The Golden Lions edged the Blue Bulls on day two of the FNB U18 Craven Week, while Border, Griquas and Western Province XV were also among the winners at Grey High School in Gqeberha on Tuesday.
The second day of the tournament served up a series of fascinating contests, with 42 tries scored over the course of the four matches – and 10 of those coming in the Jukskei Derby.
Blue Bulls 32-43 Golden Lions
The Lions were caught asleep when Charl Els peeled around the back of a lineout to crash over. Ruan Flusk converted to extend the Bulls' lead to 07-00 after 10 minutes of play. 4 minutes later, Stefan van der Vyver scored off the back of a lineout maul. The Lions’ Siya Nkomo bulldozed his way over the tryline. Jaydon Viljoen converted to cut the Bulls' lead to 12-07 after 17 minutes of play in the first half. Flusk converted a penalty, extending the Bulls' lead to 15-07 after 24 minutes of play. The Lions’ Jaydon Viljoen converted a penalty, cutting the Bulls' lead to 15-10 going into the second half.
Following a yellow card to the Bulls, the Lions took a quick tap, and Robert Hurn crashed over to level the scores 15-15. Jaydon Viljoen converted to edge the Lions into the lead (17-15) after 4 minutes of play in the second half. Drewyn Baron struck back immediately, cutting the defence of the Lions to pieces. Ruan Flusk converted. After 16 minutes of play, Shaye Lourens sniped off the back of a ruck to score in the corner. Viljoen was on target again. The Lions led 24-22 after 17 minutes of play in the second half. Three minutes later, Joshua Gouws was the Bulls' reply, scoring a great try with brilliant running. Flusk retook the lead for the Bulls with a great conversion (29-24).
The Lions’ Ndzalama Mbhalati showed some brilliance to score a great try. Viljoen again edged the Lions into the lead from the corner (31-29). Flusk converted a penalty with 7 minutes to play in the second half; however, Ethan Lourens pounced on a knock-on by the Bulls from the kickoff to edge the Lions 36-32 into the lead, and 4 minutes to play in the second half. The Lions secured the match when Glodi Tshipamba crashed over, Viljoen was on target, and the Lions won 43-32.
Teams:
Blue Bulls: 1 Andre van Wyk, 2 Charl Els, 3 Ruben Lombard, 4 JJ Fourie, 5 Martin van Niekerk, 6 Stefan van der Vyver, 7 Caleb Pretorius, 8 Almero Gerritsen, 9 Ethan Williams, 10 Ruan Fluks, 11 Jody Abrahams, 12 Dylan Stumke, 13 Joshua Gouws, 14 Ofentse Matlebjane, 15 Drewyn Baron. Replacements: 16 Riyaan Wilson, 17 Thando Telelo, 18 Hannes Nagel, 19 Matimu Maluleke, 20 Mbala Ndima, 21 Tilon Baron, 22 Waylin Papier, 23 Garrith Warie.
Obaro Golden Lions: 17 Siya Nkomo, 2 Jeandre Van Der Merwe, 18 Mako Mandizha, 4 Robert Hurn, 5 Glodi Tshipamba, 6 Mihle Dyakala, 7 Kean Lourens, 8 Llewellyn Lourens, 19 Prince Agu, 10 Jaydon Viljoen, 11 Ruan Genis, 12 Ethan Lourens, 14 Lethabo Mashao, 22 Tidimalo Moeketsane. Replacements: 16 Siphosamandosi Nkosingphile Cele, 1 Diandro Botha, 3 Stephan Botha, 8 Armand Van Eck, 20 Siyabonga Ncube, 9 Shaye Lourens, 15 Ndzalama Mbhalati, 23 Phano Letsie.
Western Province XV 52-33 Griffons
Early pressure by the Griffons led to a converted penalty by Jadewin Solomons. Following a 15-minute arm wrestle, Brinzley Bastiaan cut the defence of the WP XV to shreds, beating several defenders to score a brilliant try. Two minutes later, Qlin Booyse scored another try for the Griffons. Jadewin Solomons converted Bastiaan’s try to extend the Griffons lead to 17-00 after twenty minutes of play in the first half. The WP XV struck back from the kick-off, and Dante Davids ended the movement he started with a try to cut the Griffons’ lead to 17-07, following the conversion by Kyle Snyers. The Griffons converted a penalty to extend their lead to 20-07 after 25 minutes of play in the first half. With time running out, Jadewin Solomons converted another penalty to extend the Griffons’ lead to 23-07 and 3 minutes to play in the first half. Henre Valentyn had the final say in the first half when he crashed over for the WP XV's second try. Kyle Snyers converted to cut the Griffons’ lead to 23-14 going into the second half.
The WP XV started the second half like a house on fire, and Travis Pfeiffer crashed over after just 5 minutes of play. He also converted his try to cut the Griffons’ lead to 21-23. Thereafter, the WP XV dominated, and Cayden Samuels scored two tries; however, the Griffons were not done yet, and flanker Reagan Krige stormed down the touchline to reduce the WPXV’s lead to 33-28. Luca Orgill’s try was converted by Pheiffer to extend the WP XV’s lead to 40-28 with 13 minutes still to play. Yanos Molnar's two tries for the WP XV and a try by Qlin Booyse for the Griffons resulted in a 52-33 win for the WP XV.
Griquas 43-29 Pumas
The match started at a blistering pace with the Pumas’ Thubelihle Marule scoring an opportunistic try after just 30 seconds of play in the first half. 90 seconds later, Heinrich Swart crashed over for the Griquas to take a 07-05 lead following the conversion by JG van Heerden. This was followed by the bullocking run by Siphesihle Marule to score the Pumas' second try, edging the Pumas 10-07 into the lead. After 15 minutes of play, Thubelihle Marule crashed over for his second try to extend the Pumas' lead to 15-07. Scrummy Kamo Monkwe sniped to extend the Pumas’ lead to 22-07 following the conversion by Buhle Mphahlaza. Thereafter, Griquas scored tries by Heinrich Swart and Tyler Campher to cut the Pumas' lead to 22-21, going into the second half.
Tiaan Serfontein opened the scoring for Griquas after only 2 minutes of play to give Griquas a 26-22 lead. The game has lost a lot of its structure; however, Tyler Campher scored his second try for the Griquas thanks to the poor defence of the Pumas. JG Van Heerden converted to extend the Griquas’ lead to 33-22. Uzile Mathelela scored a second try in the second half for the Pumas from a penalty tap, and the conversion cut Griquas’ lead to 33-29. A great kick-pass by van Heerden was controlled by Tyler Campher to score his hat-trick try. In under two minutes of play, Jay-dee Isaacs scored in the other corner to secure the Griquas a deserved 43-29 win.
Teams:
Suzuki Griquas: 17 Francois De Boer, 16 Robert Immelman, 18 Jeandre Kuhn, 4 Marius Coetzer, 5 MG Van Greuning, 20 Janco Adriaanse, 7 Franklin Stevens, 8 Heinrich Swart, 9 Vinchenzo Davids, 10 JG Van Heerden, 11 Duran Makoni, 12 Bokamoso Dihemo, 13 LJ Buys, 14 Mikyle Muller, 15 Tyler Campher. Replacements: 2 Wian Maritz, 1 C-jay Meiring, 3 Pako Kopeledi, 19 Karel Du Plessis, 6 Tiaan Serfontein, 11 Jay-dee Isaacs, 22 Ettiene Brittian, 23 Kabelo Motlharo.
Pumas: 1 Melchior Van Niekerk, 2 Ryan Blake, 3 Dewald Du Toit, 8 Vian Louw, 5 Sifiso Hlungwane, 6 Siphesihle Marule, 20 Thubelihle Marule, 7 Menzi Siyaya, 9 Kamo Monkwe, 10 Ewan Van Der Merwe, 11 Fisokuhle Shabalala, 12 Rian Botha, 13 Rhandzu Mkhabela, 14 Kgontse Masilela, 15 Buhle Mphahlaza. Replacements: 16 Obhuhle Nyumba, 17 Uzile Mathelela, 18 Marcel Lindeque, 19 Lihan De Vaal, 20 Andrea De Wet, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Blake Faber, 13 Mukelo Sandiso Nkosi.
Border 36-14 Valke
The first 17 minutes were an arm wrestle; however, the Valke patiently built the pressure on the Border, and eventually Victory Asumah crashed over off the back of a line-out maul. Dian Botha converted, edging the Valke 07-00 into the lead. Border struck back 8 minutes later when Caleb Smith controlled a horrible pass to score Border’s first try, which was converted by Cwenga Bityo, to level the scores 07-07. Valke missed two penalty conversion attempts and two try-scoring opportunities, and despite dominating the final 20 minutes, they went into the second half with the scores level at 07-07.
Border started as a house on fire, and Nande Thiwani crashed over at the back of a brilliant driving maul after 8 minutes of play in the second half. Five minutes later, Valke’s Jerado Tafel pounced on horrible handling by the Boland backline to score the Valke's second try. Dian Botha converted to edge the Valke 14-12 into the lead. The Border ran 80-odd meters down the touchline, and winger Ncuthu Kepe outsprinted several defenders to score a great try to retake the lead for the Border (17-12). Border took control during the final 20 minutes, and Ahlume Gqwetya, Ncuthu Kepe and Tadana Gope added their names to the try-scoring list to secure a 36-14 win for Border.
Teams:
Border: 17 Luthango Ngese, 2 Okuhle Fihla, 18 Sanele Bistoli, 5 Tadana Gope, 19 Kungawo Jaca, 20 Liyabona Mayikana, 7 Ulikhaya Stuurman, 8 Travis Enslin, 9 Connor Fowles, 10 Riley Hansel, 11 Ncuthu Kepe, 12 Athan Gravett, 23 Kwagga Liebenberg, 14 Cwenga Bityo, 15 Caleb Smith. Replacements: 16 Nande Thiwani, 1 Zeake Mata, 3 Ahlume Gqwetya, 4 Tatenda Saunyama, 6 Zimi Deleki, 21 Lukho Mzingaye, 22 Zearen Booysen, 13 Iviwe Kabale.
Valke: 17 Junior Ngwenya, 16 Lwazi Molotja, 18 AlAtreyu Jooste, 19 Marlo Van Der Merwe, 5 Ivan Botha, 6 Victory Asumah, 7 Juandre Pretorius, 8 Jaco Engelbrecht, 9 Joseph Diesel, 12 Dian Botha, 11 Jerado Tafel, 23 Vaughn Steynvaart, 13 Ethan Botha, 14 Dave Mthizi, 15 Joshua Van Rensburg. Replacements: 2 Matthew Vermaak, 1 Frans Uithaler, 3 Elshaan Duminy, 4 Caylan Mc Lauchlin, 20 Marko Van Der Walt, 21 Liam Hector, 22 Duwayne Zeekoei, 23 Ronaldo October.
