Big wins for top teams at Grant Khomo

The Sharks, Blue Bulls and SWD registered vital victories to emerge as top contenders to contest the final match of the tournament on Friday.

The Sharks defeated Boland 10-5, while the Blue Bulls held their nerve to secure a 35-31 victory against the Golden Lions and SWD ran in an impressive seven tries for a 39-7 victory against the Leopards.

Hosts, Western Province, meanwhile, bounced back strongly from their round-one defeat against neighbours, Boland, by registering a convincing 29-7 victory against Griquas, while the Western Province XV beat the Free State 34-14.

In the other matches, Eastern Province defeated the Griffons 16-6, the Limpopo Blue Bulls registered an emphatic 46-0 victory against Border CD, the Pumas cruised to a 32-7 victory against Namibia, while the Falcon beat Zimbabwe 20-12 and Border overpowered Boland XV 42-0.

Under-16 Grant Khomo results of Day two:

Wednesday, July 6

Sharks 10-5 Boland

The Sharks defended like demons to shut out an over-eager Boland side in the first half. Boland created several try-scoring chances but battled to convert them into points due to errors at crucial times.

The Sharks, meanwhile, showed composure on attack and defence, which they supported with a strong counter-attack. But with Boland showing heart on defence, the Durban side scored the only points of the first half compliments of a penalty goal.

The Sharks came out firing in the second half and their efforts paid off with a well-worked try for a 10-0 lead seven minutes after play resumed. But Boland hit back with a try eight minutes before the final whistle to keep alive their hopes of a victory. These hopes, however, were dashed as neither team was able to add to their score.

The scorers:

For Sharks:

Try: Jhaques Thyssen

Con: Jaden Hendrikse

Pen: Jaden Hendrikse

For Boland:

Try: Christoffel Grobbelaar

Blue Bulls 35-31 Golden Lions

The Blue Bulls were firmly in control in the first half against the Golden Lions as their forwards and backs combined well, while they backed this up with solid support play. This effective performance earned them four first-half tries to only two by their Gauteng counterparts for 25-14 halftime lead.

The Blue Bulls added their fifth try shortly after the break to extend their lead, but the Golden Lions fought back with intent to score three tries in 14 minutes to reduce the deficit. A handy penalty by the Pretoria team three minutes before the final whistle inflated their lead sufficiently to hold on for the 35-31 victory.

The scorers:

For Blue Bulls:

Tries: Diego Appollis, Janco Uys, Juandre Sabbat, Julian Bogner 2

Cons: Regardt Erasmus Roets 2

Pens: Regardt Erasmus Roets 2

For Golden Lions:

Tries: Franco Schutte, Jordan Coetzee, Mohau Mohlahleli, Morne Brandon, Zihan Coetzee.

Cons: Muzilikazi Manyike 3

Border 42-0 Boland XV

Border dominated as soon as the match got underway, and within 6 minutes Border scored a try. Minutes later they extended the lead with a try and took an 18-0 advantage to the change room.

Boland never really found their feet in the match, as Border continue to dominate the second stanza by adding four additional unanswered tries.  

The scores:

For Border:

Tries: Avuyile Mabece , Oscar Nogqala, Sakhekile Dingile 2, Thabank Maifo 2, Uzile Tele

Cons: Siba Mqeni 2

Pen: Siba Mqeni

Western Province 29 – 7 Griquas

Western Province showed promise on attack early on in their clash against Griquas as they worked their way close to the tryline on a few occasions, but were shut out by the determined defence. They finally broke through for their first try in the 24th minute and earned another five minutes later, which added to an early penalty goal, handed them a 15-0 lead at the break.

The team built on this momentum in the second half and added two more tries to stretch their lead to 29-0. Griquas, however, hit back with a late try to go down 29-7.

The scorers:

For Western Province:

Tries: Adrian Alberts, Albertus Horn, Nivan Petersen, Thoubaan Gabriels.

Cons: Nivan Petersen 3

Pen: Nivan Petersen

For Griquas:

Try: Winston Jordaan

Con: Salmon Oberholzer

SWD 39-7 Leopards

SWD were in fine form from the outset in their clash against the Leopards and scored their first of four-first half tries in the eighth minute as they used their skills and speed to outplay the Leopards.

The George side led 17-7 at the break and they continued to build on this momentum in the second half to add three more tries to take their tally for the match to seven. The Leopards, meanwhile, battled to make their presence felt and had to settle for a 39-7 defeat.

The scorers:

For SWD:

Tries: Clyde Lewis, Dillan Pieterse, Johannes Klinck, Peplar le roux 2, Pieter Maritz, Zindedine Robinson.

Cons: Clyde Lewis 2

For Leopards

Try: Estian Heyneke

Con: Estian Heyneke

Falcons 20 – 12 Zimbabwe

The scorers:

For Falcons:

Tries: Alden Deysel, Wesley Noeth

Cons: Dylan Schwartz 2

Pens: Dylan Schwartz 2

For Zimbabwe:

Tries: Lameck Vheriwa, Patrick Chivanga

Con: Tabonga Ngonyamo

Pumas 32 – 7 Namibia

The scorers:

For Pumas:

Tries: Unathi Poyo, Rowane Skosana, Estian Schroeder 2, Banele Mthenjane 2.

Con: Tiaan du Plessis

For Namibia:

Try: Shaun van Wyk

Con: Diederik Niehaus

Western Province 34-14 Free State

The scorers:

For Western Province:

Tries: Breyton Poole, Remy Engelbrecht 3

Cons: Mikyle Vraagom 4

Pens: Mikyle Vraagom 2

For Free State:

Try: Ross Nicholas Braude, Penalty try

Cons: Richard Kriel, Christoffel Klijnhans

Limpopo Blue Bulls 46-0 Border CD  

The scorers:

For Limpopo Blue Bulls:

Tries: William Thulare 2, Philip Apea-Adu 2, Lehlogonolo Molepo, Casper Kruger, Baphiwe Fani.

Cons: Erik Meintjies 4

Pen: Erik Meintjies

Eastern Province  16 – 6 Griffons

The scorers:

For Eastern Province:

Try: Luke Smuts

Con: Claude Jacobs

Pens: Claude Jacobs 3

For Griffons:

Pens: Ruben Liebenberg