WP, Sharks close out Youth Week action
The 2019 edition of the Under-13 Craven Week and Under-16 Grant Khomo Week will conclude in dramatic fashion on Friday with Western Province and the Sharks meeting each other in the final match of both tournaments.
The Western Province Under-13s have treated their opponents in their three matches so far as mere speed bumps and will be keen to get going against the Sharks, who scored an impressive win over the Golden Lions on Thursday. Their wins ensured that the two teams were the only undefeated sides in the tournament.
The Under-16 Grant Khomo Week will see the Cape side – who has scored 18 tries and conceded only three – take on the KwaZulu-Natalians, who are also still undefeated, although they played to a draw against South Western Districts on Wednesday.
Thursday’s action at the scenic Rob Ferreira High School marked the third round of the Under-13 Craven Week.
Match Summaries
The day kicked off with a tightly contested affair between Boland and Eastern Province Elephants, with the Eastern Cape side winning 13-10.
Influential Boland fullback, Viaan Mentoor, again made a solid impact for the Winelands team, dotting down in the first half and kicking a conversion and penalty goal to hand his team a 10-8 lead at the break.
Eastern Province, in turn, kicked a penalty goal and scored a try in opening stanza, but they clinched the win with the only points in the second half compliments of a try by Lezano Leeuskieter.
The Valke and Leopards clash also proved to be a good match-up. The Valke claimed a 22-10 win after leading 12-0 at the break, with a superior team effort earning them the well-deserved victory.
The Leopards were too individualistic, while the Gauteng team used their strengths well. Valke centre, Jean-Dré Claassen, was in good form and scored one of their four tries and kicked a conversion.
Limpopo had way too much firepower in their backline for the Pumas and won 45-12. The home team had to defend from the start as Limpopo came at them from all angles. Loose forwards, Quintin Stander and Liam Santos, both scored good tries, but the highlight was a hat-trick from wing Nthati Matabane.
The Blue Bulls’ solid defence, meanwhile, proved instrumental in their 14-6 victory against Griquas. It was a hard-fought clash with neither side giving an inch. The Northern Cape side took the lead with two Pieter Retief (lock) penalty goals, which pushed them 6-0 up at the break.
The second half, however, belonged to the Blue Bulls as they found their rhythm on attack. First hooker Steve Stolk crashed over and then No 8 Stephan Pretorius got his name on the scoresheet. As hard as the Griquas tried, there was no way through their opponents’ defence.
The Free State Cheetahs outplayed Border Country Districts 22-5, scoring four tries to one in an entertaining clash. Both sets of wings were dangerous with ball in hand and that created some exciting backline play. The Free Staters, however, did well to remain composed, while their Eastern Cape counterparts tended to rush things, which proved to be the difference.
Western Province continued their dominance over their foes in White River, skinning South Western Districts 50-7 in an eight-try rout. The Cape side showed their class with their sheer pace and skill among the outside backs, while their tiresome pack also deserves credit for doing the hard work on the inside.
They scored in the opening minute against South Western Districts as centre Ashwin Swarts sliced through, and they added tries at regular intervals after that. Centre David Simon was again productive, scoring two nice tries and kicking four conversions.
The Sharks scored a convincing 22-5 win over Golden Lions. The KZN side outscored their Gauteng counterparts four tries to one and will feel the score was a true reflection of their efforts. The KwaZulu-Natal team were up 10-0 at the break and continued that strong form into the second half, scoring two more tries, with the Johannesburg side responding only once. Centre Lehlo Ngaka-bless scored a brace.
Griffons outplayed Border 22-0 in their clash, with a number of good try-scoring opportunities created by both sides. The Welkom outfit are a well-coached team and their forwards dominated proceedings. Thanks to this, No.8 Sandile Manyana managed to dot down twice.
Namibia and Zimbabwe clashed in their international match preceded by both national anthems and it was the coastal side that won 29-14 to claim their first win in White River.
Namibia started strongly and with prop Zander van Wyngaard in hot form, scoring three quick tries to catapult them to a 19-0 lead. A strong run by Zimbabwean wing Gunda Nokutenda, which Tyde Stirrup converted, cut the deficit, with the score at 19-7 at halftime.
A long-range penalty goal by flyhalf Aldré Kotze extended the Namibian lead in the second half, and a great run by wing Metarere Kauari stretched their lead further. After that, there was no doubt about the winner.
Under-13 Craven Week Results, Day 3:
Blue Bulls vs Griquas, 14-6
Eastern Province Elephants vs Boland, 13-10
Free State Cheetahs vs Border Country Districts, 22-7
Griffons vs Border, 22-0
Limpopo vs Pumas, 45-12
Namibia vs Zimbabwe, 29-14
Sharks vs Golden Lions, 22-5
Valke vs Leopards, 22-10
Western Province vs South Western Districts, 50-7
Results, Day 1:
Free State Cheetahs vs Namibia, 27-7
Griquas vs Zimbabwe, 31-5
Leopards vs Border Country Districts, 19-14
Blue Bulls vs Eastern Province Elephants, 22-17
Sharks vs South Western Districts, 31-5
Golden Lions vs Border, 57-7
Limpopo vs Boland, 27-24
Western Province vs Valke, 70-12
Griffons vs Pumas, 22-0
Results, Day 2:
Golden Lions vs Boland, 36-12
Griffons vs Namibia, 26-10
Griquas vs Valke, 10-0
Leopards vs Border, 20-15
Pumas vs Free State Cheetahs, 15-5
South Western Districts vs Blue Bulls, 21-12
Sharks vs Eastern Province Elephants, 55-0
Western Province vs Limpopo, 41-5
Zimbabwe vs Border Country Districts, 29-5
U13 Craven Week Final Round Fixtures – Friday, 28 June 2019
A Field
09.15: Golden Lions vs Blue Bulls
11.30: Western Province vs Sharks
B Field
09.15: Griquas vs Eastern Province Elephants
11.30: South Western Districts vs Limpopo
C Field
09.15: Boland vs Griffons
11.30: Valke vs Pumas
D Field
08.00: Zimbabwe vs Border
09.00: Namibia vs Border Country Districts
11.30: Leopards vs Free State Cheetahs
•The Under-16 Grant Khomo Week will see the undefeated Western Province and the Sharks playing in the main match on Friday.
The Cape side has been very impressive in White River, scoring 18 tries in two matches and conceding only three, while the Sharks have scored nine tries and conceding five.
South Western Districts – the only other team yet to taste defeat after two draws – will face the Golden Lions in another match that will create some interest.
The traditional international between Namibia and Zimbabwe will also be played with the singing of the respective national anthems preceding the match.
Grant Khomo Results, Day 1:
Eastern Province Elephants vs Blue Bulls, 15-13
Ford Human vs Griquas Zimbabwe, 24-17
Free State vs Cheetahs vs South Western Districts, 36-36
Golden Lions vs Leopards, 31-17
Griffons vs Valke, 35-34
Namibia vs Border Country Districts, 29-6
Pumas vs Limpopo,
Pumas XV vs SA Iqhawe Impi, 32-26
Sharks vs Border, 44-29
Western Province vs Boland, 78-7
Grant Khomo Results, Day 2:
Blue Bulls vs Pumas, 38-17
Boland vs Griquas, 30-20
Border vs Griffons, 13-8
Golden Lions vs Eastern Province Elephants, 29-17
Leopards vs Valke, 22-19
Limpopo vs Blue Bulls Pumas XV, 26-7
SA Iqhawe vs Namibia, 23-20
South Western Districts vs Sharks, 20-20
Western Province vs Free State Cheetahs, 44-16
Zimbabwe vs Border Country Districts, 10-0
Under-16 Grant Khomo Week Final Round Fixtures – Friday, 28 June 2019
A Field
08.00: Free State Cheetahs vs Eastern Province Elephants
10.15: South Western Districts vs Golden Lions
12.30: Western Province vs Sharks
B Field
08.00: Leopards vs Boland
10.15: Pumas vs Griffons
12.30: Blue Bulls vs Border
C Field
08.00: Namibia vs Zimbabwe
10.15: Griquas vs Pumas XV
12.30: Falcons vs Limpopo
D Field
10.00: SA Iqhawe vs Border Country Districts
Issued by SA Rugby Communications
