WP, Sharks bank big wins at U18 Craven Week
DAY TWO WRAP: Western Province powered past Boland while the Sharks High Schools side put Eastern Province to the sword at the Under-18 Craven Week at Hoërskool Middelburg on Tuesday.
The second day of the tournament served up a series of engaging contests, with 39 tries scored throughout the four matches – and 14 of those coming in the Western Cape derby.
Valke wing Dihan Crause scored a brace in the first fixture of the day, as the East Randers fought back from an early deficit to go to half-time with a 19-12 lead. The Leopards had the final say, though, with No. 8 Tiaan Koen crashing over the tryline in the 69th minute to secure a valuable 29-29 draw for his side.
The game between Border and Griquas was in the balance before the boys from the Eastern Cape raced clear after the break. Griquas’ discipline cost them in the second stanza, and Border took full advantage, scoring six tries in all.
Eastern Province went toe to toe with the Sharks in a fiercely contested first half but struggled to live with the KwaZulu-Natalians in the latter stages of the game.
Sharks fullback Zekhethelo Siyaya – who represented SA Schools in 2024 – scored a long-range try after half-time, and finished with a tally of 10 points, while replacement back Nathan Aneke grabbed a brace to boost his side to an emphatic 41-10 win.
In the final match of the day, WP, who finished last year’s tournament unbeaten, got their campaign off to an explosive start when they thrashed Boland 80-18 in the Western Cape derby.
No. 8 Quintin Potgieter scored a hat-trick for Province, while flyhalf Ethan van Biljon contributed 15 points to the cause.
The U18 Craven Week will continue at Hoërskool Middelburg on Wednesday, with the Limpopo Blue Bulls taking on the Griffons in the first fixture.
The Golden Lions and South Western Districts, who claimed impressive wins against the Blue Bulls and Free State, respectively, on day one, will meet in the final clash of the day.
U18 Craven Week Results Day Two (Tuesday, 8 July):
Leopards 29 (12) v Valke 29 (19)
Border 36 (17) v Griquas 17 (10)
Sharks High Schools 41 (13) Eastern Province 10 (3)
Western Province 80 (40) Boland 18 (6)
Day Two schedule (Wednesday, July 9):
10.00: Limpopo Blue Bulls v Griffons
11.30: Western Province XV v Pumas
13.00: Free State v Blue Bulls
14h30: Obaro Golden Lions v SWD
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