The Bulls, Sharks and both Western Province teams claimed valuable wins on day one of the FNB U16 Grant Khomo Week staged at St Alban’s College in Pretoria on Monday.
The opening day of the U16 tournament witnessed a number of tight contests, with Border, the Valke, South Western Districts, Griffons and Griquas among the teams that went on to secure victories.
A Field
Border 26-22 Leopards
Border impressed with slick handling in an error-ridden first half. Border scored on the stroke of halftime to lead 19-05, looking to run away in the second half. The Leopards came out guns blazing in the second half and reduced Border's lead to just two points. 19-17. Thereafter, the Border scored a great try to lead 26-17; however, a brilliant long-distance try by the Leopards with five minutes to play. The Leopards gave everything they had during the final minutes, with the Border hanging on for dear life.
Scorers:
Border: Tries: Carlo Davids, Edward Malinzi, Caleb Smith, Riley Hansel. Conversion: Josh Wilkie (3).
Leopards: Tries: Tebogo Msiza, Daniel Schoeman, Lerato Matlaisane, Lemarc Henry. Conversion: Dian Huisamen.
South Western Districts 27-10 Eastern Province
SWD opened the scoring with a penalty, where EP scored a try to lead 05-03. SWD scored two tries in the final ten minutes to lead 17-05 at the halftime break. The first fifteen minutes of the second half were scoreless until EP scored their second try of the match to cut SWD's lead to 17-10. SWD replied immediately with a great try and a penalty to lead 27-10. The final thirteen minutes were scoreless, and SWD deserved to win against a gutsy EP.
Scorers:
South Western Districts: Tries: Logan Jacobs, Luan Mortlock, Dorian de Wee, Rashan Claasen. Conversions: Tanwill Onkers (2). Penalty: Tanwill Onkers.
Eastern Province: Tries: Alexander Stewart, Anfred Jansen.
Sharks 44-35 Lions
The Sharks opened the scoring after six minutes of play, showing great interplay and passing. The Lions replied within three minutes to lead 07-05. The first half was played at pace with both teams attacking at every opportunity. The Sharks' second try was scored after just thirteen minutes of play in the first half, after their lock did great work out wide. The Sharks led 24-07 after scoring two tries to lead 24-07. However, the Lions were not done and added two tries during the final three minutes of the first half to cut the Sharks' lead to 24-21. A late penalty by the Sharks extended their lead to 27-21.
The intensity of the second half slowed down a lot, and the Lions took a one-point lead with a converted try after seven minutes played in the second half. The Lions seemingly were on their way to a try to extend their lead to 35-27. However, mistakes by the Lions allowed the Sharks to take control of the match during the final ten minutes of play and secured a great win with two great tries and a converted penalty. The Sharks deservedly won 44-35.
Scorers:
Sharks: Tries: Rosco Williams (3), Elgenio Oersen (2), Ben Hughes. Conversions: Daniel Misty (4). Penalties: Daniel Misty (2).
Lions: Tries: Blessing Monareng (4), Ndzalama Mbhalati. Conversions: Ndzalama Mbhalati (5).
Blue Bulls 32-13 Boland
The Bulls started like a house on fire and scored their try before a minute had passed in the first half. Two minutes later, the Bulls extended their lead to 12-00 following a second try. Thereafter, the teams traded penalties, and the Bulls led 15-03 going into the second half. Boland added a second penalty before the Bulls added a try to lead 22-06 early in the second half. With ten minutes to play, Boland scored a brilliant try to cut the Bulls' lead to 22-13. The Bulls were content to close the game out and added a penalty and a last-minute try to win 32-13.
Scorers:
Blue Bulls: Tries: Dandre Brink (2), Ruan Flusk, Ronald Phiri. Conversions: Reuben Smith (3). Conversions: Reuben Smith (3).
Boland: Try: Tristin Syster. Conversion: Brent-Leigh Exstraal. Penalty: Ruan Nortje.
Western Province 55-22 Free State
The Western Province was brutal in the first half and scored tries at regular intervals to lead 24-10 at the halftime break. Their onslaught continued, and they led 43-10 after thirteen minutes of play in the second half. The Free State did score early in the second half, to which Western Province almost immediately replied with another try to lead 50-15 and ten minutes to play. The final ten minutes resulted in a try each to end in an emphatic 55-22 win for the Western Province.
The Western Province showed that they would not be easily beaten if the game lost its structure, allowing the speedsters from the Western Province to run any defence to pieces. A structured game plan is what is needed to beat this brilliant attack of Western Province.
Scorers:
Western Province: Tries: Luca Orgill (2), Ziyaad Uppie, Corne Ferreira, Lunika Marvite, James Sale, Joshua Kirby, Nahum Koen. Conversions: Jake Dave (6). Penalty: Jake Dave.
Free State: Tries: Niel du Randt, Lino Mtwebana, Dippies Dippenaar. Conversions: Zachary Walburgh (2). Penalty: Zachary Walburgh.
B Field
Zimbabwe 71-03 Border CD
Zimbabwe demolished Border CD and led 36-03 at the halftime break. Zimbabwe scored 35 unanswered points in the second half to win 71-03.
Scorers:
Zimbabwe: Tries: Denzel Nyambo (3), Tafara Gara (2), Ngonidzashe Buthu, Matthew Zinyemba, Victor Watama, Liam Bitten, Tristan van der Merwe, Gray van der Merwe. Conversions: Gray van der Merwe (8).
Border CD: Penalty: Luke Groepe.
Valke 24-15 Limpopo Bulls
The Valke opened the scoring with an unconverted try, whereafter the Limpopo Bulls replied with their first try after ten minutes of play to lead 07-05, which was the halftime score. The Limpopo Bulls opened the scoring in the second half following just two minutes of play in the second half to extend their lead to 12-05. A converted penalty by the Limpopo Bulls was replied to with a five-pointer by the Valke with ten minutes still to play. The Valke scored two more tries in the final ten minutes to secure a hard-fought 24-15 win.
Scorers:
Valke: Tries: Jerado Tafel (3), Wimpie Maritz. Conversions: Jerado Tafel (2).
Limpopo Bulls: Tries: Jodan du Bruyn, Junaid Stevens. Conversions: Johan van Biljon. Penalty: Johan van Biljon.
Griffons 32-24 Namibia
Namibia scored the first try from a lineout-maul to lead 05-00 after just three minutes of play. The Griffons replied three minutes later, whereafter Namibia added two tries to lead 17-05 after just fourteen minutes of play in the first half. The Griffons dominated the last half of the first half and scored two tries to trail 15-17 at the halftime break. The Griffons opened the scoring in the second half with a converted penalty and followed it up with a converted penalty to lead 25-17 with ten minutes to play. Two minutes later, the Griffons added another seven-pointer; however, Namibia was not done and scored a late try to edge closer, but unfortunately for the visitors, time ran out.
Scorers:
Griffons: Tries: Brinzley Bastiaan (2), Zak Steyn, Osego Mnyungula, Jayden-Daniel Bienas. Conversions: Theuns van Rensburg (2).
Namibia: Tries: Zasha Steenkamp, Oliver Seager, Caleb Buys. Conversion: Matthew Raubenheimer.
WP XV 30-27 Pumas
The teams traded early penalties, and WP XV scored the first try of the match after seventeen minutes of play in the first half to lead 10-03. During the next seven minutes, the sides traded tries and the WPXV led 15-08. The Pumas were the last to score in the first half and trailed 15-17 at the halftime break. The WPXV started like a house on fire and extended their lead to 24-15 after just three minutes of play in the second half. WPXV added a converted penalty and looked in control; however, two tries in the final ten minutes by the Pumas levelled the scores at 27-27. The WPXV converted a penalty with two minutes still to play to edge the Pumas 30-27.
Scorers:
Western Province XV: Tries: Janu Pretorius, Hadley Erasmus, Jean Olivier. Conversions: Divan Meyer (3). Penalties: Divan Meyer (3).
Pumas: Tries: Rhandzu Mkhabela, Fisokuhle Shabalala, Siphesihle Marule, Thubelihle Marule. Conversions: Kgontse Masilela (2). Penalty: Cornelius Erasmus.
Iqhawe 14-50 Griquas
Iqhawe surprised many and was level at 14-14 at the halftime break. However, Griquas scored 36 unanswered points in the second half to win 50-14.
Scorers:
Griquas: Tries: LJ Buys (2), Levaan Badenhorst, Hanco Klopper, Franklin Stevens, Schalk van Dyk, Thurswill Vers, Eaven Peterson. Conversions: Jay-Dee Isaacs (5).
Iqhawe: Tries: Luthanda Marangxa, Kabelo Motlharo. Conversions: Kabelo Marangxa (2).
