WP U18 Sevens Champs
Western Province on Tuesday won the SARU Under-18 Sevens competition at Hoërskool Monument in Krugersdorp by defeating South Western Districts 31-24 in a thrilling final to cap off an exciting tournament.
Boland won the Plate Final, KwaZulu-Natal the Bowl final and Griquas the Shield final, while the Leopards defeated the Limpopo Blue Bulls to finish the competition in third position
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Western Province recovered from a 26-19 defeat against Free State in their opening match on Monday and worked their way into the Final thanks to their impressive attack and tenacious defence.
The team started the final day’s play with an encouraging 32-21 victory against the Blue Bulls in the Cup quarterfinal and then toppled the Limpopo Blue Bulls 29-24 in the semifinal to advance to the final.
South Western Districts, meanwhile, defeated Boland and the Leopards in the Cup quarterfinal and semifinal respectively to book their final berth.
The final was entertaining as Western Province did well to take advantage of the gaps in South Western Districts defence thanks to their fantastic support play and raw speed, which they backed up with a solid defensive effort. This earned them four first-half tries to only one by South Western Districts for a 24-7 lead. The second half was tense as the Cape side scored another try, but conceded two shortly after as they were reduced to 14 men for two minutes. But they managed to shut out South Western Districts in the dying minutes to secure the victory.
The semifinal between Western Province and Limpopo was also thrilling as the Limpopo side staged a dramatic comeback with two tries in the dying minutes to level the scores at 24-24 at the end of regular time. This forced the match into a sudden-death playoff, and after a few tight exchanges Western Province secured the victory with a stunning try out wide.
South Western Districts, meanwhile, cruised to a 39-0 victory against the Leopards in a one-sided semifinal.
Injured Springbok Sevens captain Kyle Brown, who mingled with the players and gave the teams advice during the two-day tournament, congratulated Western Province on their victory and praised the participating teams for the high quality of rugby delivered. Such was the thrilling nature of the tournament a total of 152 tries were scored on the A field on Tuesday.
Brown said: “Well done to Western Province, they played a fantastic brand of rugby throughout the competition and they certainly deserved the victory."
Of the tournament, he said: “I was very impressed with the standard of rugby played by the teams and I believe this tournament will play a vital role in boosting the interest in the sport at school level in future.”
SARU Under-18 Sevens Results, Day 1
Blue Bulls vs Griffons, 27-19
Blue Bulls vs Pumas, 19-12
Boland vs Border, 40-7
Boland vs KwaZulu-Natal, 34-5
Boland vs Valke, 12-12
Free State vs Griquas, 26-7
Free State vs Western Province, 26-12
Golden Lions vs Blue Bulls, 17-15
Golden Lions vs Griffons, 33-17
KwaZulu Natal vs Border, 19-15
Leopards vs Eastern Province, 38-33
Leopards vs Namibia, 35-10
Limpopo Blue Bulls vs Griquas, 28-19
Limpopo vs Free State, 36-10
Namibia vs Eastern Province, 28-19
Pumas vs Golden Lions, 22-5
Pumas vs Griffons, 36-5
South Western Districts vs Eastern Province, 38-5
South Western Districts vs Leopards, 21-14
South Western Districts vs Namibia, 26-12
Valke vs Border, 47-0
Valke vs KwaZulu-Natal, 24-0
Western Province vs Griquas, 29-7
Western Province vs Limpopo, 28-0
SARU Under-18 Sevens Results, Day 2
Bowl Quarterfinals
KwaZulu-Natal vs Eastern Province, 33-12
Namibia vs Border, 28-22
Free State vs Griffons, 45-17
Golden Lions vs Griquas, 34-27
Cup Quarterfinals
Leopards vs Valke, 12-10
South Western Districts vs Boland, 17-12
Western Province vs Blue Bulls, 32-21
Limpopo vs Pumas, 45-12
Shield Semifinals
Border vs Eastern Province, 12-0
Griquas vs Griffons, 54-19
Bowl Semifinals
KwaZulu-Natal vs Namibia, 17-12
Free State vs Golden Lions, 34-12
Plate Semifinals
Boland vs Valke, 22-7
Blue Bulls vs Pumas, 31-19
Cup Semifinals:
South Western Districts vs Leopards, 39-0
Western Province vs Limpopo, 29-24
Shield Final
Griquas vs Border, 40-7
Plate 3rd/4th place playoff
Valke vs Pumas, 24-19
Bowl Final
KwaZulu-Natal vs Free State, 26-21
Plate Final
Boland vs Blue Bulls, 52-12
Cup 3rd/4th place playoff
Leopards vs Limpopo, 31-14
Cup Final
Western Province vs South Western Districts, 31-14
Teams:
Blue Bulls: Arnold Gerber (Menlopark), Wildon Marsh (Garsfontein), Justin Meintjies (Menlopark), Jan van der Merwe (Affies), Stedman Gans (Waterkloof), Ruan de Beer (Menlopark), Runan Venter (Waterkloof), Juandré Michau (Waterkloof), Henk Esterhuizen (Garsfontein), Conree Poole (Garsfontein), Andell Loubser (Menlopark), Jasper Genis (Montana).
Boland: Steyn Olivier (Worcester Gim), Cuellen Matthee (New Orleans), Earl Dowrie (Drostdy), Adriaan van der Bank (Worcester Gim), Zane Farmer (Swartland), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Paulus Joubert), Deusdon Olivier (Overberg), Robert Payne (Curro Hermanus), Charles Williams (Groendal), Caleb Louw (Swartland), Shane Bezuidenhout (Labori), Joshua Davids (Albert Myburgh).
Border: Jerry Danquah (Queen’s), Michael Brink (Grens), Avela Jabuse (Queen’s), Siyamthanda Mgubo (Dale), Takki Boloko (Selborne), Michael Botha (Selborne), Milani Lubelwana (Selborne), Geraldo Joseph (Grens), Bulela Sotyelehwa (Hudson Park), Yawu Penwe (Queen’s), Luyolo Khuse (Dale), Siba Duniana (Selborne).
Eastern Province: Luigy van Jaarsveld (Marlow), Jean Smal (Daniël Pienaar), Francois Rood (Marlow), Luciano Grootboom (Daniël Pienaar), Jessi Johnson (Alexander), Daviaan Swanepoel (Die Brandwag), Athenkosi Sikiwe (Daniël Pienaar), Anrich Krause (Marlow), Dirk Staats (Nico Malan), Shevaan Hendriks (Die Brandwag), Jacques Steenberg (Daniël Pienaar), Siyabonga Mzantsi (Ndzondelelo).
Golden Lions: Ruan du Toit (Bastion), Damian Diedericks (Marais Viljoen), Ryan Johst (Linden), Morné van den Berg (Linden), Franco Tiedt (Monument), Tyrone Green (Jeppe), Wandisile Simelane (Jeppe), Brendon Schutte (Linden), Willie Bronkhorst, Christo Saayman (Helpmekaar), AJ van Blerk (Helpmekaar), Chainer van Rooyen (Helpmekaar).
Free State: Baholo Mokhomo (Louis? Botha), Daniël Rust (Grey), Lourens Schreuder (Grey), Francois Aggenbach (Grey), Dian Gouws (Grey), Austin de Bruyn (Louis Botha), Dale Koopman (Louis Botha), Patrick Mbangi (Louis Botha), Jeandré Christian (Louis Botha), Daniel Caku-Caku (Louis Botha), Shirwin Cupido (Louis Botha), Marco Vermeulen (Jim Fouché).
Griffons: Siyabonga Luwaca (Hentie Cilliers), Myron Scheepers (Hentie Cilliers), SJ Malherbe (Welkom Gimnasium), Jason Olivier (Hentie Cilliers), Benji Muller (Hentie Cilliers), Byron Ferreira (Welkom Gimnasium), Danie Hendriks (Welkom Gimnasium), Richmon Gora (Hentie Cilliers), Marco Labuschagne (Voortrekker), Dylan Stiemmie (AHS Kroonstad – Rooiskool).
Griqualand West: Cobus Wiese (Upington), Johan Joubert (Diamantveld), Gerhard Holtzhausen (Noord-Kaap), Cleo Adams (Noord-Kaap), Keaton Gordon (Diamantveld), Gerco Nortjé (Diamantveld), Etdeon Greyvenstein (Diamantveld), Janco Cloete (Diamantveld), Gustav Loots (Upington), Erik Jordaan (Duineveld), Gert Ruping (Upington), Marcel van der Westhuizen (Upington).
KwaZulu-Natal: Gregory Jackson (Michaelhouse), Bradley Roberts (Michaelhouse), Elihle Sibisi (Kloof), Minenhle Ngidi (DHS), Bader-Werner Pretorius (Kearsney), Donovan du Randt (Glenwood), Victor Foster (Michaelhouse), Tristan Dixon (Kearsney), Marco Palvie (Glenwood), Thomas Walker (Michaelhouse), Jaydon Morgan (Glenwood).
Leopards: Edmund Rheeder (Klerksdorp), Inus Vermeulen (Potchefstroom Gimnasium), Brendon Esterhuizen (Rustenburg), Paul Maluleke (Klerksdorp), Danick Pheiffer (Rustenburg), Jakobus van Breda (Potchefstroom Volkskool), Worsie Swanepoel (Lichtenburg), Francois Pelser (Vryburg), Johan Pelser (Vyburg), Hanco Knoetze (Lichtenburg), BF van Staden (Vryburg), Renier Barnard (Potchefstroom Volkskool).
Limpopo: Willem Dreyer (Hans Strijdom), Tony Botha (Merensky), Lehan Nel (Merensky), Jacques Venter (Ben Vorster), Surprise Mathabela (Ben Vorster), Jarik van der Walt (Hans Strijdom), Jan Heystek (Heuwelkruin), Thsepiso Mashasha (Ben Vorster), Brandon Lehmann (Tom Naudé), Diederik Oberholzer (Ben Vorster), Eddie Engelbrecht (Ben Vorster), Frans Botha (Nylstroom).
Pumas: Stephan de Jager (Nelspruit), Derik Willemse (HTS Middelburg), Liaan Prinsloo (HTS Middelburg), Eric Basson (HTS Middelburg), Dewaldt Coetzee Middelburg Hoërskool), Jaco Joubert (Nelspruit), Stephan Enslin (HTS Middelburg), Tapiwa Mafura (Ermelo), Fana Ngwenya (Middelburg Hoërskool), JC Pretorius HTS Middelburg), Jan Rens (HTS Middelburg).
South Western Districts: Daniél Maree (Oakdale), Armand Heunis (Oakdale), Corné de Klerk (Outeniqua), Niven Langdown (Outeniqua), Manie Libbok Outeniqua), JT Jackson (Oakdale), Shardward Fillies (Sao Bras), Neil Otto (Outeniqua), Dominic Smit (Langenhoven Gimnasium), Boeta Hamman (Oakdale), JP Duvenhage (Outeniqua), Clayton Kiewietz (Outeniqua).
Valke: Nicolaas de Beer (Brandwag), Marten Terblanche (Brandwag), Marco Roets (Brandwag), Rynhardt Bezuidenhout (Brandwag), JJ Keyser (Die Anker), Shane Coetzee (Die Anker), Jaco van Dyk (Hugenote), Tinus Oosthuysen (Hans Moore), Thsepi Kokong (Vereeniging Gimnasium), Martin van Wyk (EG Jansen), Darren de Bruin (Jeugland), Brady Wagman (HTS Sasolburg).
Western Province: Johan Visser, Mikhail Lavigre, Charl Francois du Toit (Paarl Boys’ High), Wynand Maclahlan (Tygerberg), Grant Williams (Paarl Gim), Ivan Kunz, Nico Leonard (Paul Roos), Michael Meyer (Paul Roos), Edwill van der Merwe (Paul Roos), Herschell Jantjes (Paul Roos), Duncan Saal (Kasselsvlei), Ryan Muller (Bellville).
Issued by SARU Corporate Affairs
