue, white and gold hoops Zimbabwe kicked off and it took them 17 seconds to score. The next score came 45 minutes later, but this one was as quick as a flash as Border flyhalf Lionel Cronje passed to Zimbabwe centre Robert Lee-Webb who raced through for a try under the posts which Raymond de Jong converted.
Zimbabwe were too strong and well organised up front for the Border boys, but did not get their next points till well into the second half when De Jong goaled a penalty.
Border then attacked, helped by a quick succession of penalties till they tapped and replacement flank Geoffrey Wood plunged over for the try. 10-5 top Zimbabwe.
That was as close as Border got after 17 seconds of the match.
Lee-Webb got the next try for as Zimbabwe attacked and from close quarters he spun away from one tackler and then pulled the next one over the line for a try which the TMO conformed. De Jong converted.
Zimbabwe attacked again and going left their Butch James-eque flyhalf Danny Robertson chipped, chased, gathered and dived over next to the uprights for the try. Again De Jong converted.
With three minutes to go and no earthly chance of defeat, De Jong did what seems to be an unfortunate custom at this year’s Craven Week, De Jong kicked a penalty goal.
Scorers
For Zimbabwe
Tries: Lee-Webb 2, Robertson
Cons: De Jong 3
Pens: De Jong 2
For Border
Try: Wood
Teams
Zimbabwe: 15 Raymond de Jong, 14 Tafadzwa Seremani, 13 Robert Lee-Webb, 12 Dante Mama, 11 Rangarirai Zembe, 10 Richard Morgan, 9 Jason Graham, 8 Graham Lawler, 7 Khulani Nkala, 6 Michael Todd, 5 Gareth Loubser, 4 Antonio Machado, 3 David Ross-Andersen, 2 Brendon Chapman, 1 Andrea Blagojevic.
Replacements: 16 Reginald Bryant, 17 James Holmes, 18 Ronnie Chihota, 19 Kyle Jarvis, 20 Lloyd Swift, 21 Danny Robertson, 22 Johannes Rushwaya
Border: 15 Kholo Ramashala, 14 B Zwane, 13 Simthembile Cakwe, 12 Bradley Kretzmann, 11 Logan Basson, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Sinovuyo Nyoka, 8 R Potgieter, 7 Sihle Mtwa, 6 Bulelani Mbuqe, 5 Wynand Wagenaar, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Juan Bekker, 2 Peter Smith, 1 Daylin Berndt.
Replacements: 16 Everhard van Pletzen, 17 Robert Macfarlane, 18 Tim Kwizera, 19 Geoffrey Wood, 20 Craig Shone, 21 Jarred Hettema, 22 Okuhlo Joyi
Referee: Heinrich Viljoen
Limpopo vs Griqualand West, 12-11
Again Griquas lost by one point, as they had done against the Valke on Tuesday. But Limpopo were full value for their slender victory. They scored two tries to one and on three occasions were stopped by penalties when tries looked imminent in a match of many penalties and, as a result, little continuity.
It was also a match that produced three yellow cards. Both Griqua props spent time in sin bin and Limpopo’s Nhlanganiso Sibanda also spent time there for what looked like a badly timed collision. The fullback had to helped off in agony to go to the sin bin.
Griquas scored first when they did and 8-9 from a five-metre scrum and sturdy scrumhalf Joe van Niekerk forced his way over far out. Hano van der Walt missed but goaled a penalty to put his side 8-0 ahead.
Limpopo got closer when they handled sweetly going right and gave Alec Mhlanga an inviting overlap. The speedy wing needed no second invitation as he swept inside one and strongly through a second to score. Morne Archer did well to convert on a day when many kickers slipped as they kicked.
Limpopo started the second half in brilliant fashion as captain Mauritz Pohl broke clean through, frustrated by an ankletap. Limpopo stayed on the attack. From a scrum close in Duvenhage broke and then Mhlanga picked up to force his way over for this second try.
A second penalty by Van der Walt made it 12-11 but after that Griquas did not threaten the men from the north
Scorers
For Limpopo
Tries: Mhlanga 2
Con: Archer
For Griqualand West
Try: Van Niekerk
Pens: Van der Walt 2
Teams
Limpopo: 15 Nhlanganiso Sibanda, 14 Alec Mhlanga, 13 Mauritz Pohl, 12 Sello Sekwela, 11 Dion Maboko, 10 Morne Archer, 9 Casio De Sousa, 8 Regardt Kleingeld, 7 Grant Shai, 6 Duvenhage, 5 Andrew Fraser, 4 ,Scheepers Lubbe 3 Du Preez, 2 Oscar Mthembi, 1 Ntando Nyakane.
Replacements: 16 Arno de Beer, 17 AJ Janse van Rensburg, 18 Rendani Ramovha, 19 Rinus Riekert, 20 Bierman Smit, 21 Johan Engelbrecht, 22 Masebe
Griqualand West: 15 Winston Booysen, 14 Jesse-Marc Rhode, 13 Hennie Cloete (captain), 12 Joubert Engelbrecht, 11 Girthwinn Uithaler, 10 Hano van der Walt, 9 Joe van Niekerk, 8 Janneman Jordaan, 7 Jamie Zwiegelaar, 6 Byron Booysen, 5 Jaen van Deventer, 4 Kasper, 3 Hein Stasch, 2 Dane Rhode, 1 Schalk van der Merwe.
Replacements (from): 16 Wessel Lourens, 17 Jaco van der Westhuizen, 18 Johan Steenkamp, 19 Angus Leukus, 20 Andrew van Wyk, 21 Luthando Noko, 22 Elias Laubscher
Referee: Marius Bonthuys (Griffons)
Blue Bulls vs Valke, 68-0
Stellenbosch witnessed the running of the Bulls in the first half this afternoon. For the first time a team kept its feet and passed the ball as if they had been on the desiccated Highveld. For the first time there was continuity and brilliant interplay.
The Valke won on Tuesday but they came a bad second today when the match threatened to break all records as the Blue Bulls scored seven tries in the first half to lead only 37-0 – only because they kicked only one conversions.
In the second half they fewer tries than in the first half but it did not matter,. In fact the Valke started the second half better and had a good passage of play early on before being blown away. They looked dejected while their opponents revelled.
Outstanding for the Blue Bulls was their flank Marnitz Schoeman, the most creative flank on view at Craven Week so far. He was forceful when he needed to be, skilled always and able to straighten the line. He was the mainspring of much of the torrent of tries.
Scorers
For Blue Bulls
Tries: Gerhard van der Merwe, Chikukwa, Schoeman 2, Stampu 2, Marothodi, Brummer, Coetzee, Van Zyl, Ntinkulu, JP van der Merwe
Cons: Brummer 2, G van der Merwe, Oosthuizen
Teams
: 15 Gerhard van der Merwe, 14 JP van der Merwe, 13 Jaco Oosthuizen, 12 Yondela Stampu, 11 Omphile Marothodi, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Nicolaas van Zyl, 8 Tendayi Chikukwa, 7 Nel, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Mark Hennig, 4 Mlungisi Bali, 3 Petrus Vorster, 2 Eduan Neeb, 1 Tumelo Thage.
Replacements: 16 Robin Coetzee, 17 Brendan Kruger, 18 Cornell Hess, 19 Oswin Mentoor, 20 Daniel Faassen, 21 Simphiwe Ntinkulu, 22 Mpho Matau
Valke: 15 Tesner Williams, 14 Roland Syphus, 13 Jabu Radebe, 12 Rudolph Prinsloo, 11 Noel Gazide, 10 Dewald Nel, 9 De Wet le Roux, 8 Anton van Deventer, 7 Justin Peyper, 6 Refiloe Khoza, 5 Thando Mpapele, 4 Gavin Annandale, 3 Pieter van Schaik, 2 Frank Bester, 1 Morne Mellet.
Replacements (from): 16 Juan-Pierre van Rooyen, 17 Boris van Jaarsveld, 18 Junior Gama, 19 Nhlanhla Vilakazi, 20 Given Mkwena, 21 Pietie Lubbe 22Whelan Fortuin
Referee: Stefan Breytenbach (Pumas)
Free State vs Pumas, 18-3
This was a match this was and the better team won it. That said, the team that did not win stood up manfully and gave almost as good as they got. They were just not as cohesive in the pack as the Free Staters, which meant that they got less ball, but when they did they were possibly more creative.
The first try to the Free State was scored by Hadley Smith with a powerful run down the left wing. After clever work by Johan van Schalkwyk Smith got started and beat two defenders to score.
Sias Ebersohn kicked a penalty and so did Marnitz Boshoff, perhaps the most accomplished flyhalf at Craven Week though on this day his goal-kicking would have disappointed him.
That made the score 8-3 at half-time.
Deon Helberg had a great run down the right wing. He linked infield with Boshoff but could not hang onto the return pass. A try was certainly possible though the Free State defence was as usual close and tight.
The rain came down and still the two teams played with undiminished zest, but mostly with the Free State in control. They got two tries in the half – the first by Sias Ebersohn as the Pumas ran out of defenders far out and the second when penalties got them to a five-metre line-out and a maul, and bulky replacement Coenie Oosthuizen was the one who dropped to ground with the ball.
The Pumas ended on the attack but again the Free State defence was dense.
Scorers
For Free State
Tries: Smith, J Ebersohn, Oosthuizen
Pens: J Ebersohn
For Pumas
Pen: Boshoff
Teams
Free State: 15 Wilton Pietersen, 14 Mkhwanazi, 13 Johan van Schalkwyk, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Hadley Smith, 10 Josias Ebersohn, 9 Thamsanqa Mcinga, 8 Andries Theisinger, 7 Roelof Pienaar, 6 Moekoa Bolofo, 5 Jannie Geldenhuys, 4 Johannes Mpande, 3 James Hallewell, 2 Frank Herne, 1 Richard Harris.
Replacements: 16 Coenrad Oosthuizen, 17 Pieter Labuschagne, 18 Tumelo Moholo, 19 Johan Prinsloo, 20 Sakkie Muller, 21 Egan Gysman, 22 Mayibuye Ndwandwa
Pumas: 15 Corne Janse van Vuuren, 14 Deon Helberg, 13 Sammy Gqoli, 12 Chris Botha, 11 Howard Mnisi, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Christiaan Lombard, 8 Hendrik la Grange, 7 Neo Maliehe, 6 Wimpie van der Walt, 5 Marco-Pierre van Eeden, 4 Meiring De Clerq, 3 van der Merwe, 2 Sibi Masina, 1 Henco Dickason.
Replacements: 16 Werner Bekker, 17 , 18 Sandile Masango, 19 Jaco Kriel, 20 Valentine Thabede, 21 Bongi Luvuno, 22 Clive Mpila
Referee: George Roper (Blue Bulls)
