DHL Western Province powered past South Western Districts to win the final match of the FNB U18 Craven Week in Middelburg while the Blue Bulls, Obaro Golden Lions and Free State finished their respective campaigns on a high.
The FNB Youth Weeks programme came to an eventful conclusion on Saturday, with all 16 teams featuring in the final round of the FNB U18 Craven Week tournament staged at Hoërskool Middelburg.
WP finished the week with three victories, while the Bulls, Sanlam Boland, Lions, Leopards, Free State, Suzuki Griquas and Hollywood Foundation Pumas were among the winners on the final day of the competition.
The battle between WP and SWD was fiercely contested, with the Eagles drawing first blood. Province responded with tries from fullback Jaden Ocks, captain Josh Neill – who was named the Player of the Tournament – and No 8 Quintin Potgieter to take a 17-9 lead into the break.
SWD clawed their way back after WP were shown a yellow card early in the second half. Eagles prop Kai Prat scored during this period, while flyhalf Virgil Pockpas added the conversion to reduce the deficit to 13 points.
The Eagles scored again right before full time, but WP managed to secure a 27-21 victory and yet another unbeaten campaign.
Earlier in the day, the Bulls thrashed Eastern Province 76-24, with wing Thabiso Simelane, centre Dylan Stumke and flanker Elwin Jansen Van Vuuren scoring two tries apiece. Simelane went on to finish the tournament as the leading try-scorer (six).
The Lions dominated the first half of their match against the Western Province XV, before the Cape side hit back in the second stanza. After leading 17-7 at the break, the Gauteng outfit hung on for a 27-26 victory.
Free State controlled the contest against the Sharks High Schools, who struggled with their discipline. Flyhalf Darius Erwee kept the scoreboard ticking, while hooker Marinus Oosthuizen scored two tries to steer the boys from Bloemfontein to a convincing 34-12 win.
In other fixtures, the Leopards produced one of the most dominant performances of the day, scoring eight tries in a 54-7 rout of the Limpopo Blue Bulls, Griquas edged the Valke 26-19, and the Pumas were too good for Border, winning by 48-12.
FNB U18 Craven Week day five results (Saturday, 12 July):
EP 24 (17) Bulls 76 (26)
Sanlam Boland 38 (12) Griffons 36 (12)
Obaro Golden Lions 27 (17) DHL WP XV 26 (7)
Limpopo Blue Bulls 7 (0) Leopards 54 (40)
Sharks 12 (0) Free State 34 (13)
Suzuki Griquas 26 (12) Valke 19 (12)
Hollywood Foundation Pumas 48 (24) Border 12 (7)
DHL WP 27 (17) SWD 21 (9)-
FNB U18 Craven Week day five fixtures (Saturday, 12 July):
Limpopo Bulls 07-54 Leopards
The Leopards led 40-00 at the halftime break, scoring some brilliant tries. They took their foot off the pedal in the second half but did enough to secure a 54-07 win.
Scorers:
Limpopo Bulls: Try: Andru De Beer. Conversions: Anzio Swartbooi.
Leopards: Tries: Brendin Mathyse, Kg Legodi, Winton Abrahams, Tiaan Koen, Matthew Redelinghuys, Rea Motsusi, Bernard Niemand, Oratile Sekoto. Conversions: Eduard Dreyer (7).
Teams:
Limpopo Blue Bulls: 1 Kristen Swanepoel, 2 Ziahn Lombaard, 3 Stephan Jansen Van Rensburg, 4 FC Smith, 5 Ludke Pienaar, 6 Andru De Beer, 7 Juan Jansen Van Vuuren, 8 Funi Simba, 9 Celliers Van Der Merwe, 10 Maritz Meintjes, 11 Tshenello Nkwana, 12 Siya Mahlangu, 13 Gehan Hendricks, 14 Phenyo Pula, 15 Ryno Mienie. Replacements: 16 Ruben Pohl, 17 Thabang Nkuna, 18 Rhandzo Malatji, 19 Puki Mpiti, 20 Tumi Ramohale, 21 Anzio Swartbooi, 22 Prince Aphane, 23 Fortune Sehlabane.
Leopards: 1 Ulrigh Du Preez, 2 Juan Van Rhyn, 3 Matthew Redelinghuys, 4 Aidan Jonker, 5 Tiaan De Kock, 6 KG Legodi, 7 Franco Dumond, 8 Tiaan Koen, 9 Rea Motsusi, 10 Eduard Dreyer, 11 Brendin Mathyse, 12 Winton Abrahams, 13 Jordan Rathebe, 14 Marques Jantjies, 15 Bernard Niemand. Replacements: 16 Fanie Linde, 18 De Waal Coetzer, 19 Letlotlo Tobosi, 21 Elzeno Schalkwyk, 22 Oratile Sekoto.
Lions 27-26 Western Province XV
The Lions started like a house on fire and led 10-00 after just ten minutes of play. The rest of the half was full of action and when the Lions scored their second try with four minutes to play everybody started to belief that this would be an easy match for the Lions, however, Western Province replied almost immediately wit a their first try of thr match to lead 17-07 at the halftime break.
The Lions were cruising, and an early fourth try and converted penalty increased their lead to 27-07. However, two tries in five minutes by Western Province cut the Lions' lead to 27-19 with five minutes to play. Western Province XV launched attack after attack and eventually scored a brilliant try after time was up; however, the Lions held on to win 27-26.
Scorers:
Lions: Tries: Matthew Hunt, Ty Ax, Aidan Bester. Conversions: Jeandre Uithaler (3). Penalties: Jeandre Uithaler (2).
Western Province XV: Tries: Leighton Brinkhuis, Caleb Bell, Gershom Pieters, Caleb Koeberg. Conversions: Leighton Brinkhuis (3).
Teams:
Lions: 1 Andre Poulton, 2 Clinton Agu, 3 Dylan Engelbrecht, 4 Vincent Roberts, 5 Michael Bownes, 6 Sam Bruwer, 7 Eugene De Lange, 8 Chinedu Amadi, 9 Shaye Lourens, 10 Jeandre Uithaler, 11 Tidimalo Moeketsane, 12 Ethan Lourens, 13 Ty Ax, 14 Aidan Bester, 15 Matthew Hunt. Replacements: 16 Ayanda Funeka, 17 Liam Devenier, 18 Nathan Frank Van Der Merwe, 19 Zian Smith, 20 Grady Ngui, 21 Talent Sithole, 22 Phano Letsie, 23 Joel Akilo.
Western Province XV: 1 Pieter Cilliers, 2 Thomas Muller, 3 Lisekhonikamva Zola Madwayi, 4 Gershom Pieters, 5 Bernhardt Schulze, 6 Siphesihle Mbungendlu, 7 Tjeripo Karuhumba, 8 Steph Van Der Merwe, 9 Mickyle Booise, 10 Leighton Brinkhuis, 11 Shellvon Mabooi, 12 Iwan Jordaan, 13 Tiaan Basson, 14 David Kadima, 15 Mark Grindlay. Replacements: 16 Noah Gila, 17 Gerrit Van Vuuren, 18 Chadley Davids, 19 Jean Dreyer, 20 Caleb Koeberg, 21 Liam De Villiers, 22 Caleb Bell, 23 Jason Ocks.
Boland 38-36 Griffons
Two brilliantly matched teams were playing a great brand of rugby. The halftime scores were 12-12. The Boland was seemingly getting the upper hand when they scored three tries within twelve minutes to lead 38-26, with ten minutes still to play in the match. However, the Griffons made several changes during the final ten minutes, resulting in them scoring two tries to cut Boland's lead to 38-36, which was also the final score.
Scorers:
Boland: Tries: Lorenzo Kroutz, West-lee Uithaler, Johan Van Der Walt , Liam Van Der Westhuizen, Favian Arendse, Dihego Braaf. Conversions: Johan Van Der Walt, Zion Rabie (2), Favian Arendse.
Griffons: Tries: Davian Pule, Qlin Booyse (2), Xander Wiltshire, Myburgh Jacobs. Berto Van Niekerk. Conversions: Joze Draghoender, Olereko Sebatana (2).
Teams:
Boland: 1 Amaan Adendorff, 2 Liam Van Der Westhuizen, 3 Linrique Mason, 4 Heinrich Redelinghuys, 5 Gerhard Goosen, 6 Werno Ramsauer, 7 Gideon Scheepers, 8 Joshua Steenkamp, 9 Caleb Cornett, 10 Zion Rabie, 11 Darren Makeza, 12 Johan Van Der Walt, 13 Lorenzo Kroutz, 14 Harold De Silva, 15 West-lee Uithaler. Replacements: 16 Jp Lotriet, 17 Stefan Le Roux, 18 Joshua Swarts, 19 Clint Afrika, 20 J-cop Van Engelen, 21 Dihego Braaf, 22 Favian Arendse, 23 Jt Adams.
Griffons:1 Cobus Labuschagne, 2 Myburgh Jacobs, 3 Tumelo Hlakoane, 4 Dian Serfontein, 5 Danie Fourie, 6 Divan Marais, 7 Berto Van Niekerk. 8 Emile Mahlelebe, 9 Davian Pule, 10 Olereko Sebatana, 11 Qlin Booyse, 12 Sedwin Gysman, 13 Jc Van Rhyn, 14 Donay Williams, 15 Joze Draghoender. Replacements: 16 Rico Jansen Van Vuuren, 17 Ewald Booyens, 18 Sibabalwe Bucwa, 19 Jacques Barendse, 20 Theo Van Wyk, 21 Edre Wille, 22 Jayden Windvogel, 23 Xander Wiltshire.
EP 24-76 Blue Bulls
Eastern Province started like a house on fire and scored two converted tries as well as a converted penalty to lead 17-00 after fifteen minutes of play. This shocked the Bleu Bulls into action, who scored four unanswered tries during the final twenty minutes to lead 26-17 at the halftime break.
Bot teams added a try early in the second half, after which the Bulls scored five unanswered tries to secure a 76-24 win, scoring twelve tries to the three of Eastern Province.
Scorers:
Eastern Province: Tries: Erin Nelson, William Stevens, Liyema Katikati. Conversions: Tristan Kemp (3). Penalty: Tristan Kemp.
Blue Bulls: Tries: Jeffrey Singo, Thabiso Simelane (2), Junade Pasensie, Junaide Stuart, Stefan Mcdonald, Zirk Meyer, Charl Els, Dylan Stumke (2), Elwin Jansen Van Vuuren (2). Replacements: Ruben Groenewald (8)
Teams:
Eastern Province: 1 Ike Ukekwe, 2 Janu Janse Van Rensburg, 3 Ross Atkinson, 4 Damian Le Roux, 5 Neshaun Bester, 6 Liyema Katikati, 7 Josh Mackenzie, 8 Petrus Kleinhans, 9 Luke Doyle, 10 Tristan Kemp, 11 Lucritia Magua, 12 Ciaran Killian, 13 Erin Nelson, 14 Cole Hilpert, 15 Meyer Prinsloo. Replacements: 16 Zandre Van Der Mescht, 17 Evan Mucka, 18 Andre Van Der Merwe, 19 Ruben Van Dijk, 20 Likhona Bill, 21 Jaiden Brewis, 22 Damien Witbooi, 23 William Stevens.
Blue Bulls: 1 Jeffrey Singo, 2 Okuhle Hini, 3 Luan Van Der Berg, 4 Daniel Malakiya, 5 Christiaan De Wet, 6 Luan Potgieter, 7 Elwin Jansen Van Vuuren, 8 Stefan Mcdonald, 9 Zirk Meyer, 10 Ruben Groenewald, 11 Junaide Stuart, 12 Dylan Stumke, 13 Thabiso Simelane, 14 Drewyn Baron, 15 Junade Pasensie. Replacements: 16 Charl Els, 17 Roal Kruger. 18 Deon Botes, 19 Akinwale Akingbola, 20 Thabiso Mbembele, 21 Lamond Baaitjies, 22 Justin Julies, 23 Khumo Manakana.
10h15: Golden Lions vs WP XV
11h30: Sharks vs Free State
12h45: WP vs SWD
B-field:
10h15: Limpopo vs Leopards
11h30: Griquas vs Valke
12h45: Border vs Pumas
