Craven Week Results, Day 2

Craven Week went into its second day, again in perfect Highveld weather, at Affies in Pretoria.

Zimbabwe vs Border, 18-10

Border, who had a miserable Craven Week in 2007 with problems off the field and a whitewash on it, started the 2008 with a defeat at the hands of Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe were bigger and stronger and their size and strength won them victory against a smaller, faster, more skilled team. Each side scored two tries. Twice the Zimbabwe prop, Michael Gwinyai, flopped over the line from close quarters. Both Border tries were run in, the second a brilliant effort rounded off with a long run by fullback Dan van de Vyver of Selborne. Their first try had been scored by stubby Dale scrumhalf Sinovuyo Nyoka who darted down the blindside.

At half-time Zimbabwe led 6-5 and the score was 11-10 when two penalties gave Michael Gwinyai a chance to score his second try.

Scorers:

For Zimbabwe:
Tries: Michael Gwinyai 2
Con: Mathew Swales
Pens: Mathew Swales 2

For Border:
Tries: Sinovuyo Nyoka, Daniel van de Vyver

Eastern Province vs Leopards, 45-22

Eastern Province produced splendid rugby in beating the Leopards in the second match of the second day. They were far too fast, too skilled and too innovative for the earnest Leopards. For most of the first half and up to half-time, the Leopards were competitive but the brilliant boot of Grey flyhalf Kurt Coleman kept the Eastern Province side in a growing lead and then Eastern Province shattered the Leopards.

First there was a second try for left wing Azola Tonisi with the flashing white boots. Then when the Leopards lost the ball in a tackle, Eastern Province capitalised and flank Maurice Rudman of Daniël Pienaar was over. Those two tries and a Coleman penalty took the score to 40-125.

After three penalties in their favour in quick succession, the Leopards tapped and strong eighthman Carel Greeff scored his second try.

Still the Eastern Province were not finished as interpassing took the ball some 70 metres for a try. The scorer, Stefan de Klerk of Framesby, handled twice in the move and then was strong and fast enough to get away from four tacklers to score.

Scorers:

For Eastern Province:
Tries: Azola Tonisi 2, Maurice Rudman, Siyamthanda Kolisi, Stefan De Klerk
Cons: Kurt Coleman 4
Pens:  Kurt Coleman 4

For Leopards:
Tries: Chris Schoonraad, Carel Greeff 2,
Cons: Adriaan Engelbrecht 2
Pen: Adriaan Engelbrecht

Valke vs Griquas, 40-32

What a match! What a comeback!

At one stage the Valke were 23-5 behind, and then they came back till the score got to 23-22 to Griquas and by then the Valke had scored three tries to two but the big boot of Johandré van der Walt of Noord-Kaap kept Griquas ahead, yet another big kicker at Craven Week.

In the second half Griquas led 29-25 when Morné Stassen raced down the right wing and got a brilliant pass inside to Dewald Nel who scored the try and then converted it to put the Valke ahead for the first time. 32-29.

Van der Walt levelled the scores with yet another penalty but then came the try of the match.

The score was 35-32 to the Valke but Griquas were attacking on their left but lost the ball in a tackle. The Valke swooped on it and started running with great efforts by eighthman Justin Peyper and tighthead Juan-Pierre van Rooyen, the captain of the Valke, till the ball reached Moloi on the left wing and the big player burst over

Scorers:

For Valke:
Tries: Dewald Nel, Heinrich Cronjé 2, Morné Stassen,  Paseka Moloi
Cons: Dewald Nel 3
Pens: Dewald Nel 3

For Griquas:
Tries: Darren-Lee Koopman, Jan Abraham Zwiegelaar
Cons: Johandré van der Walt 2
Pens: Johandré van der Walt 6

KwaZulu Natal vs Griffons, 34-15

KwaZulu Natal were far too good for the Griffons whose tenacity kept the score as close as it was, the try count only 3-2.

The boys from KwaZulu Natal looked the best organised team at Craven Week and were able to spread the ball wide with magnificent passing  but some how the boys from the Goldfields hung in there, perhaps because of their greater speed. Where they battled was in the matter of infringements which Ruan Combrink of Michaelhouse punished with his excellent kicking.

The Griffons managed a magnificent try when Siyasanga Mkunku sprinted down the right wing and turned round to score at the posts. Werner Jacobs scored their other tries when he tapped and -plunged through three opponents bigger than he was.

Scorers:

For KwaZulu Natal:
Tries: Orefile Nakin 2, Sibongiseni Kunene
Cons: Ruan Combrink 2
Pens: Ruan Combrink 5

For Griffons:
Tries: Siyasanga Mkunku, Werner Jacobs
Con: Ernst Erasmus
Pen: Ernst Erasmus

Free State vs Golden Lions, 44-29

The Golden Lions were full value for their 24-16 half-time lead. They looked hungrier and were far more committed physically all over the park. They should have led by more after conceding a try right on the half-time hooter.

The scrum contest was torrid from the outset as the two packs fought for ascendancy but frequent knock-ons by the backs meant the game lacked continuity. The Lions were on the board first in the sixth minute via a try from left-wing Divan Ferguson. The move was started by livewire flank Jimmy Hughes who drove the ball up well after a Free State knock-on. Further good work was done by hard running Lions flyhalf Elton Jantjes who took the ball flat and offloaded to his outside backs who swung the ball to Ferguson to score.

The respective kickers, Franna du Toit from Free State and Elton Jantjes from the Lions, traded penalties as both backlines looked full of running. The Lions put together a great passage of play before constructing their next try. After an eight phase attack which included some wonderful running and powerful pick and go’s the Lions were awarded a scrum. They used the narrow right-hand blindside to good effect and after some forward drives in midfield, flyhalf Elton Jantjes took another characteristic short flat pass to crash over for the score.

The Lions won their own kick-off via PJ Uys and went onto the attack immediately. Fullback Jacob Taute came into the line at pace and made the telling break. After a couple of drives by the forwards the ball was sent wide to Ferguson who raced in for his second. Jantjes converted from the corner to take his first half tally to fourteen points.

At this stage, after 34 minutes it looked like one-way traffic for the Lions but crucially the ever dangerous Free Staters struck just before the interval. The Lions after being clinical at the kick-offs the whole half, botch one. Free State gather and their inside centre Francois Venter found some space. He jinked inside and grubbered ahead. Re-gathering his own kick and he scored next to the right-hand upright. Du Toit converted as he had done three penalties ealier in the half and against the run of play Free State were back in the game.

Free State clearly came out with a different attitude in the second half. They displayed much more urgency in everything they did and the combinations, mostly from Grey College, began to communicate and gel. They were first on the board via another Franna du Toit penalty. The Lions were still firing though and increased the lead to ten points again after another powerful run from fullback Jacob Taute. After a hit in midfield right-wing Jandre Williams, popped up on the left and ran the classic Campese angle to score. At 29-19 to the Lions with half and hour remaining they still looked comfortably in control.

The Lions will want to stop watching the video at this point though as Free State scored 25 unanswered points in the last half hour to make it look like a relatively one-sided affair, which it most certainly was not. Free State drew level after a well-worked try by John-Henry Harris from a five metre tapped penalty and then another du Toit penalty.

By now Free State were beginning to click and they had that confident swagger you expect from the Free State (Grey College) boys. The passes were sticking and the halfbacks, Pieter Rademan and Franna du Toit were revelling in the surfeit of front-foot ball. Du Toit put Free State into the lead for the first time with a set scrum move close to the Lions line. Two inside backs ran decoys and du Toit took the ball wide and drifted into a gap the size of a barn door. He converted the try and suceeeded with a fifty-three metre penalty that would have made Grey College old boy Francois Steyn proud to put Free State into an unlikely ten point lead.

The Lions were shell-shocked and their skipper Whesley Moolman, who had had a good game up until then, appeared to be losing the plot. They were forced to chase the game and after a promising build up conceded an intercept to Free State fullback Adraan Britz, who ran seventy metres to score. Du Toit missed his first kick of the day on the final hooter but still ended with a personal tally of 29 points for the match.

Scorers:

For Free State:
Tries: Franna du Toit, Francois Venter, John-Henry Harris, Riaan Britz
Cons: Franna du Toit 3
Pens: Franna du Toit 5
Drop: Franna du Toit

Golden Lions:
Tries: Elton Jantjies, Divan Ferguson 2, Juandré Williams
Cons: Elton Jantjies 3
Pen:  Elton Jantjies